Method dressing is Hollywood’s newest fixation and secret formula to growing virality and publicity when promoting new films. The term “method dressing” essentially refers to when an actor references the film’s unique aesthetic, themes or elements through their clothing in order to extend the cinematic universe onto red carpets for the purpose of promotion. One may have heard about method acting but it seems that method dressing has instead become the focal point and somewhat of an expectation for star-studded movie press tours and red carpets. In the past, movie stars have graced carpets dressed to the nines, yet seldom referenced the film itself — but more so channelling a more glamorous, more formal version of their personal style.
However, method dressing is not a new concept, it was first recognised in 1992 when Geena Davis wore a dress stitched like a baseball to the premiere of A League of Their Own and in 2014 with Angelina Jolie’s edgy leather and spike-adorned ensemble for Maleficent. While it has definitely been done before, the popularity of method dressing exploded thanks to Margot Robbie and stylist Andrew Mukamal’s Barbie press tour looks — a contributing and partly responsible factor behind the Barbie movie’s immense fame. However, there are disadvantages that may arise, with possible misinterpretations and a risk of audience fatigue. From Margot Robbie’s Barbie to Blake Lively’s It Ends With Us, LUXUO examines the effect of Method dressing on box office numbers.
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The Power of Method Dressing
The effect and power of method dressing is undeniable when it comes to publicity, especially when done on a prominent Hollywood star. As most will remember, 2023’s “Barbenheimer” was absolutely massive, with the simultaneous yet contrasting releases working in tandem to build excitement and ultimately a cultural phenomenon. However, Margot Robbie’s Barbie press tour looks were a cultural phenomenon in itself, having transformed into a life-sized version of the iconic childhood toy. She had worn custom couture and archival pieces to reference looks previously seen on the doll and wore the specific shade of pink almost exclusively for months.
Another celebrity well-known for method dressing is Zendaya, for her movies Dune 2 and Challengers. Thanks to the genius mind of stylist Law Roach, the star had transformed from Disney star to Hollywood fashion icon, most notably for her captivating method dressing. More specifically her futuristic robot-like archival Mugler ensemble and her many tennis-inspired looks from her Challengers press tour. The two stars and their respective stylists had captured attention through blurring the line between the star’s on-screen and off-screen persona, in the way that adheres to the well-known Hollywood glamour yet appears extremely inventive and authentic.
Creating Buzz and Trends
The advantages of method dressing is that it gives the perception of dedication to the film and prompts a more engaging and intriguing response from the audience in addition to significant star power. Unique and inventive method dressing looks have a tendency to go viral due to these factors, placing the celebrity and their association to the movie promotion on top of search engines and on social media pages. The awareness and buzz related to a movie is also further accelerated by social media trends that allow an individual to channel a certain character in their daily life, transforming the act of catching a film into a cultural event. Method dressing more specifically for the Barbie movie, not only appeared attractive but also resonated with the female audience. Given that the movie preached female empowerment, many admired Robbie’s Barbie-inspired looks, as they were undeniably feminine and playful, yet did not oversexualise the character or the actress.
Effect on Box Office Success
Fuelled by creativity, star power and social media, the virality of method dressing for movies has played a significant contributing factor in growing box office numbers. Thanks to Margot Robbie’s dedication to embodying the iconic childhood toy and the viral trends that followed, the Barbie movie had claimed the title of highest-grossing film of the year garnering a total of over USD 1 billion worldwide, as well as the biggest debut ever for a female-directed film. Other contributing factors also drove the movie and press to success such as an expanded audience from age appropriate content, empowering message and star-studded cast.
As for Zendaya’s method dressing, the common theme following her movie press successes tend to be associated with the creative and daring approach of her stylist and his knack for creating viral moments. Her vintage Mugler Fall/Winter 1995 red carpet look from the Dune 2 premiere had unsurprisingly gone viral. It referenced the movie’s futuristic sci-fi aesthetic and alluded to Denis Villeneuve’s brutalist vision of galactic warfare as stated by Law Roach. Furthermore, with such a bold ensemble and high-profile event, social media attention and intrigue is expected, with dividing opinions garnering media attention and awareness to the associated movie. With the virality and buzz working in tandem with the a star studded cast including Timothée Chalemet and Florence Pugh, Dune 2 had passed USD 700 million worldwide, far exceeding the first Dune‘s just over USD 400 million lifetime gross.
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The tennis-themed press tour looks from Zendaya’s Challengers movie had also seen immense popularity and buzz. From the extensive tour the world had seen an a large array of sports-inspired elements from custom tennis ball heels to a sequinned dress appearing to present a silhouette of her character from the movie. As a result from the creative and fun take on character embodiment, a renewed interest in “tennis-core” was born, thanks to social media. The popular trend rapidly grew, reaching up to 80% increased from March to April 2024 as per Forbes.
Zendaya’s Challengers method dressing had captivated the internet by way of creating a cultural movement and fashion trend leading up to the movie release. Additionally, much of the press and publicity associated with the Challengers movie surrounded Zendaya and her press outfits, and significantly less frequent buzz about co-stars Mike Faist and Josh O Connor. Hence, creative method dressing was likely a significant contributing factor in the movie’s success. As of April 2024, Challengers has surpassed USD 52 million globally, making it director Luca Guadagnino’s highest-grossing film at the box office so far, surpassing his other popular film Call Me By Your Name.
Limitations and Misinterpretations
Method dressing although with major success stories, comes with disadvantages as with the incredible frequency at which we see this method on red carpet — audiences may grow bored and anticipation and buzz may dwindle. An example of this may be the method dressing for upcoming movie, Wicked, with stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Ervio frequently sporting pink and green to represent their respective movie characters. The pair embarked on their method dressing journey as early as April of this year for a movie premiering in November. The stars had embodied their characters at high profile events such as the Oscars and MET Gala as well as more casual commitments like the Paris Olympics 2024, CinemaCon and Wimbledon.
Despite positive responses from fans and press about the dynamic and playful approach to building anticipation for the movie, the excitement has seemed to have lost steam. Furthermore, it appears that method dressing works best in the short term and usually only successful in the months leading up to the movie. Thus, starting too early would likely run the risk of growing stale in relation to buzz and anticipation built up by method dressing.
More recently, Hollywood star Blake lively had found herself in the midst of controversy surrounding the promotion of new movie It Ends With Us. In a bid to boost the movies viral appeal and to drive buzz and excitement, the star frequently donned floral motifs and a mix of patterns to reference her movie character, a florist named Lily Bloom. In the span of her career, Lively has cemented herself as a committed fashion enthusiast, with many anticipating her MET gala each year, hence, it was unsurprising that she opted for method dressing ahead of her newest movie.
Ahead of the premiere, Lively had opted for bright colours and patterns, alluding to something that possesses a positive and optimistic message. Completely contrasting, the movie in fact, explores darker themes such as domestic violence and generational trauma which was heavily emphasised by co-star and producer Justin Baldoni. The stark contrast led many to believe that the heavy themes were important factors that Lively had chosen to ignore. While yes, she was making reference to her character, the internet had deemed the star “out of touch” and “insensitive” in promoting a facade of a light-hearted romantic comedy to garner attention of mass audiences.
During the same period and in a bid to create the “Barbenheimer” effect, Lively and Gigi Hadid had walked the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine in their respective colours to reference Lively’s husband Ryan Reynolds and co-star Hugh Jackman. With all contributing factors, many had turned on the star and encouraged others to boycott the movie as a result of Lively’s lack of concern and emotional sensitivity. While this situation was successful in garnering large box office numbers amounting to USD 200 million, it has not achieved the same excitement and cultural phenomenon as “Barbenheimer” producers had hoped to achieve. Therefore, misinterpreted method dressing also carries large risks when concerning movies of a sensitive nature and has the ability to significantly tarnish an actor’s image.
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In conclusion, method dressing although may seem straightforward in retrospect, has many underlying factors that drive it to success in promoting a movie. While many movies have largely benefitted from celebrity method dressing in growing awareness, attention and box office numbers, not all movies should be promoted in this manner as it risks desensitising serious themes and fatigue within the audience. However, with the extremely frequent sightings of celebrities with method dressing, creativity and resonance is key to captivate audiences and fully realise the potential of the movie, as seen with the massive success of Margot Robbie and Zendaya.
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