Charlize Theron and Ester Exposito wore the same black lace Givenchy gown – with opposite results
One dress, two women, two radically different visions: a black lace Givenchy creation revealed its full power by adapting to personalities as distinct as Charlize Theron and Ester Exposito. This unexpected style face-off illustrates what haute couture does best: reinvent itself depending on who is wearing it.
A Sarah Burton-designed Givenchy gown at the centre of the conversation
The piece commanding all the attention is a long evening gown from Givenchy’s autumn-winter collection, designed by Sarah Burton. Crafted in deep black Lyon lace, it is distinguished by delicate silver ribbon embroideries meticulously stitched across the entire fabric. These details create subtle plays of light and a striking contrast, making this piece an exceptional work of artisanal craft.
It was Charlize Theron who first wore the design in public. The actress stepped out in it on the red carpet of a film premiere held in Beijing in July. For the occasion, she chose to accessorise the look with statement jewellery, amplifying the dramatic quality of the silhouette and projecting a bold, commanding presence.
Ester Exposito and Harper’s Bazaar: a minimalist interpretation
A few weeks later, Spanish actress Ester Exposito, 26, took on the same piece in an entirely different context. The actress, widely known as Kylian Mbappé’s partner, took part in a shoot for the Spanish edition of Harper’s Bazaar, published at the end of August. This special issue gave her the opportunity to embody several haute couture looks, including pieces by Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Schiaparelli and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Among all these looks, the Givenchy gown stood out as the most talked-about image in the portfolio. Ester Exposito opted for a pared-back aesthetic: no jewellery, no superfluous accessories. A sleek, classically pinned chignon completed the look, allowing the fabric’s craftsmanship and the silver embroidery to speak entirely for themselves. The result evokes a contemporary princess silhouette – understated and luminous all at once.
Two readings of the same piece: what this face-off reveals
What this double wearing brings to light is, above all, the versatility of a well-constructed couture creation. Charlize Theron went for a dramatic staging, with voluminous jewellery that enters into dialogue with the structure of the gown. Ester Exposito, by contrast, chose total restraint, trusting the lace and embroideries to do all the talking.
These two approaches are not opposites: they complement each other. They show that a single piece can move through very different artistic worlds without losing its coherence. The Givenchy gown belongs to neither woman – it transforms itself according to whoever wears it.
- The gown is made from black Lyon lace with silver ribbon embroideries.
- Charlize Theron wore it in Beijing in July, on a red carpet, with statement jewellery.
- Ester Exposito wore it for the Spanish edition of Harper’s Bazaar, published in late August, with no accessories whatsoever.
- The piece is designed by Sarah Burton for Givenchy, autumn-winter collection.
- Other major houses featured in the shoot include Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Schiaparelli and Van Cleef & Arpels.
Haute couture: an art that transcends generations
This double example confirms a truth inherent to the finest pieces of artisanal craft: their ability to adapt to vastly different contexts, personalities and stylistic intentions. The Lyon lace, the silver embroideries and the cut of the Givenchy gown proved equally responsive to the bold energy of Charlize Theron and the deliberate minimalism chosen by Ester Exposito.
It is no coincidence that this creation travelled between two events as different as a Beijing film premiere and a fashion shoot for an international magazine. Pieces of this calibre are built to last, to circulate and to reinvent themselves. That is precisely what sets haute couture apart from ready-to-wear: it is not consumed – it is reinterpreted.
