Tate McRae wasn't the only nominee decked in custom Balenciaga on Grammys night. Creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli dressed Cynthia Erivo on February 1, too, just not at the 2026 Grammys. Instead, the Balenciaga-wearing Wicked star accepted a 2026 Critics' Circle Film Award all the way in London.
Erivo spent the latest awards season Sunday at The May Fair Hotel, where she accepted The Derek Malcolm Award for Innovation. It's only right she delivered an innovative red carpet look, courtesy of Balenciaga's atelier. (She and Ariana Grande won a 2026 Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance around the same time, though neither attended the actual ceremony.) What started as a strapless, bone-in bustier stretched into a delicately-draped column skirt, which became droopier with each cascading row of ruching.
Last summer, the fashion girl-beloved chocolate brown tint competed for It shade of the season on Spring 2025 runways including Isabel Marant, JW Anderson, LaQuan Smith, and more. If anyone can extend the shelf life of the Hershey-ish color trend, it's the Wicked Witch with several chocolate gowns in her post-Wicked archive. Plus, Spring 2026 lines were stocked with complementary tones, including in Elie Saab, Vetements, Ferragamo, and Saint Laurent's shows.
Former Valentino lead Piccioli couldn't create a simple brown dress even if he tried. This time, he Piccioli-ified the otherwise understated silhouette with curved feather trim along her corseted waist: a consistent motif throughout his debut 53-piece line. Erivo's in particular created bustle-like height above her bum. Then, a vertically-stitched strand cascaded down the skirt's center. That way, it flowed from side-to-side with each pose.
Erivo rarely graces a red carpet without diamonds on every appendage (extra points if they're embedded into her bespoke manicure). The Critics' Circle Film Awards were no different, because nearly $50,000 in Marli gemstones shimmered atop the Grammy winner's ears and fingers alone. The most expensive sparkler, by far, was a pair of $17,000 drop earrings, featuring over four carats of diamonds.
Unfortunately, Erivo couldn't be in two places at once. Her feather-trimmed waistband proved she was supporting Wicked: For Good's "Defying Gravity" win from afar. At the sequel's New York City premiere in mid-November, Piccioli designed his first gown for Erivo and stylist Jason Bolden.
Every element of the drop-waist ballgown—from the opera gloves to her elongated train—was black, one of Elphaba's signature colors. The designer stacked a patent leather capelet on top of Erivo's bodice, which stood out for its curved feather lining. Look familiar?
Wicked: For Good didn't receive a single nod from the Oscars this year, so soak up Erivo's red carpet looks while you can. There's a chance she and Grande could skip the Academy Awards altogether. If that happens, moments like these are ripe for the reminiscing.
