Gwendoline Christie Causes Couture Commotion at Margiela
Like a grand dame gliding into the ballroom, Gwendoline Christie captivated the audience when she made her runway debut at the Maison Martin Margiela Haute Couture show during Paris Fashion Week. Channeling Marie Antoinette with a modern twist, the 45-year-old Game of Thrones star embodied the extravagance of 18th century French aristocracy with a daring and avant-garde couture look.
Striding down the wooden runway in six-inch Tabi heels, Christie exuded regal elegance in a neoprene ankle-strap pair in brilliant emerald, providing a striking pop of color. With her towering height and commanding presence, all eyes were transfixed as she modeled a rubber dress layered over an ornate blue and white-striped corset. Christie completed the ancien régime-inspired outfit with matching elbow-length gloves, sheer white stockings, and a voluminous blonde curly wig piled high in a style reminiscent of the doomed monarch.
Adding to the transformative nature of the ensemble, Christie’s face was painted in heavy makeup like a porcelain doll, with glass-like foundation, intense blue eyeshadow, and bright orange rouged cheeks. Clutching a petite white handbag, she walked with finesse down the runway, extending her arms with delicate movements. In the audience bearing witness to this vision were Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and other luminaries of the fashion elite.
According to Pat McGrath, the lead makeup artist who documented Christie’s preparation process on Instagram, the look involved clipping the actress’ natural hair entirely under the wig while artists contoured her eyebrows for a dramatic appearance. When speaking to press after the show, Christie confessed that walking the couture runway fulfilled a lifelong dream over 30 years in the making.
“I can’t tell you how meaningful this is for me, because I’ve loved fashion for such a long time, and for over 30 years, I’ve wanted to be in a show like this,” Christie told System magazine. The performer also hinted that she hasn’t always felt confident in the fashion world, voicing past concerns about her body shape limiting her acting opportunities. “I was very concerned at that point about being cast-able. I was concerned that maybe I wasn’t being considered for roles.”
But the 6-foot-3 actress has fully embraced what makes her stand out, through scene-stealing red carpet looks and now with her history-making Margiela moment. By boldly leading the avant-garde couture show, Christie smashed stereotypical beauty ideals and proved herself a muse worthy of high fashion’s grand stages.
Her star continues to rise following her scene-stealing performance as the sinister Ms. Weems in Tim Burton’s smash Netflix hit Wednesday. And if her stride down the Margiela catwalk is any indication, we can expect more show-stopping style as Christie makes the leap from Hollywood darling to front row fixture. She has officially arrived in the high fashion arena – rejecting conformity and reinventing traditions with majestic flair.
