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When Pedro Pascal appeared on a red carpet this past summer in a cream jacket paired with a spotted silk foulard and red carnation in the breast pocket, some fans took it as a subtle nod toward a classic Indiana Jones look. (A few even asked: Could it be an Easter egg pointing to the actor’s next role?)
But fashion followers were enraptured for an entirely different reason. Tom Ford designer Haider Ackermann had collaborated closely with Pascal on the actor’s press tour for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, where the pair casually subverted suits that embodied the sultry Ford appeal. “Haider is more a magician than an aesthetician, in a world where magic is real,” Pascal says. “He will identify the slightest detail that will make a look sing and help you sing along with it. He reads your instincts before you have them and knows how to find you in your imagination, then shape a look accordingly.”
The pairing harks back to a more freewheeling time in fashion, when the same muse often spanned a designer’s career. Jean Paul Gaultier and Madonna, Jeremy Scott and Devon Aoki, Karl Lagerfeld and Vanessa Paradis—chances are, there was a dynamic celebrity-designer duo behind many of your favorite red-carpet looks of yore. No one quite nailed the art of elegance like Hubert de Givenchy and Audrey Hepburn. (So closely linked were they that when Hepburn disguised herself in a cleaning lady’s uniform in
These days, fashion is as personal as it is performative—and fans have never been more aware of the business side of it. Thanks to digital armchair critics, real-time show reviews, and Reddit snark pages, the curtain has lifted for good on the machinery behind the red carpet. Which is why a linkup like Pascal and Ackermann’s feels even more special in cynical times. Yes, most celebrities work with stylists, and collaborations with luxury houses are often tied to lucrative ambassadorships. Yet authentic creative partnerships still form, and the trust they enable often makes for the most indelible, risk-taking looks.
Fashion commentator Luke Meagher, a.k.a. HauteLeMode, notes that it’s a small industry, and behind closed doors, celebrities and designers are hanging out just like anyone else. “People are in Los Angeles for the Oscars or New York for the Met Gala; [everyone’s] going to dinner and getting to know each other,” he says. Not to mention that fittings are inherently intimate—celebrities and their stylists work closely with an atelier from moodboard all the way to the finished product. Says red-carpet critic Nicky Campbell, “It helps to have someone you know—it makes it feel more personal, and it gives the fashion personality.”
In a hyper-digital age, these genuine relationships are likely responsible for some of your favorite looks. Emma Stone has worked with Nicolas Ghesquière for eight years and credits him with dressing her for many of her biggest life moments, including her wedding. Sometimes celebrities will follow designers from one house to the next: At Loewe and now Dior, Jonathan Anderson has worked closely with a number of VIPs, including Taylor Russell, Greta Lee, and director Luca Guadagnino, forming one of Hollywood’s best-dressed crews.
Likewise, Sarah Burton and Elle Fanning have enjoyed a years-long relationship across two brands. The actress gave an emotional standing ovation at Burton’s final McQueen show in 2023 while wearing a dress from her spring/summer 2013 collection. Almost two years later, at the 2025 Oscars, Burton debuted her first-ever look for Givenchy on Fanning—a beautiful white lace gown with a black bow, inspired by a 1952 archive design.
Ackermann has created looks for Timothée Chalamet as well as Pascal, both under his own label and at Tom Ford. During his post-
Pascal says his open dialogue with Ackermann continues right up until the day of the premiere: “He’s incredibly handy on FaceTime, guiding you back into the discoveries you made in the room together when trying on his clothes.”
Done right, the red carpet can shift the overarching design dialogue and become a public-facing platform for two collaborating forces. “I think a lot of the time people see runways and they ask, ‘Who is this for?’” Meagher says. “Then you see a celebrity who’s really taking the step to be a part of that universe, and it helps make it feel a little bit more tangible.” When a muse can become a vessel for the designer’s greatest work, that’s where the true, internet-breaking magic happens.
Beloved “Dancing with the Stars” professional dancer and current judge Derek Hough and his stunning and talented wife Hayley Erbert will soon be parents! The couple is incredibly excited about the birth of their unborn child, and although no official due date has been shared publicly, we do know that Erbert is only a few weeks away from giving birth.
But before their baby arrives, the pair celebrated Erbert’s journey into motherhood with a stunning baby shower. A video from the event was shared on Instagram on Saturday, November 15, by Hough’s sister, Julianne Hough. The clip shows Erbert looking gorgeous in a soft yellow dress that highlights her baby bump.
In one moment, she stands in the middle of Hough and her bestie and DWTS pro Britt Stewart for what appears to be a speech. The camera also shows other guests arriving, and there are so many moments filled with love as friends and family embrace Erbert. Derek was also in attendance and can be seen filming Erbert and hiding behind a tree. Julianne tells the camera that Erbert has no idea that he is there. However, later in the clip, the proud parents pose for photos together.
The location is stunning and filled with flowers, making it a perfect, dreamy celebration venue. The organizers were clever not to reveal any clues about the gender, and there are no traditional pink or blue themes.
Julianne shared her thoughts in the caption. “Celebrating my beautiful sister in law – mother to be @hayley.erbert and our sweet baby Hough Aunt JuJu could not love you more,” she wrote.
The post is only an hour old, but it has already attracted a lot of attention. Fans have taken to the comment section to share their thoughts and show the couple their support and love.
“This celebration was beautiful. Seeing all the love and togetherness,” a fan wrote. “Derek and Hayley will be great presents. If it is a girl, she’ll be excited to raid auntie Jules closet. Love how close, not to mention of aesthetically beautiful this family is.”
“Baby Hough… how beautiful,” another shared.
Other reactions include, “So much fun celebrating Baby Hough…you and Britt sure made it magical!,” “Aunt Juju, what a perfect nickname, I love it! Congratulations to your beautiful family!,” and “I’m so happy for them, Baby Hough.”
When Baby Hough arrives, they will be so loved!