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Margot Robbie’s “Wuthering Heights” method-dressing delivers maximalism, wildness, and texture
After Saltburn, filmmaker Emerald Fennell and actor Jacob Elordi reunite on “Wuthering Heights,” but neither of them are the subject of the film’s current buzz. No, the attention has shifted to method-dressing queen Margot Robbie.
Best understood as a marketing tool, method dressing consists of styling stars in a wardrobe that mirrors the characters, themes, settings, and motifs of the project they are promoting. It has proven to be a widely-admired trend among contemporary audiences and has added a fashionable dimension to press tours. Although method dressing has a history dating back decades, it has recently been popularized through the loyal patronage of Zendaya. A serial method-dresser, from The Greatest Showman (2017) to Challengers (2024), Zendaya has long been delighting fans with her inventive looks-courtesy of her stylist, Law Roach.
The summer of 2023 cemented Margot Robbie as an elite member of the method-dressing society. With the help from stylist Andrew Mukamal, Robbie appeared in innumerable Barbie-inspired ensembles that broke the internet while promoting Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. (A coffee table book was even assembled and published by Rizzoli to commemorate Robbie’s groundbreaking run). The attention garnered from the striking press performance, no doubt, contributed to the record-shattering $1.44+ billion USD earnings. Gerwig is now the highest grossing solo female film director in history.
While I’m sure the novel, written by Emily Brontë, needs little introduction, I’ll provide a short synopsis to contextualize Robbies’s forthcoming looks. Originally published under the pseudonym Ellis Bell in 1847, Wuthering Heights tells the tale of a dark romance between an orphan, Heathcliff Linton (played by Elordi), and a society girl, Catherine Earnshaw (played by Robbie), on the Yorkshire moors. Through the romantic intermingling of multiple generations between the two families (I guess there was nothing better to do in the moors), displays of revenge, obsession, jealousy, and love crescendo to eventual peace. The story is as complex as Catherine, cruel and sinister one moment, then tender and passionate the next. The red carpet is sure to showcase the many facets of Robbie’s Catherine.
Now, as the run to the February 13th premiere begins, so too does the “Wuthering Heights” cosplay. Robbie has reunited with stylist Mukamal to deliver the first seven “Wuthering Heights” inspired looks. So far Robbie’s appearances have included snakeskin, lace, and a touch of scarlet- a flamboyant and maximal display that teases what’s to come. A particularly noteworthy ensemble is a crimson Dilara Findikoglu mini snakeskin dress and matching Manolo Blahnik point-toe kitten heels (directly below). The dress features a corseted bodice with fang-like spiky details over the breasts. A precarious, asymmetrical cut and sharp shoulders contribute to a grotesque feel. The look, however, is balanced with tiny red bows throughout, adorned with a sweet choker necklace (courtesy of Jessica McCormack), and expertly subverted with delicate hair and makeup.
Photo via Getty Images
Another look worth mentioning is a vampy Roberto Cavalli dress paired with obscenely obtuse Christian Louboutin heels (directly below). The square-necked, bat-sleeved mini feels straight out of a young Morticia Addams’s closet. The styling of this second look is just as dazzling; a breathtaking gothic pendant, suspended by a black velvet choker, dangles over the velvet-trimmed neckline. The shoes, which NASA must have been consulted to craft, are a venomous pair of black patent Louboutin’s. Toussled mermaid hair, dainty earrings (courtesy of Cece Jewellry), and subtle maquillage diffuse the theatricality, ensuring the look doesn’t cross the line into Halloween territory. In sum, this daring number effectively encapsulates the horror and romance of Brontë’s untamable character.
Photo: @andrewmukamal via Instagram
Banking on the Valentine’s Day box office, “Wuthering Heights” joins the wave of performative press to produce a pop culture moment. The first seven looks, which can be found below, offer a glimpse into the maximal fashion to follow. While it is too early to say whether the “Wuthering Heights” press tour will gather the attention or support that Barbie’s did, one thing is certain. Mukamal and Robbie are just getting started.
View the remaining looks below.
