Elle Fanning Dazzles Wearing Sarah Burton's First Givenchy Design at the 2025 Oscars

Elle Fanning arrived at the 2025 Oscars red carpet and dazzled in a pale, floor-length gown adorned by a black bow. The actor attended thanks to the Academy Awards' recognition of A Complete Unknown's, in which she stars alongside Timothée Chalamet, but Fanning also made fashion history on Sunday night.

Who made Fanning's gown? Givenchy, and it's even more special because of the visionary behind it: Fanning's Oscars dress is a custom design by Sarah Burton, and it's Burton's first custom (or couture) design for Givenchy since she was named creative director for the French maison in September 2024. Fanning complemented the fashion-savvy look with a 1958 Cartier diamond choker.

Burton revealed to Vogue that she took inspiration from Hubert de Givenchy's first collection to create Fanning's gown for the evening. She referenced a dress worn by Ivy Nicholson in 1952, reimaging the silhouette with contemporary embellishments such as a corseted bodice, a modern take on a 1950s bra, and the addition of a Watteau-train cape.  

The designer will officially debut as creative director during Paris Fashion Week on March 7, where she will unveil her vision for the luxury brand. With the help of Fanning, Burton used the 97th Annual Academy Awards to give a sneak preview of what's to come, mere days away in Paris. During the red carpet, Fanning revealed that this marks her first time attending the Academy Awards, and being the first woman to wear Burton's design made the evening extra special. 

While Fanning didn't receive recognition for her individual performance, the 26-year-old actor attended the ceremony to support her critically acclaimed film, A Complete Unknown, which is nominated in the Best Picture category, the most coveted award of the night. In the film, Fanning portrayed Sylvie Russo, a character inspired by Bob Dylan's former real-life girlfriend Suze Rotolo. 

Her co-stars, Timotheé Chalamet and Monica Barbaro, are nominated in the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress categories. Chalamet also wore a history-making look Sunday night from Givenchy: His banana Laffy Taffy-colored suit marked Burton's debut custom menswear look. Both he and Fanning made their mark on the Oscars red carpet, not just for their acting and performances in film over the past year, but for their fashion know-how.