Lupita Nyong’o has been putting on a fashion parade ahead of the release of her apocalyptic horror movie, A Quiet Place: Day One, eschewing her signature blend of bold colors and conventional grace in favor of daring silhouettes and textures in subdued neutral tones.
For the New York City premiere of her new project, held at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater on Wednesday, June 26, Lupita Nyong’o opted for a custom sequin-embellished Prada catsuit instead of a customary red carpet gown. A few days earlier, she was pantless in a Dolce & Gabbana blazer playsuit for a photocall at The Empire State Building.
Lupita Nyong’o embraces her daring side in a Prada Catsuit and a Dolce & Gabbana Playsuit at the A Quiet Place: Day One New York City premiere and photocall (Credit: Janet Mayer / INSTARimages)
A Quiet Place: Day One: The Beginning of an Invasion
In A Quiet Place: Day One, Lupita Nyong’o plays a terminally ill woman named Sam, who, together with her service cat Frodo, becomes stranded in New York City at the beginning of an invasion by extraterrestrial creatures that are blind but have ultrasonic hearing.
Day One, the third film in the A Quiet Place film series, is set before the events of the first film, which starred Emily Blunt. It hit US theaters on Friday, June 28.
Shimmering in Custom Prada Catsuit
Given Lupita’s preference for skirts and dresses, I must admit that I was surprised to see her in a catsuit, but I also like the subtle reference to one of the film’s motifs: cats.
Not one to shy away from sparkles, the 2024 Berlin Film Festival jury president wore a bespoke Prada catsuit covered in shimmering black sequins, making her dazzle from every angle.
The silhouette looks perfect, highlighting the 41-year-old actress’s slender physique. It has an off-the-shoulder neckline, long sleeves, and pants that beautifully trace her figure all the way down to her ankles.
Lupita’s outfit reflects Miuccia Prada’s preference for clean lines and minimalism combined with quirky, unconventional touches.
Lupita Nyong’o shines in a form-fitting Prada sequin catsuit with an off-the-shoulder neckline, long sleeves, and fitted pants (Credit: Janet Mayer / INSTARimages)
What truly bothers me about this outfit is the tiny satin skirt layered over the sequin catsuit; it gives off an early 2000s vibe. Don’t get me wrong; I love the skirt-over-pants style of the early aughts, but Lupita’s adoption of the trend doesn’t appeal to me.
I think the variation in the material is ineffective. While Prada’s signature long geometric train adds an element of glamour to the casual skirt-over-pants trend, I don’t think it’s enough to save the look.
I would have appreciated the look more if she had shown up without the skirt and had worn the train from the shoulders down like a cape.
Lupita Nyong’o embraces the early aughts’ skirt-over-pants trend by layering a black satin mini-skirt over her sequined catsuit (Credit: Janet Mayer / INSTARimages)
Lupita Nyong’o’s Glistening Accessories
As if the sparkles on her dress weren’t enough, the Black Panther actress added more brilliance to her attire with jewelry by De Beers—the home of natural diamonds. I wasn’t surprised to see her decked up in dazzling diamonds from the brand, considering that she was selected to serve as its first global ambassador in 2022.
The South African-British company is renowned for producing the finest diamond jewelry using ethically sourced diamonds, making it one of the most expensive jewelry brands in the world.
Lupita donned the exquisite “Aria” earrings, which featured strands of diamonds hanging from the center diamond and a row of swirling diamonds surrounding it.
Lupita Nyong’o dazzles with diamond jewelry by De Beers, including a couple of Aria rings and Aria chandelier earrings (Credit: Janet Mayer / INSTARimages)
She also adorned her hands with a couple of coordinating “Aria” rings, which included a cocktail ring made from 18k white gold with 1.17ct. diamonds and a 0.70ct. round brilliant center diamond. It’s available for $21,100 at Farfetch.
Her glossy black patent leather pumps added the final touch of glitz to her ensemble. I like that she opted for basic shoes, which created a seamless finish and brought attention to the rest of her outfit.
They have pointed toes and about 4-inch heels, adding a few inches to her 5’5” height.
Lupita Nyong’o teams her sparkling sequin catsuit with glossy patent leather pumps (Credit: Janet Mayer / INSTARimages)
Dramatic Hairstyle and Makeup
Lupita looked amazing from the waist up, no doubt about that. But her hair and cosmetics especially captivated me.
Nick Barose enhanced the cat energy of the look, giving Lupita sleek, glowing skin with feline eyes and glossy brown lipstick. He prepped her skin with Beau Domaine’s The Fluid Cream+ and The Serum and Skwálwen Botanicals’ Kalkáy Wild Rose & Yarrow Salve.
He then covered her whole face with Lisa Eldridge Seamless Skin Enhancing Tint in T16 and used the Seamless Skin Foundation in 36 for more coverage, particularly around the T-zone. For extra glow, he applied the Lisa Eldridge Elevated Glow Highlighter in Celestial Fire on her cheekbones and spritzed the Skin and Make Up Enhancing Mist all over her face.
Lupita Nyong’o fashions her pixie hair with sequin-adorned afro bangs and wears cat eye makeup to enhance the ensemble’s feline theme (Credit: Janet Mayer / INSTARimages)
To create that feline look, Nick used Lisa Eldridge’s Seamless Glide Eye Pencil in Black Treacle, Eyeshadow Palette in Myth with rich plum tones on the creases and outer corners, the Kitten Flick Liquid Liner, and Kitten Lash Mascara.
Rounding out the glam, Nick lined Lupita’s lips with Lisa Eldridge’s Sculpt and Shape Lip Pencil in 2N before applying the Baumé Embrace Melting Lip Colour in Metropolis+ and Gloss Embrace in Myth.
Hairstylist Vernon François, drawing inspiration from Lupita’s ensemble, added sequins to Lupita’s afro bangs to give her pixie cut more dimension.
Leggy in Dolce & Gabbana Blazer Playsuit
Lupita favored bold, monochrome ensembles during the A Quiet Place: Day One press tour. And a few days before the NYC premiere, she made a sleek statement when she turned up for a photocall at the Empire State Building wearing a Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2023 blazer playsuit.
The black virgin wool blend playsuit, made in Italy, has all the standard blazer details, such as peak lapels, buttoned cuffs, long sleeves, side flap pockets, and a double-breasted button closure.
Despite its straightforward look, a crotch panel gives the jacket its bodysuit appearance, modernizing the classic blazer silhouette. It’s available for $4,245 at Farfetch.
Lupita Nyong’o puts on a leggy display in a black blazer playsuit by Dolce & Gabbana for a photocall at the Empire State Building (Credit: Media Punch / INSTARimages)
Giving the business top a sensual touch, Lupita embraced the pantless trend and instead wore WearCommando fishnets, displaying her toned legs. I wonder if she felt cold that day, standing in the Empire State Building without pants.
Lupita, who is 5’5” tall, gained several inches of height when she wore the Aquazzura “Love Affair” shoes, now on sale for $438 (from $875) at Net-a-Porter.
These black satin pumps have pointed toes and sculpted sides, making them instantly identifiable. Ankle straps and 4-inch slim stiletto heels complete the design.
Lupita Nyong’o teams her daring playsuit with fishnets and black satin Aquazzura Love Affair pumps (Credit: Janet Mayer / INSTARimages)
De Beers Brilliance and Radiant Makeup
The De Beers global ambassador rightfully finished her black outfit with jewelry from the South African-British label.
She layered several diamond necklaces around her neck, including the Swan Lake Full Cut necklace of 18k white gold with pear-cut diamonds totaling 24.81 carats.
On her ears, she fastened the $3,350 Classic Round Brilliant Diamond stud earrings in platinum, while on her black-manicured hands were diamond rings, including the $78,000 Classic Eternity Band in platinum with 7.2ct. round brilliant diamonds and the $15,900 Classic Five Line Band in 18k white gold with 1.75ct. diamonds.
As always, Lupita Nyong’o looked gorgeous. Vernon François styled her pixie cut to the side, while Nick Barose made her face seem flawless. He applied Lisa Eldridge’s Gloss Embrace lipstick in Myth to add a seductive touch to the look.
Lupita Nyong’o accessorizes with De Beers jewelry, parts her pixie to the side, and wears bold brown-nude lip gloss (Credit: Janet Mayer / INSTARimages)