Dakota Johnson has never seemed particularly interested in dressing according to other people’s expectations. At 36, the actress has developed a red-carpet style that can move from understated and romantic to unapologetically sheer in a matter of days—and her latest appearances prove that she is still willing to take risks.
The daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson stepped back into the spotlight on September 24, 2026, for the London screening of her new psychological thriller Verity. Rather than choosing a conventional premiere gown, Dakota arrived in a floor-length ivory lace creation by designer Colleen Allen. The fabric was almost completely transparent, revealing contrasting black Fleur du Mal lingerie underneath. Vogue
A Look That Was Impossible to Ignore
The gown featured delicate floral lace, a plunging layered neckline and a long, narrow silhouette. Instead of attempting to disguise the lingerie underneath, the styling made the black bra and briefs an intentional part of the outfit. Dakota kept everything else relatively restrained, wearing straight brunette hair, a dark manicure and delicate jewelry. Us
The appearance continued a fashion pattern that has followed Dakota for years. She has repeatedly chosen transparent gowns, plunging necklines and so-called “naked dresses”—sometimes receiving enthusiastic praise and sometimes attracting criticism from people who consider the looks too revealing.
But Dakota has already made her feelings about that debate quite clear.
In a 2025 interview, when asked whether she ever worried that one of her dresses might be considered “too sexy,” she said she essentially doesn’t concern herself with that judgment. If she finds a beautiful dress that makes her feel beautiful, she wants to wear it. ELLE
RARE PHOTOS Show This Is Nothing New
Long before the latest Verity premiere, Dakota was experimenting with revealing red-carpet fashion.
One of her most memorable appearances came at the 2021 Venice Film Festival premiere of The Lost Daughter. She wore a shimmering Gucci gown covered in crystals and fringe over a nude tulle base. From a distance it appeared almost liquid, while closer photographs revealed the extraordinary amount of detailing woven into the transparent design.
Then came another especially daring moment at the 2024 Madame Web premiere. Dakota appeared in a web-like Gucci gown whose sheer construction deliberately echoed the superhero film she was promoting.
Rare photographs from that evening captured the dress from different angles, showing just how little traditional fabric was involved in creating the dramatic effect.
Her Mother Helped Shape Her Confidence
There is also a family story behind Dakota’s attitude toward fashion.
Dakota has credited her mother, Melanie Griffith, with giving her a healthy sense of confidence about her body while she was growing up. Discussing her preference for sheer clothing, Dakota recalled that Griffith was open about the human body and encouraged her children to appreciate and care for theirs. ELLE
That influence is interesting when looking through RARE PHOTOS of Dakota with Melanie over the years. The mother and daughter have occasionally appeared together at premieres and industry events, and their shared interest in fashion is difficult to miss.
Dakota is Melanie’s daughter with actor Don Johnson. She also grew up in an unusually interconnected Hollywood family, with Antonio Banderas—Melanie’s former husband—remaining an important father figure in her life even after his marriage to Griffith ended. InStyle
Another Dramatic Look in 2026
Just two weeks before the Verity appearance, Dakota attended the 2026 Kering Foundation Caring for Women dinner in New York.
This time, she chose black Valentino. The gown plunged dramatically down the front and included a cutout around her midsection, creating another skin-baring silhouette—but with a completely different mood from the romantic lace she would wear in London. Vogue
Taken together, these RARE PHOTOS tell a much longer story than one controversial outfit. Dakota’s willingness to experiment with transparency, lingerie-inspired pieces and dramatic silhouettes has become part of her recognizable red-carpet identity.
And while strangers online will inevitably continue debating whether each new look is elegant, daring or simply too revealing, Dakota herself appears to have settled that question years ago: she wears the dresses in which she feels beautiful. ELLE
