Dakota Johnson’s 6 most talked-about red carpet looks

There is a quiet excitement that travels around style circles every time Dakota Johnson steps onto a red carpet. It's not just about what she's wearing, but how. Easing the path between classic beauty and modern cool, Dakota Johnson has developed a red carpet aesthetic that is both unexpected and strikingly versatile.

Her look, whether a show-stopping couture dress or a simple one, is less about statement-making and more about an extension of her own cool, confident personality. She does not merely trail along behind trends; she takes them and gives them a personal infusion of poise and personality. In every appearance, she reminds us why she is a quiet but powerful force in celebrity fashion.

In terms of style, Dakota Johnson's own style has been built over the years with her longtime, go-to stylist Kate Young. She is not like other celebrities who obviously ride the trends or copy what is popular on social media. Rather, she desires a personal style that emanates from within, traditional, understated, discreet, yet with a wicked glint that speaks to her love for glitter.

This shine obsession, in large part, is the result of early memories of seeing her mother, Melanie Griffith, walk red carpets in glamorous dresses. Johnson's own fashion sense, sharpened to taste by years of collaborating with Young, betrays an even deeper love of clothing itself.

Other than other celebrities, who utilize fashion for its cultural capital, Dakota Johnson utilizes it as a real interest, adorning objects that hold meaning to her rather than being shocking.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinion. The reader's discretion is advised!

Here are Dakota Johnson's 6 most talked-about red carpet looks

Dakota Johnson has been a regular feature on best-dressed lists ever since she entered the limelight, with her red carpet appearances always making the headlines for the drama of glamour, edginess, and surprise panache. From old Hollywood glamour to fashion-forward silhouettes, Dakota Johnson's fashion sense is always thoughtful and distinctly hers. Her trick is that she can blend simplicity and statement, never too much, but never forgettable.

From elegant ornamentation to provocative necklines and discreet references to retro cool, her fashion sense tends to be indicative of both her cultivated sensibility and her awareness of danger. These red carpet appearances are less about what she has on than about how she's presenting herself, with bravado, with wit, with enigma. These are six of her most-discussed outfits that not only turned heads but also made her a style icon of these new ages.

1) Dakota Johnson in Cannes 2025

Dakota Johnson dominated the fashion scene when she arrived at the 2025 Kering Women In Motion Awards at Cannes Film Festival, bypassing the requisite red carpet drama for something much more low-key, and, incidentally, no less spectacular. While the Croisette is usually filled with over-the-top gowns and ubiquitous silhouettes, Johnson took a very different route: a maximalist Gucci ensemble that shone with imperial ambitions.

2025 Kering Women In Motion Awards - The 78th Annual Cannes Film Festival - Source: Getty

Dakota Johnson's backless column halter-neck dress eschewed gaudy adornment in the name of a sleek, statuesque silhouette, giving the dress's decorative face a surface beaded entirely in shining strass crystals and subtle beading, the place of honor. The result was stylized: a second-skin glow that reflected each flashbulb and approximated Cannes's glamour without imitating it.

Providing a dash of glamour, she overlaid demure yet glimmering Boucheron accessories in the way of oversized hoop earrings and one show-stopping ring, with just the proper allowance of jewelry in a look already teeming with radiance. Amidst a mass of couture spectacle, Dakota Johnson showed how restraint, paired with the proper type of brilliance, is really the highest expression.

2) Dakota Johnson at Bulgari Studio Party (2024)

Amid New York Fashion Week mayhem on September 4, 2024, Dakota Johnson shone brightly at the Bulgari Studio Party in a chic, laid-back look. She was stunning in an absolutely stunning Gucci brown silk dress that flowed perfectly. The velvet-textured material featured complex black lace panel details on the top half, which presented an edgy yet sophisticated contrast.

Her hair fell loose, left to fall in a relaxed cascade down her shoulders, lending effortless softness to the overall appearance. Avoiding all heaviness, she used makeup with light strokes, making unmade-up skin the center of attention and letting it glow alone to define her features rather than hide them.

To round out the appearance, she paired it with simple but elegant pieces of jewelry that provided just a touch of glitz without overwhelming the overall appearance. That balance of luxurious texture and earthy contrast was a contemporary take on glamour, both high-fashion and mass-representative, and perfectly appropriate to the glamorous atmosphere of the affair.

3) Dakota Johnson in the Madame Web Premiere (2024)

At the Madame Web premiere in Los Angeles, Dakota Johnson provided a masterclass in effortless chic, entering the mystical, ethereal world of the film without succumbing to the pitfalls of a standard superhero opener. Instead of going for something thematically obvious or showy, she wore a silver mesh Gucci dress that was at once contemporary and classic.

World Premiere Of Sony Pictures' "Madame Web" - Arrivals - Source: Getty

The dress glinted like liquid metal, catching each flicker of light in a way that was futuristic but grounded in classic Hollywood glamour. A witty, bordering-on-poetic reference to the spiderlike fragility and will of her character has webs not worn, but spun into the attitude of her appearance. Her fashion decisions read as lending credibility to the suggestion that less is more when it comes to leaving an enduring impression.

With loose hair in effortless waves and low-key makeup, Dakota Johnson let the intricate texture and folds of the dress speak for themselves. No glitzy eye or bold lip, but rather her look settled into ease, with a chill, almost immortal quality. The payoff was a red carpet look that felt more like a revelation and less like the show. This wasn't aesthetics alone, it was an extension of how Dakota approaches fame in general.

The same can be said for her wardrobe, trusting in restraint, opting for moments of strength rather than excess. Her red carpet appearance didn't simply promote a film; it conveyed a tale of quiet resilience, smart design, and a celebrity who knows precisely how to keep the work and wardrobe, talking.

4) Dakota Johnson in the Toronto International Film Festival (2023)

During the 48th Annual Toronto International Film Festival, Dakota Johnson hijacked the screening of Daddio unobtrusively with an ever-so-natural but thoroughly introspective gaze. Rather than wearing a flashy or fashion-forward outfit, she played something more casual and natural via a flowing printed dress that exuded soft glamour.

The lightweight fabric of the dress draped down around her as she walked, painting a picture of freedom and poise that was perfectly in keeping with the character-based, low-key environment of the film she was screening. The print was sufficient to introduce visual interest into the appearance without moving into the territory of too loud and overwhelming.

Daddio International Premiere Party Hosted By Johnnie Walker Black At TIFF - Source: Getty

In an industry where red carpet arrivals are typically cautiously considered and carefully built down to the very last detail, Dakota's appearance was remarkable for how laid-back it was. She applied this less-is-more aesthetic to her beauty choices as well.

Her hair flowed loosely and simply, waves tumbling down over her shoulders, and her makeup was equally simple, soft colors, dewy complexion, no bold contouring or statement eye makeup.

Her easy grooming did not read as laid back, though; it read as confident, as though she didn't have anything to prove and didn't need pageantry to make a point. It was a different sort of glamour, one that valued sincerity and comfort over display.

As much as anything, her entire red carpet life seemed to be attuned to the spirit of Daddio, a film about quiet talk and emotional honesty. In fashion and appearance, Johnson was able to translate that very same quality, humble, thoughtful, and strong.

5) Dakota Johnson in the Tribeca Film Festival (2022)

In 2022, Dakota Johnson delivered a style-stopping fashion moment that aced her signature blend of contemporary chic and effortless cool. Rather than trying something too fussy or flashy, she let one strong piece speak volumes, a white Area blazer with clean, precise embroidery and crystal accents that looked an edgy, almost futuristic vibe.

"Cha Cha Real Smooth" Premiere - 2022 Tribeca Festival - Source: Getty

The blazer impressed not just in its build, but in its balance between power dressing and playfulness. To round out the sparkle, she swayed easily into silver heels that sparkled modestly at night, topping off the outfit with a Gucci Jackie 1961 Mini Shoulder Bag, a sleek, retro-flavored bag that added a dash of sophistication without mugging the look.

Her makeup was also understated and calculated. Instead of dramatic eye or heavy hair, Dakota went for clean-faced, pared-down, and brushed her hair into a neat bun, letting the ensemble be the show.

This wasn't fashion, it was about precision styling. The entire ensemble was a lesson on how true style isn't always about something new; sometimes it's about knowing exactly when to turn it back and allow the details to do their own thing.

6) Dakota Johnson in the Met Gala (2022)

Dakota Johnson gave one of the evening's most lasting fashion memories at the 2022 Met Gala, captivating everyone in a theatrical high-fashion look that was yet also wonderfully chic. Everyone else wore more traditional takes on the evening's theme, but Johnson's smart, daring take blended old-fashioned texture with new-fashioned panache seamlessly.

She entered dressed in a custom-made Gucci outfit featuring a light, tightly fitted jumpsuit with delicate embroidery and metallic trim that caught the light with every move. The dress's openness was bold but tastefully executed, providing craftsmanship with center stage without ostentation.

The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" - Street Sightings - Source: Getty

Over the dramatic foundation was draped a rich magenta velvet coat, its heavy color and soft texture an elegant counterpoint to the fantastically detailed jumpsuit. The jacket added a flash of old-fashioned drama, reminiscent of Victorian excess translated into modern imagination. It was in part her careful restraint in matters of beauty that made her look so much stronger.

Far from believing in gaudy hair or heavy makeup, Johnson opted to let her long hair hang loose, billowy waves, which danced gaily down her shoulders. Her makeup was subtle and almost quiet, creating a gentle contrast to the boldness of her attire and enhancing her good looks. This low-key idea of beauty really maximized the fashion itself, suggesting confidence in herself as she is and tremendous sensitivity to the balance of style.

Combined, the fashion established Dakota Johnson's sense of fashion, bold, sophisticated, and hers alone. In an age of extravagance and pretension, in some way, she managed to outshine everyone by being as understated as she was dramatic.

Dakota Johnson's red carpet look always includes an interesting mix of boldness and sophistication, indicative of her own sense that, while risk-taking in wardrobe selections, is also infused with an organic, effortless charm. Whether she is venturing into decadent patterns, bright colors, or subtle beauty routines, she succeeds at making each instance new and remarkably personal.

Johnson has, over the years, demonstrated that she is a chameleon-like personality who is not averse to risk-taking, yet continues to exude an aura of increased refinement. Her red carpet appearances not only demonstrate her evolution as a fashion icon but also introduce us to a self-assured woman who knows who she is and isn't afraid to claim it, placing her among the most gorgeous and inspiring women on the fashion scene.

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Also Read: Eva Longoria’s 5 best Cannes red carpet moments

Edited by Sezal Srivastava

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