Charli XCX Dazzles on the Red Carpet in Her Hollywood Movie Star Era with Stylist Chris Horan

Charli XCX has firmly established herself as one of Britain's most compelling cultural exports, blending music, film, and fashion into a singular artistic identity that's as unpredictable as it is magnetic. Once best known for her 'Brat' persona — a wild, club‑ready style fuelled by leather, hoodies and hyper‑modern streetwear — the Essex‑born pop star has entered what her longtime stylist Chris Horan describes as a Hollywood 'movie star era', where red carpet glamour and personal expression now walk hand in hand.

For the London premiere of Wuthering Heights, Charli turned heads in a soft pink Erdem couture gown with a matching veil, blending high fashion with theatrical allusion to the period drama. The look, styled by Horan, evokes an almost bridal essence, nodding to the film's narrative while remaining true to Charli's unique aesthetic.

Evolving Style: From Club Kid to Red Carpet Luminary

Charli's sartorial evolution reflects the broadening horizons of her career. During the Brat era — a time defined by bold, confrontational fashion and a raw, DIY sensibility — she embraced pieces that juxtaposed toughness with femininity, from sheer fabrics and denim to graphic tees and statement eyewear.

But as her star began rising in the film world — with a starring role in The Moment and soundtrack credits on Wuthering Heights — Horan recalibrated her wardrobe for context and occasion. As he explained in a recent interview with Vanity Fair, the goal was never to abandon Charli's signature look, but to translate her personality into garments suited to cinema screenings, award shows, and red carpets, rather than music-video sets or rave‑style appearances.

'She's not actually in the movie, and it wouldn't make sense for her to be in some sort of character cosplay,' Horan said, stressing the importance of maintaining Charli's personal aesthetic across all appearances. 'We lean into her style instead of reinventing her for every single project.'

Defining Moments on the Red Carpet

At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Charli XCX made an equally striking impression in a classic Saint Laurent look, featuring a feathered top and a black-and-white column skirt inspired by archival YSL pieces. The combination — dubbed by stylist Chris Horan as 'very classic actress, but with a little bit of a twist' — marked a further step away from her Brat roots and into more traditional Hollywood glamour.

For the Golden Globes, Horan collaborated with Saint Laurent's creative teams to create a red-carpet look that balanced vintage references with a sleek, streamlined silhouette. 'It feels like the same girl — it marries both her worlds,' he noted of the outfit's success in honouring Charli's identity while elevating her presence on the awards circuit.

This nuanced approach also played out at the Los Angeles premiere of The Moment, where Charli appeared in a custom Jean Paul Gaultier ensemble that referenced her past fashion moments in a playful yet sophisticated way. Horan described this as a 'greatest hits' remix of her earlier standout pieces — a clever stylistic callback that celebrated Charli's journey from pop provocateur to cinematic personality.

Dressing for Film vs Music

One key distinction highlighted by Horan is the difference between dressing for film premieres versus music events. While concerts and album rollouts allow for bolder, more boundary‑pushing outfits — the kind that defined Charli's Brat aesthetic — movie premieres require greater contextual awareness. 'There's a cast, there's a star, a lead ... you can't be selfish with movies,' Horan explained, drawing a wry comparison to not upstaging a bride at a wedding.

This sensitivity was evident in his choice of attire for Wuthering Heights, where Charli's ethereal couture did not eclipse the film's headlining stars, yet stood out in its own right. Her pale pink, crystal‑embroidered Erdem gown at the London premiere struck an enchanting balance between theatricality and reverence for the source material.

An Identity That Transcends Trends

Despite these stylistic shifts, Charli XCX's fashion choices remain anchored in personal identity rather than fleeting trends. Whether in a daring leather look at the Grammys or a gothic‑inspired silhouette on a press tour, her wardrobe tells a story of a performer unafraid to explore facets of herself through clothes — with Chris Horan as her co‑narrator.

As Charli navigates her expanding creative universe — from chart‑topping albums to cinematic roles and soundtracks — her evolving style remains a defining measure of her cultural resonance. In a modern media landscape that prizes authenticity as much as artistry, her fashion choices do more than dazzle: they signal a purposeful and thoughtful evolution, grounded in identity and guided by collaboration.

In Hollywood and beyond, Charli XCX's movie star era is not just about glamour — it's about self‑possession and reinvention, articulated through outfits that speak as boldly as her voice.

Originally published on Fashiontimes UK