The Tamesis
In the lead-up to the 2026 Oscars, Elle Fanning has been thinking about her younger self. “I think she would be overwhelmed and ecstatic,” Fanning told Fashion before the Oscars. “She had hoped so, but only in her wildest dreams.”
Fanning earns first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress sentimental value, Honored her roots—specifically her childhood home—with her Oscar look. “Growing up, my childhood home had a trellis of wisteria that bloomed in the spring. I remember thinking it was the most beautiful thing when the petals fell and formed lavender clouds on the ground,” she said. (This poignancy also ties directly into her film; the family home is a key theme emotional value.)
The actor and her longtime stylist Samantha McMillen knew exactly who to turn to for this special occasion: “Sarah Burton is a dear friend who has created many of my key outfits over the years, so Samantha and I knew she was the one to style for this monumental Sunday,” Fanning explains. Last year, she became the first person to wear Burton’s Givenchy — and it was Fanning’s first time attending the Oscars. Now, she’s back as a nominee, and Burton is helping her rise to the occasion again.
Fanning has some basic rules for her Oscars dress. “I immediately flipped through the book of famous Oscar gowns from the past, and my favorite gowns all had one thing in common: they felt authentic and would never go out of style,” she said. “I knew I wanted to stay away from trends and keep the look timeless and feminine.”
