Fashion Meets Fiction: Margot Robbie’s Bold Victorian Revival for ‘Wuthering Heights’ Press Tour
EDITOR’S NOTE: Welcome to Look of the Week, where we dissect the most buzzed-about outfits of the past seven days—the good, the bad, and the downright puzzling. Dive into our archive at https://www.cnn.com/style/look-of-the-week.
Since the first trailer dropped, Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights has sparked heated debates, particularly over its theatrical costuming. But here’s where it gets intriguing: Margot Robbie and her stylist, Andrew Mukamal, are flipping the script—quite literally—by bringing a high-fashion Victorian twist to the red carpet. Sort of.
Let’s be clear: their approach to historical references is less Masterpiece Theater and more fashionable fan fiction. Think of it as a playful nod to the past, not a history lesson. Bustles, corsets, black lace, and chokers abound, but don’t expect strict accuracy. Take Robbie’s Roberto Cavalli dress from last month’s promotional kickoff. The square neckline screams Tudor England, the Fausto Puglisi necklace with a ruby pendant is straight out of an 18th-century painting, and the mini-skirt hemline? Pure ’60s mod. And this is the part most people miss: these looks aren’t about precision—they’re about sparking conversation.
If you’re craving historical fidelity, revisit Robbie’s Barbie press tour, where she and Mukamal meticulously recreated Mattel doll outfits. But for fashion history enthusiasts, these Wuthering Heights looks are a treasure trove of references begging to be decoded. (Both films are distributed by Warner Bros., owned by CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.)
The standout? Robbie’s boned corset dress at the London premiere, designed by Turkish-British visionary Dilara Findikoglu. The Victorian lace slip is a given, but the real showstopper is the braided synthetic hair accents, hand-dyed to match the dishwater blonde of the Brontë sisters. Inspired by Victorian mourning jewelry—yes, the kind made from the hair of the deceased—it’s equal parts macabre and mesmerizing. On her wrist? A replica of Charlotte Brontë’s bracelet, commissioned after Emily and Anne’s deaths. Morbid? Absolutely. But also a poignant reminder of life’s fragility, a hallmark of Victorian sentimentality.
Earlier in the week, Robbie channeled the late 1700s with a John Galliano brocade frock coat, paired with a black mini skirt, thigh-high scarlet stockings, and satin Manolo Blahnik pumps. The jacket, part of Galliano’s iconic Spring-Summer 1992 collection, was originally inspired by Napoleon and Josephine’s romance—a period that overlaps with the setting of Wuthering Heights. Talk about layers of meaning.
Mukamal isn’t just styling Robbie; he’s immersing himself in the Brontë universe. His Instagram is a masterclass in blending fashion and literature, with quotes from the novel accompanying each look. Remember Robbie’s feathered Victoria Beckham ensembles? Mukamal paired them with a passage of Cathy, unhinged by illness, playing with pillow feathers. And that red snakeskin corset set by Dilara Findikoglu? He let Heathcliff’s scathing line, “I’d rather be hugged by a snake,” do the talking. Bold, provocative, and undeniably fun.
But here’s where it gets controversial: Is this fusion of fashion and fiction a brilliant homage or a superficial reinterpretation? Does it matter if the looks aren’t historically accurate, as long as they’re visually stunning? And what does it say about our relationship with the past when we treat it as a playground for creativity? Let us know in the comments—we’re all ears. Or should we say, all eyes on Robbie’s next move.
