Elle Fanning never misses a chance to make an entrance that feels like a love letter to cinema’s golden age. Last night, the actress arrived at the London Film Festival’s Sentimental Value after-party looking like she’d stepped out of a 1950s movie still—her entire presence radiating quiet confidence and timeless sophistication.
The star of Joachim Trier’s latest film, Fanning embodied classic elegance in a little black dress by Marni, the kind that reminds you why the LBD will never lose its power. Cut from soft wool, the design featured a square neckline that dipped gently into a V-shape, while the tailored bodice flared into a full calf-grazing skirt—a silhouette that could have easily graced the silver screen in the days of Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn.
Her styling was equally refined: strappy Manolo Blahnik heels sparkling with crystal buckles, a Roger Vivier clutch catching the light just enough to complement her glow. With her blonde hair brushed into soft waves and her makeup kept luminous and minimal, Fanning looked effortlessly radiant—a modern muse channeling a bygone era.
It’s fitting, given her role in Sentimental Value, as Rachel Kemp—a successful Hollywood actress whose story parallels her own in uncanny ways. The film, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes earlier this year, opens in U.S. theaters this November, but if Fanning’s recent appearances are any indication, she’s already mastered the art of living her character.
