I am excited for Rita Ora’s big-screen comeback as the evil Queen of Hearts in the Descendants spin-off, Descendants: The Rise of Red. She’s never done it before, but I have no doubts she will slay it.
Taking cues from her character, Ora has been wearing red a lot lately while touring the press circuit to promote her new musical fantasy. With the assistance of her stylist, Pippa Atkinson, she totally lives up to her villainous era.
Rita Ora’s embrace of method dressing wasn’t on my Bingo card for this year, but I wasn’t surprised that she did—after all, it has become so common for celebs to dress like the characters they play in the movies they promote; look at Zendaya or Margot Robbie.
Descendants: The Rise of Red: A Story of Rivalries and Reconciliation
The fourth installment in the Descendants franchise, “Descendants: The Rise of Red” introduces us to Red (Kylie Cantrall), the rebellious daughter of the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora), and Chloe (Malia Baker), the daughter of Cinderella (Brandy). Together, they travel back in time to stop a catastrophic event.
Red receives an invitation to attend Auradon Prep from Villain Kid Uma (China Anne McClain), daughter of Ursula, who is now the headmistress of the institution. The Queen of Hearts, who has long harbored resentment toward Auradon, seizes the opportunity to get revenge. As she instigates a coup against Auradon, Red and Chloe team up to go back in time using a magical pocket watch and undo the tragic incident that sent Red’s mother down the dark road.
Descendants: The Rise of Red debuted on Disney+ on July 12 and will premiere on Disney Channel on August 19.
Regal in Red Elie Saab Gown and Jimmy Choo Heels
Ahead of the Disney+ debut of her new musical fantasy movie, Rita Ora, whose net worth is $30 million, attended the film’s Los Angeles premiere at Walt Disney Studios on Wednesday, July 10.
As expected, she looked magnificent in a red ensemble, appearing regal in an archival Elie Saab gown that combines her sensuous yet edgy style with Disney’s conventional standards.
Ora chose an Elie Saab chiffon gown that gracefully drapes her physique, evoking a Grecian goddess. It’s modest with sheer panels that lend it an air of ethereal grace, an entirely covered bodice, diagonal draping, and cape-like sleeves.
The fiery number has an incredibly high slit that balances the modesty of the bodice and lets Ora flaunt her toned leg.
Stylist Atkinson dug the creation from Elie Saab’s Fall 2010 collection, which featured an abundance of airy pieces fashioned from gauzy fabrics reminiscent of the Grecian era.
I applaud Atkinson for accessorizing Ora’s eye-catching red gown with white gold jewelry. Red is a striking hue that can grab attention on its own, but balancing the appearance with neutral accessories, like gold, silver, or white gold, enhances the effect.
The You Only Love Me singer was decked up in several exquisite pieces from Cartier, including a pair of diamond chandelier earrings, a diamond cuff, and a few diamond rings.
I adore how she completed the outfit with red satin shoes, which added the ideal finishing touch to the look.
She decided on the classic Jimmy Choo “Minny” sandals, which creative director Sandra Choi first unveiled in 2015. They have since made several appearances on the red carpet, spotted on the likes of Emma Stone, Natalie Portman, Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon, and more.
Unsurprisingly, they’re still in style today—they have minimal, adjustable straps, high stiletto heels, and a sleek appearance. I like that Ora chose to wear modest heels so that the attention would remain on her outfit.
The Hot Right Now hitmaker lived up to my expectations with a breathtaking show of glitz and elegance. She complemented the ensemble with bold red lipstick, care of Jezz Hill, with rosy eyeshadow and bronze blush for finishing touches.
Brent Lawler styled Rita’s honey-colored locks in wet-look curls and pulled back into a low ponytail with a few strands framing her face.
I adore how she perfectly embodied the Queen of Hearts with her entire ensemble—from her glam down to her shoes!
Avant-Garde in Red Theunissen Jacket Dress and Pointy Pumps
Rita’s preference for cutting-edge fashion is evident from her appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark.
She looked gorgeous in the “Karla” jacket dress by the Franco-Belgian brand Theunissen, which is renowned for its eye-catching silhouettes, daring cuts, and use of vivid colors, as seen in Ora’s outfit.
The structured jacket dress is cut from lush velvet and has exaggerated curved sleeves resembling a heart. That could have been a factor in Pippa Atkinson’s decision to have Rita wear this for her press run—a wise choice, if I may add.
The dress’s pronounced sleeves may have drawn attention away from her slender frame, but the cinched waist still made for an attractive silhouette.
It comes finished with decorative seams, a front button placket, and a straight hem that skims her thighs, allowing her to parade her flawless pins.
Rita showed up for a photocall at the Empire State Building sporting the same outfit.
It’s not easy to accessorize an avant-garde ensemble, but Ora and her stylist pulled it off with ease. The only accessories they added to the look were a pair of crimson earrings with rows of dangling diamonds and a few white gold and silver rings that matched the buttons on her dress.
Her shoes, of course, were red, too. She chose to add a few inches to her already impressive 5’6” height with a pair of shiny red pumps featuring pointy toes and towering stiletto heels.
I like how she stayed true to the theme by wearing retro-futuristic red sunglasses that shielded her eyes from the sun. Her $585 Thierry Lasry “Kanibaly” sunglasses are handcrafted in France from authentic Italian acetate and have a gray tortoiseshell accent and solid gray lenses.
Hair and makeup were impeccable, as usual. Rita sported the same bright red lipstick and wore her curly tresses in a half-up, half-down style accented with a red bow.
Ladylike in Georges Hobeika Sequin Dress and Jimmy Choo Sandals
Rita Ora once again had us seeing red, literally, in a strapless red dress and heels as she stylishly left her Gansevoort Hotel ahead of her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
This time, the Fifty Shades of Gray actress went for a ladylike appearance, donning a form-fitting pencil dress that her stylist Atkinson picked out of Georges Hobeika’s Fall 2023 collection.
It’s seductive but gorgeous with a strapless crepe corset bodice and a fitted sequin pencil skirt. Its protruding sides, which resemble devil horns, make it the perfect outfit for method dressing since it captures her character as the evil Queen of Hearts.
The lower portion, on the other hand, has a scaly texture and is completely covered with sequins, giving it a mermaid-tail-like appearance.
Rita looked quite ladylike, and her Jimmy Choo “Minny” sandals were the ideal finishing touch, in my opinion. They’re minimalist, but they wonderfully enhance the ensemble’s femininity with their slim straps and stiletto heels.
Rita kept her accessories minimalist for the occasion, letting her striking outfit speak for itself. She eschewed earrings, left her neck bare, and wore only a ring and a bracelet.
She concealed her eyes behind a pair of red acetate cat-eye sunglasses and wore her signature red lipstick. Her gloriously unkempt locks of hair flowed down her back.
Flirty in Tulle Selezza Jacket and Sergio Rossi Platform Pumps
Ora appeared on the Elvis Duran Show looking gorgeous as ever, sporting a flirtatious Selezza co-ord that seemed to be made of shearling at first glance. I thought the ensemble was too heavy and thick for summer; as it turns out, it’s made of tulle.
She donned the $756 “India” jacket, a classic piece with a romantic twist thanks to the exquisitely handcrafted tulle ruffles that give the appearance of 3D shearling. She paired it with the $398 “Anya” mini skirt, which is composed of hundreds of delicate handmade flounces.
The mini skirt skims her thighs, showcasing a leggy look, and the tall platform heels add even more length to her stature.
Ora boosted her height with the Sergio Rossi “Si Rossi” slingback pumps made in Italy from Carmine Red patent leather, giving them a striking sheen.
The mini buckled straps on the front add to the pumps’ charm, while the buckled slingback straps fasten them to the foot. They also have trendy square toes and are perched atop thick platforms and towering sculpted block heels that are about five inches high. These pumps are perfect for the bold woman. You can find them retailing for $795 at Farfetch.
In my opinion, the ensemble doesn’t necessarily require any further styling. Rita’s red-framed cat-eye sunglasses are stylish, but I would definitely take off her earrings; they seem over the top to me.
Her cherry red lipstick and half-up ponytail completed her striking look.
