Awards shows are often a glut of well-dressed people, and sometimes we’re so busy looking at some of the shiniest celebrities that some of the most interesting dresses might fly under the radar. This definitely happened to me this week. I oohed and aahed when JLo stepped out in vintage Jean-Louis Scherrer, harkening back to Florence Pugh kicking off the daring sheer trend a few years ago. I enjoyed Selena Gomez’s simple feathered take. I saw a lot of looks, but I somehow completely missed Jenna Ortega going full gothic fantasy.
It’s a shame, too, as Ortega’s dress was one of her most intriguing yet. Ortega likes to tie in with her Tim Burton aesthetic quite a bit on the red carpet, but this one goes above and beyond what I’ve come to expect from her. She honestly looks like she’s stepped directly out of some romantasy novel into the world of Hollywood.
The dress had two sewn panels on the front tied together with thin strings to keep it lying flat, otherwise it probably would have been a wardrobe malfunction in the making. While it leaves little to the imagination, its intensely detailed silhouette is stunning, from the slinky skirt to the beaded fringe at its sleeves, and just the right amount of side boob peeping through.
On Instagram, the actress got the seal of approval from longtime red carpet dweller Jenner Garner who sent along some sweet emojis: ♥️🌟♥️
A separate, tagged post from Jenna Ortega seems to indicate the dress came from Dilara Findikoglu, a Turkish designer whose known for – get this – “fantastical gothic romance” looks. She was right on the money, here.
It's not her first rodeo though. The up-and-coming name lives in London and has in the past dressed other a-listers, including Margot Robbie in Barbicore at one of her Barbie premieres. Zendaya wore one of her mohair bikinis for a magazine shoot. Other celebs like Cardi B and Kylie Jenner have also worn her stuff.
Now, she's seemingly upgraded to the awards circuit. Jenna Ortega was a major name on the carpet this year as a 2026 Golden Globes nominee in the Best Television - Musical or Comedy category. She ultimately lost to Jean Smart in Hacks, but she certainly won when it came to celebrity fashion. While I clearly didn’t pay enough attention before, I can’t stop staring at the look now.
