STYLE EVOLUTION

Kristen Stewart's Style Evolution From Shy Teen to Redefining Chanel

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Kristen Stewart attends the 94th Annual Academy Awards
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In 2002, Kristen Stewart made her red carpet debut wearing a black dress and trench for the film premiere of Panic Room alongside Jodie Foster. Five years later, she was wearing Rodarte; now, she’s one of Chanel’s best celebrity ambassadors and shows off her visible tattoos in the brand’s storied haute couture. Stewart has appeared as the face of the Chanel makeup and accessory campaigns, sits front row at nearly every Chanel fashion show, and regularly wears the brand at red carpets, screenings, and galas. She has practically single-handily expanded and fully modernized the image of the “Chanel woman,” proving there’s some rock star edge hidden in Virginie Viard’s designs.

Still, as she’s grown up, Stewart’s own personal style has evolved into casual perfection. She loves sneakers and jeans, and as one of the few openly queer women in fashion, Stewart makes no compromises when it comes to her comfort. She’s known to eschew high heels right on the red carpet, switching into sneakers in an exquisite Marchesa gown. With Chanel, Stewart makes the brand feel as contemporary as her distressed Re/Done jeans. See her evolution from pre-teen phenom to designer darling here.

2024: Love Lies Bleeding Premiere
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Stewart got physical for the 2024 premiere of her lesbian bodybuilder flick, Loves Lies Bleeding. The actress sported a high fashion singlet from the sustainable label Bettter that she paired with sheer tights and black stilettos.

2024: Berlinale International Film Festival
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It’s not like Stewart’s sheer Chanel skirt and leggings needed any more of an edge. Still, Stewart punked up her all-white look at the 2024 Berlinale Film Festival by way of a shaggy mullet haircut.

2023: Met Gala
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The 2023 Met Gala theme, which honored the late, longtime Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld, was practically made for Stewart. She chose to wear black palazzo pants, a cropped suit jacket, and black and white loafers to the biggest night in fashion.

2023: Berlinale International Film Festival
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Stewart wore a completely sheer Chanel spring 2023 dress to the closing ceremony of the Berlinale International Film Festival, for which she acted as the jury president.

2023: Berlinale International Film Festival
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The opening ceremony, meanwhile, called for this Chanel spring 2023 haute couture dress featuring a ruffled skirt and embroidered waistband and top.

2022: Crimes of the Future Premiere
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Stewart channeled Elvis in a Chanel resort 2023 sequin jumpsuit for the premiere of her movie, Crimes of the Future.

2022: Cannes Film Festival
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Looking as cool as ever, Stewart paired a strapless, button-up top from Chanel fall 2021 haute couture with a pair of tweed trousers from the brand’s spring 2021 couture collection to the Cannes Film Festival in 2022.

2022: Academy Awards
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Stewart celebrated her first-ever Oscar nomination by walking the red carpet in a custom Chanel suit featuring short shorts and an almost completely un-buttoned top.

2022: Vanity Fair Oscar Party
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Following the ceremony, the actress changed into a sheer black lace Chanel fall 2022 dress for the after-party.

2022: Critics Choice Awards
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Branching out brand-wise, Stewart wore a custom Dolce & Gabbana dress to the Critics Choice Awards.

2022: Film Independent Spirit Awards
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This black and white beaded set from Chanel pre-fall 2022 was a bit of a departure for the usually edgier Stewart.

2022: Santa Barbara International Film Festival
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Stewart wore this dynamic, sheer and tulle Chanel dress from the brand’s spring/summer 2022 couture show to the 2022 Santa Barbara International Film Festival on March 4, 2022.

2021: Spencer LA Premiere
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In an edgy Chanel two-piece, Stewart looked like a gothic princess at Spencer’s Los Angeles premiere at the DGA Theater Complex on October 26, 2021.

2021: Spencer U.K. Premiere
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Stewart wore a beaded, grey Chanel column dress to the UK premiere of Spencer during the 65th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on October 07, 2021 in London, England

2021: Chanel Show
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Attending Chanel’s spring-summer 2022 show on October 5th, 2021 in Paris, Kristen Stewart looked a little bit like Cher Horowitz and a little bit like Tai Fraiser. The Cher of it all, of course, comes from the pink boucle skirt suit set from the brand. However, the artfully messy, pink-streaked updo, loose white socks, and bustier underneath are a bit more Tai. Which was appropriate as the house’s creative director Virginie Viard imagined the collection as a tribute to ‘90s glamour.

2021: The Met Gala
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As per usual, Stewart wore a Chanel pantsuit at the 2021 Met Gala, along with a high ponytail showing off her new straw blonde hair.

2021: Telluride Film Festival
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Not every film festival needs couture — here, Stewart’s casual style is on full display in a button-down top by Tombolo, Re/Done tank top, and red velvet TUK creepers.

2021: Venice Film Festival Red Carpet
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At the Venice premiere of her highly-anticipated new film, Spencer, Stewart wore Virginie Viard’s take on classic Chanel lingerie as ready-to-wear.

2021: Venice Film Festival Photocall
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This daring Chanel romper was perfect for the sunny summer weather in Venice.

2020: Chanel Womenswear Spring Summer 2021
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Even after Karl Lagerfeld passed away, Stewart continued her work with Chanel — which has proved to be one of fashion’s most enduring partnerships.

2019: London Premiere of Charlie’s Angels
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This Thom Browne gown features the designer’s play on hip proportions, along with punkish plaid.

2019: Arriving To Live With Kelly And Ryan
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Chanel tweed, boots, and a cropped gray tank top are the epitome of queer effortless cool.

2019: San Sebastian Film Festival
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At the Spain premiere of Seberg, Stewart donned this Thom Browne pantsuit with white contrast stitching.

2019: The Met Gala
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At the 2019 Met Gala, Stewart made Chanel palazzo pants feel as daring as her two-toned neon orange hair.

2018: Cannes amFAR Gala
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Chanel Haute Couture stripes for the Cannes amFAR Gala, benefitting HIV+/AIDS research.

2018: Cannes Film Festival
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Stewart has a knack for taking Chanel’s traditional style and making it feel youthful, modern, and full of attitude.

2017: New York Premiere Of Personal Shopper
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Personal Shopper is one of Stewart’s best films, and for the premiere, she showed off her newly-buzzed hair with a halter neckline Chanel gown.

2016: Sundance Film Festival
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She may love elaborate gowns, but Stewart knows how to play it cool on the red carpet. Her look at the 2016 Sundance Festival premiere of Certain Women embodies her casual, boyish style that she’d develop over the next several years.

2015: Chanel Metiers d’Art Fashion Show in Rom, Italy
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Lagerfeld recruited Stewart for campaigns — and to fill his front row.

2015: Film Society of Lincoln Center Luncheon
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Sometimes, the occasion just calls for “Ladies Who Lunch” — and when that look calls, Lagerfeld’s Chanel delivers.

2015: Venice Film Festival
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Since signing on as a face of Chanel, Stewart has worn designs by Karl Lagerfeld and his successor Virginie Viard to nearly all her premieres and screenings. The two eventually became close friends, which she detailed in her 2019 Vanity Fair cover story. Here, she dazzles in lace and satin at the premiere of Equals.

2013: The Met Gala
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The jumpsuit makes another appearance, albeit this time with a jewel-toned overhaul by Stella McCartney.

2012: London Premiere Of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
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For the press tour of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, Stewart hit the red carpet in a series of incredible looks that, today, are some of her finest fashion moments. Here, she’s wearing a beaded jumpsuit by Zuhair Murad.

2012: Los Angeles Premiere Of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2
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Continuing the Twilight press tour in another Zuhair Murad piece.

2012: AFI Fest Red Carpet
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Stewart has always been known to favor menswear-inspired looks, but this 2012 Balenciaga ensemble is one of her first statements at such on the AFI premiere of On the Road.

2012: Sydney Premiere Of Snow White And The Huntsman
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Here, the gilt detailing and two-piece silhouette of this Balmain outfit mark a departure from Stewart’s previous, more classically-inspired looks.

2011: London Premiere Of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1
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Stewart’s red carpet looks become more dramatic, and more sophisticated, as she neared the end of her Twilight tenure — often favoring black and dark neutrals. Here, she stuns in Roberto Cavalli.

2010: New York Screening Of Welcome To The Rileys
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In a Valentino mini dress, Stewart plays up the Hollywood glam look with a red lip and smoky eye at a Cinema Society screening.

2009: London Premiere Of Twilight Saga: New Moon
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Stewart makes a rare foray into color with this bright teal and green Proenza sweater and skirt, showing off a freshly bobbed hairstyle.

2008: MTV Video Music Awards
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Newly brunette, Stewart arrives at the VMAs in Derek Lam to present alongside her Twilight cast mates.

2007: Los Angeles Premiere Of Into the Wild
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With the premiere of Into the Wild, Stewart starts to dabble in high fashion — here, with an ultra-feminine Rodarte frock.

2005: Tribeca Film Festival
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Three years later, Stewart starts to work with her hair but still keeps her wardrobe choices fairly neutral at a screening of Fierce People.

2002: Los Angeles Premiere Of Panic Room
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“It shouldn’t be embarrassing because I was so young,” Stewart told Marie Claire UK of photos that remain from her child-star days. And yet, she says, it is.

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