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When promoting a movie, it’s fairly common for an actress to dress in outfits subtly (or not-so-subtly) inspired by said movie. Case in point? Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets star Cara Delevingne, who’s done an admirable job cosplaying a robot during recent appearances in support of Luc Besson’s new sci-fi adventure flick.
And then there’s Rihanna. The singer and style icon stars as a shape-shifting exotic dancer named Bubble in Valerian — and while she only appears on-screen for about 20 of the movie’s 137 total minutes, she’s apparently the best thing about the whole damn film. And in classic Bad Gal fashion, she’s breaking all the rules while dressing for Valerian’s press circuit.
First, she showed up at the movie’s LA premiere last week in a pale pink off-the-shoulder Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown accessorized with custom Manolo Blahnik sandals that laced all the way up to her knees. It was a look fit for a Greek goddess — i.e. completely wrong for the occasion, i.e. perfect.
But wait — it gets better. At the film’s European premiere in London yesterday, Rihanna upstaged everyone else in another empire-waisted Giambattista Valli ballgown that was more 19th century than 28th century, this time in bright red:
Seems there’s no better way to flip a sartorial middle finger to the red carpet rulebook — not to mention folks gossiping about your body — than to show up at the opening of your sci-fi summer blockbuster dressed like a Neoclassical noble.