Ariana Grande Outdoes Her Own Vintage Streak in a Ballgown by 'The Wizard of Oz' Costume Designer Gilbert Adrian
Law Roach, you've done it again.
Ariana Grande wouldn't stray from Glinda's pink-centric color palette for just any look. She'll make an exception, though, when her stylist Law Roach tracks down an original gown by Gilbert Adrian, the costume designer of the original The Wizard of Oz.
On November 10, the Wicked: For Good cast gathered in London to premiere the highly-anticipated sequel. Grande set aside Glinda-ified glamour for the occasion, trading in bubblegum pink for Elphaba's signature shade. It wasn't just any black dress, though: The one-shoulder ballgown, dated to 1952, was designed by Adrian, the man behind the iconic costumes of many films, including The Wizard of Oz. Roach sourced it from Lily et Cie, a vintage boutique in West Hollywood (where Zendaya purchased her second 2024 Met Gala look). The piece of fashion history looked good as new, from the singular tulle shoulder to the bubble-hem tiers down the skirt. A ruffled satin underlay revealed itself as Grande walked.
Ariana Grande stole the show at the Wicked: For Good premiere, once again.
The ballgown didn't mark a complete 180 from Grande's method dressing. In addition to the voluminous bubble hem, you can zoom in and see monochrome polka dot paillettes atop the sweetheart-shaped neckline, the hoop skirt, and the lone sleeve, which give the look dimension. (The rising Winter 2026 pattern has become a Glinda-inspired calling card for Grande. See: her Fendi dress at the 2025 MTV VMAs.)
To finish, the Grammy winner broke her no-necklace streak with a diamond drop sparkler from Swarovski. (She's a brand ambassador.) It complemented the diamond stud earrings she's worn on repeat during the Wicked: For Good promo tour.
A moment for the polka-dotted bodice.
Even the puff sleeve continued the polka-dotted motif.
For some, securing a gown as rare as a 73-year-old Gilbert Adrian original would happen once-in-a-lifetime. Not for Grande and Roach, though—in fact, just two weeks ago, the stylist dressed the actor in another Gilbert Adrian number to film the Wicked: One Wonderful Night special. The caped little black dress debuted in the 1940s, mere years after Adrian broughtThe Wizard of Oz costumes to life.
"Just a little piece of Hollywood history," Roach wrote on Instagram. "After leaving MGM, Adrian went on to launch his own fashion house, with many pieces now displayed in museums around the world and studied by fashion lovers. His vision for [The Wizard of Oz] kept elements of the work he had become so identifiable with, including bold shoulders, striking silhouettes, and expert tailoring."
Grande's Wicked: For Good run is already a master class in archival dressing—just as Arianators assumed it would be, once she announced she was linking up with Roach again.
