Nocturnal 
Florence Pugh has never done “safe” red carpet dressing, and her latest outing was no exception. The Oscar-nominated actress turned up to a special screening of her upcoming Netflix series in a butter-yellow archival Rodarte set, and people can’t stop talking about it.
The look, worn on 15 September, comes from Rodarte’s spring 2017 runway show. It’s a frilly, sheer, and thoroughly extra ensemble made up of a cropped button-up blouse and a high-waisted, ruffle-heavy skirt, as first reported by W Magazine.
Pugh being Pugh, she didn’t play it demure. The blouse was left mostly undone, leaning into the outfit’s skin-baring sheerness, and the whole thing was covered in tonal polka dots, embroidered stems and 3D floral appliqués.
Why the Rodarte pick makes sense
The screening was for East of Eden, Pugh’s new seven-part Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel of the same name. The show spans the late 1800s through to the 1910s and follows Pugh as Cathy Ames, described as the story’s “complicated, corset-clad antihero”.
Given the show’s period setting, the Rodarte choice tracks. The spring 2017 collection leaned heavily into botanical imagery and old-world silhouettes, think high Elizabethan-style collars, exaggerated Victorian shoulders and romantic ruffles throughout. It’s essentially period dressing with a modern, slightly rebellious edge, which lines up neatly with Cathy Ames as a character.
East of Eden is also set in California’s Salinas Valley and leans into nature symbolism throughout, so the floral, stem-embroidered detailing on Pugh’s outfit wasn’t exactly a coincidence either.
The full styling breakdown
Stylist Rebecca Corbin-Murray finished the look with silver pointy-toe heels and matching icy eye shadow, keeping the metallics cool against all that warm butter yellow.
It’s not the first time Pugh has gravitated towards Rodarte’s romantic, frothy aesthetic. She’s long been known for favouring elaborate two-piece sets and sheer layering on the red carpet, so this felt very much in her comfort zone, just dialled up for the occasion.
The ornate ensemble is apt for Pugh’s upcoming role, with the show’s nature symbolism echoed in the runway look she chose.
What’s next
This screening marked the official start of Pugh’s East of Eden press tour, with the series set to land on Netflix on 1 October. Given how strongly she’s leaning into her character’s reputation through her red carpet choices so far, more bold, period-inspired looks are expected as the promotional run continues.
For now, the butter-yellow Rodarte moment has set the tone, and fans are already speculating about what she’ll wear next.
