ITNTW: DRESS TO MAKE IT IN THE PRESS
Has method dressing become the ultimate PR tactic?
It’s no secret that the press love a celebrity red carpet event. Whether it’s the Oscars or the BRITS, news sites are flooded with “best dressed” articles showcasing the hottest celeb looks styled by the world’s most exclusive designers.
But with hundreds of celebrities attending these events hoping to promote their latest work, how do you stand out from the crowd and grab the attention of the regular viewer?
It seems some celebrities (and their teams) have mastered the art of ‘method dressing’ in order to spark an interest in their upcoming projects.
Although not a new theory to prestigious red carpet events, today we are seeing actors take method dressing to the next level, wearing on theme clothing throughout entire press tours and public paparazzi sightings, leading viewers on and forming a “what will they wear next?” frenzy.
Undeniably the most successful to date to take on this method dressing approach is Margot Robbie during the lead up to the release of “Barbie” last year. Robbie religiously wore looks replicating classic Barbie doll outfits on the red carpet and even included subtle references to the film in her streetwear, spotted arriving at Sydney airport in a baby-pink blazer alongside her baby-pink suitcases. Press-tour or not, Robbie sent the media into a Barbie frenzy, and had the world eagerly waiting to see what she would wear next. And it’s clear to see this had a ripple effect into the mass success of her film.
And she’s not the only one, pop-music icon Taylor Swift famously wore a bright green sequined dress to this year’s Grammys hinting at the possible re-release of her ‘Reputation’ album, successfully making fans quick to comment on the possibility, flooding social media feeds.
Co-stars of the new Marvel film ‘Madame Web’, Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney have also been jumping on the trend, dressing fittingly in spider-inspired looks during their press-tour and various premieres.
More recently, however, the media has been sent into a craze over Zendaya’s method dressing for upcoming film “Challengers”. The film follows the story of an elite tennis player, and has seen Zendaya bring elements of the sport into her wardrobe. From more obvious nudges including her tennis ball stilettos and green sequined dress with the silhouette of a tennis player on its side, to more subtle references of mini pleated tennis skirts and vintage white collared tops, Zendaya has been claimed to spark a new tennis-core era of fashion, going beyond her red carpets into the wardrobes of everyday people. Zendaya’s outfit choices are successfully creating buzz around the film on social media, making it clear that without her distinct dress code it wouldn’t be gaining the same level of publicity.
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Written by Victoria Guest – PR & Influencer Coordinator
