The 10 Most Shocking & Ethereal Ariana Grande Red Carpet Dresses That Defined Her Style Era

Ariana Grande’s red carpet evolution is one of the most fascinating style transformations in modern pop culture. From her early days in sweet, youthful silhouettes to her current status as a high-fashion darling, her appearances are now major cultural moments. As of today, December 11, 2025, Grande has fully embraced her "Glinda" era, blending theatrical elegance with archival couture, making her recent red carpet choices some of the most discussed in the industry.

Her recent run of looks, especially those tied to the release of the film Wicked and major awards shows like the Oscars and Golden Globes, showcase a newfound commitment to sophisticated, often theatrical, luxury fashion. These outfits are not just dresses; they are carefully curated fashion statements that cement her place as a style icon with a deep appreciation for design history and dramatic flair.

Ariana Grande: A Brief Biography & Fashion Profile

Ariana Grande-Butera is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who has become one of the world's leading pop stars and a major figure in high fashion. Her career and personal style have gone through distinct phases, each reflected in her red carpet choices.

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• Full Name: Ariana Grande-Butera
• Born: June 26, 1993 (Age 32 as of 2025)
• Birthplace: Boca Raton, Florida, U.S.
• Occupation: Singer, Songwriter, Actress
• Debut Album: Yours Truly (2013)
• Breakthrough Role: Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon's Victorious (2010–2013)
• Key Film Role: Glinda in the two-part film adaptation of the musical Wicked (2024/2025)
• Signature Style Evolution: Began with a youthful, often retro-inspired look (A-line dresses, high ponytails) and evolved into a high-fashion, ethereal aesthetic, heavily favoring designers like Vera Wang, Giambattista Valli, Schiaparelli, and Loewe.
• Awards: Multiple Grammy Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and Billboard Music Awards.

The Ethereal & Archival Era: 2024–2025's Most Talked-About Gowns

The period surrounding her role as Glinda in Wicked marked a dramatic shift in Grande's red carpet strategy. She moved away from the sleek, monochromatic looks of her pop star peak toward a more theatrical, princess-like, and heavily curated vintage aesthetic. This era has produced some of her most iconic and critically acclaimed ensembles.

The Glinda-Inspired Grandeur of the 2025 Oscars

Ariana Grande’s appearance at the 97th Academy Awards in 2025 was a masterclass in thematic dressing, directly channeling her character, Glinda the Good Witch, but through a high-fashion lens. She floated onto the carpet in a breathtaking Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown.

• The Look: A stunning, voluminous ballgown in a soft, "nude" or pale pink hue.
• Designer: Schiaparelli Haute Couture, specifically from the Spring 2025 collection.
• Why It Was Iconic: The gown possessed an almost weightless, ethereal quality, perfectly capturing the essence of Glinda. It was an immediate favorite, showcasing her commitment to working with houses known for dramatic, sculptural design.

The Shocking Vintage Statement at the 2025 Golden Globes

In a move that thrilled fashion historians and critics, Grande opted for a piece of true fashion history at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards.

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• The Look: An un-worn Givenchy couture dress.
• Designer: Givenchy, a rare piece dated all the way back to 1966.
• Why It Was Iconic: Choosing an archival piece that had never been worn publicly is the pinnacle of "archival dressing," a trend that signifies deep respect for fashion heritage. It was a sophisticated, unexpected choice that highlighted her elevated status in the industry.

The Mother-of-Pearl Gown at the 2024 Met Gala

Grande's return to the Met Gala in 2024 was highly anticipated, and she did not disappoint, arriving in a look that perfectly matched the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" theme.

• The Look: A sweeping, white strapless gown featuring a molded leather bustier decorated with iridescent mother-of-pearl.
• Designer: Custom Loewe, designed by Jonathan Anderson.
• Why It Was Iconic: The dress was a work of art, with the mother-of-pearl detail making her look like a high-fashion nymph or an ethereal sea creature, perfectly blending the natural elements of the theme with modern couture. She also wore a second, ethereal green Maison Margiela dress for a performance with Cynthia Erivo, further cementing her commitment to thematic fashion.

The Wicked Press Tour: A Fashion Marathon of Theatrical Looks

The press tour for the two Wicked films became a fashion event in itself, with Grande and co-star Cynthia Erivo consistently delivering themed, high-impact looks. Grande used this opportunity to showcase a wide range of designers and styles, always with a theatrical edge.

The Dual-Tone NYC Premiere Gown

For the New York City premiere of Wicked: For Good, Grande blended her Glinda persona with a sophisticated, darker palette.

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• The Look: A dramatic black and pink ballgown.
• Designer: Givenchy Haute Couture by Alexander McQueen.
• Why It Was Iconic: The two-tone design was a clever nod to the pink and black color dichotomy of Glinda and Elphaba, showing her appreciation for the film’s core themes while wearing a powerhouse designer.

The Vintage Hollywood Glamour in London

At the London premiere, Grande dipped back into vintage archives, choosing a gown with a rich cinematic history.

• The Look: A vintage black one-shoulder ballgown.
• Designer: Unknown, but the dress was originally worn in the 1952 musical film Lovely to Look At.
• Why It Was Iconic: This choice reinforced her love for fashion history and the cinematic arts, connecting her new role to the golden age of Hollywood musicals.

The Raspberry Louis Vuitton Statement

Another standout from the press tour was a custom creation that demonstrated modern elegance and structure.

• The Look: A custom Louis Vuitton dress in a vibrant raspberry satin fabric, complete with a peplum detail.
• Designer: Custom Louis Vuitton.
• Why It Was Iconic: The rich color and structured peplum silhouette offered a powerful, contemporary take on a classic silhouette, accessorized stunningly with Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

The Legacy Looks: Defining Moments Before Glinda

While her recent looks have been heavily Glinda-influenced, Grande has several earlier red carpet moments that defined her style and cemented her status as a fashion risk-taker.

The Sistine Chapel Masterpiece: 2018 Met Gala

This is arguably the dress that fully launched Grande into the high-fashion conversation, showcasing her ability to commit to a theme.

• The Look: A stunning Vera Wang gown featuring a print of Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment from the Sistine Chapel.
• Theme: "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination."
• Why It Was Iconic: The sheer scale and detail of the artwork on the dress were breathtaking, transforming her into a walking piece of Renaissance art and proving she could handle the Met Gala's demanding themes.

The Cinderella Moment: 2020 Grammy Awards

For the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, Grande delivered a classic fairytale moment that was pure glamour.

• The Look: A voluminous, multi-tiered Giambattista Valli tulle gown in a dramatic shade of gray.
• Designer: Giambattista Valli.
• Why It Was Iconic: The dress was massive, a show-stopping display of tulle that was both playful and incredibly elegant, giving her a true Cinderella-like presence on the carpet.

Ariana Grande’s red carpet journey reflects her growth as an artist and a woman. Her latest choices—embracing archival dressing, high-concept couture from houses like Schiaparelli and Givenchy, and thematic styling for the Wicked press tour—show a star who is now using fashion to tell a deeper, more sophisticated story. Her Glinda-inspired ethereal gowns are not just beautiful; they are a powerful statement on the intersection of cinema, art, and timeless glamour, making every future red carpet appearance an event to watch.