Emma Watson attended the 2026 LACMA Gala in Los Angeles on Saturday night wearing a Caroline Zimbalist dress that blended fashion with sculpture.
The gown paired a red silk base with a hand-poured biomaterial overlay, created by heating and mixing a biopolymer-based formulation that included vegetable glycerin, a plant-derived plasticizer. The material was poured directly onto the silk, bonding with the fabric's natural fibers while preserving its drape. The finished look featured a fitted dark bodice and a vibrant red skirt. Watson was styled by Jared Ellner.
Zimbalist said the dress explored "power and femininity, but also of impermanence," describing it as "a fleeting moment in time, somewhere between fashion, sculpture and performance art."
Zimbalist, a Parsons School of Design graduate included in the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30, founded her label in 2023 and debuted at New York Fashion Week in 2024.
The museum's 15th annual Art+Film Gala honored artist Vija Celmins and director Denis Villeneuve, with Leonardo DiCaprio and trustee Eva Chow as co-chairs and Gucci returning as presenting sponsor. Blackpink's Rosé performed, and proceeds support the museum's film programming, exhibitions and educational initiatives.
Originally reported by WWD