Ariana Grande's 2025 Oscars Dress: The Ruby Slipper

Surrealist fairy-tale magic collided with high-fashion theater on the red carpet of the 2025 Academy Awards, marking a definitive cultural milestone in the modern art of cinematic method dressing. Stepping onto the world’s most watched carpet, Ariana Grande wore a breathtaking, custom Schiaparelli bustier ball gown designed by creative director Daniel Roseberry —a spellbinding, narrative-rich garment encrusted with over 150,000 Siam sequins, rhinestones, and Swarovski crystals. Orchestrated by her visionary glam team—including long-time stylist Mimi Cuttrell , makeup artist Michael Anthony , and hair stylist Alyx Liu —the look was not merely an outfit, but a high-fidelity translation of Wicked lore into wearable sculpture. By evoking the legendary magic of Oz’s ruby slippers, Grande and Roseberry proved that pop-culture references can transcend costume-like literalism to achieve pure, sophisticated high-art symmetry, redefining how celebrity narratives are crystallized in the digital era.

Key Fashion Takeaways

• The Trompe l’œil Silhouette: At the back of the form-fitting bodice, a dramatic, sculptural 3D stiletto heel protruded seamlessly, creating the arresting visual illusion that Dorothy’s iconic ruby slipper had literally grown into the architecture of the gown.
• Masterful Materiality: The dress was heavily encrusted with over 150,000 Siam sequins, rhinestones, and hand-stitched beads, catching the light with a shimmering, almost liquid-like brilliance that evoked pure cinematic magic.
• The Museum-Grade Shift: Elevating method dressing from theatrical promo to museum-grade curation, the surrealist mastery of this look was so highly regarded that it was selected for exhibition at the prestigious V&A Museum in London.

The spellbinding red-carpet ensemble was styled with a pair of custom Schiaparelli pumps and breathtaking Swarovski Created Diamonds Galaxy earrings. By merging Wicked lore with high-fashion surrealism, Grande’s look solidified the trend of narrative-driven red carpet dressing where an outfit serves as both a wearable garment and a walking piece of art.