Ariana Grande has always understood the power of a costume. When the first Wicked press tour unfolded last year, she treated fashion like an extension of performance. Every pastel gown and sugar-spun silhouette was a small act of method dressing. She stepped into Glinda’s world with the commitment of someone who knows that audiences read clothes long before they hear dialogue. The palette was soft. The shapes were sweet. Everything floated, shimmered or glowed.
This year feels different. Wicked: For Good arrives with heavier themes and a more complex Glinda, and Grande has responded with a wardrobe that tells a richer story. The fantasy is still there, but it is deeper, moodier, more cinematic. If the first tour was a pastel prologue, this one is the chapter where the plot thickens.
Grande and Law Roach have leaned into that shift with a level of intention that feels almost theatrical. They are bringing fairytale energy into the present moment, not through clichés but through craftsmanship. Each look feels like a relic pulled from a dream world, restored and reimagined for a modern stage.
One of the most striking moments so far is her latest look: a custom Balenciaga created by Pierpaolo Piccioli. It sparkled like stardust and marked the first custom piece he designed for the house.
In Paris, Grande wore a custom Givenchy by Sarah Burton for the premiere, followed by a vintage Lilli Diamond evening dress with an opera coat for the after-party.
Later, she stepped out in a dusty pink corset from Alexander McQueen’s spring 1998 couture for Givenchy. Each dress was a subtle nod to Glinda’s history without slipping into imitation.
There have also been looks that feel like fashion Easter eggs for fans of classic cinema. Grande wore a Bob Mackie design from his fall 1997 collection for the Wicked: One Wonderful Night special.
Indian couturier Rahul Mishra delivered one of the most intricate ensembles of the tour with a beaded bodice inspired by Emerald City.
Then came Robert Wun’s blush butterfly dress, complete with matching butterfly earrings that seemed to flutter with every camera flash.
It was a soft nod to transformation, one of Wicked’s central themes. Even the puffed mini from 16Arlington felt like a playful detour that stayed within the world Roach and Grande are building.
Her most powerful turn, though, came in London. Grande wore an archival Gilbert Adrian gown from 1952. The one-shoulder black princess dress carried the kind of old Hollywood glamour that does not require explanation.
Its connection to the original Wizard of Oz made the choice even sharper. It was a way of honoring the story’s lineage while pushing Glinda forward. Later that evening she changed into another 1950s couture piece, a black tulle dress flecked with floral appliques. It read like a quiet continuation rather than a costume change.
As Grande continues her global run, her fashion choices feel less like promotional looks and more like cinematic chapters. They say as much about her own artistic confidence as they do about the character she plays. Wicked: For Good promises a deeper story and her wardrobe is already doing the work of preparing audiences for that shift.
She is not just bringing fantasy to life. She is shaping it, studying it and wearing it with intention. And if Law Roach’s hints are anything to go by, the most enchanting fashion moments are still ahead.
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