Forget the statement coat. Florence Pugh is all-in on the statement shoulder. And, in true Florence Pugh fashion, she’s doing nothing by halves. At an East of Eden FYC event in Los Angeles, the actor arrived wearing a black satin Harris Reed ensemble with shoulders of such exaggerated proportions that they practically deserved their own invitation. Styled by Rebecca Corbin-Murray, Pugh wore a look from Reed’s spring 2027 collection, featuring enormous, sculptural sleeves that rose above her head like a pair of black wings.
Beneath all that architectural drama was a tightly fitted, button-front corseted jacket and a slim pencil skirt, a silhouette that balanced Victorian severity with something subversive. (The look actually first appeared in the bridal-focused collection in all-white, but Pugh and Reed decided on the more gothic vibe.) She added towering Vivienne Westwood platform sandals and a constellation of diamond earrings from Maria Tash.
It’s hardly surprising that Pugh would turn to Harris Reed for such a theatrical yet elegant moment. The British designer is a longtime friend and collaborator: Pugh opened his fall 2023 London Fashion Week show in a sequined harlequin gown and enormous halo headpiece, delivering a Shakespeare-inspired monologue about the transformative power of clothes. She returned to open his fall 2025 presentation at Tate Britain, emerging in a pointed black corset and hooded gown for an eerie, dramatic performance.
Reed’s designs, with such unabashed romanticism and allegiance
Reed’s designs, with such unabashed romanticism and allegiance to craft, have long been a natural extension of Pugh’s own fashion sensibilities. The beauty look was equally striking. Makeup artist Alex Babsky gave Pugh a deep, wine-stained lip, softly smoked mauve-gray eyes, and flushed cheeks, while hairstylist Adir Abergel twisted her blonde hair into a deliberately undone, almost Regency-style updo, with wisps escaping around her face.
The night before, Pugh had embraced a more relaxed take on historical dressing. She appeared alongside her East of Eden co-star Zoe Kazan in a richly patterned Ralph Lauren Collection jacquard Maurice jacket, layered over the matching Thurlow corset top and a dark, floor-length Janie maxi skirt. She added Bulgari Serpenti Viper jewelry, Maria Tash diamond earrings, and chunky Christian Louboutin platform sandals to keep things modern.
Throughout the East of Eden promotional circuit, Pugh and Corbin-Murray have found a particularly satisfying meeting point between the actor’s maximalist instincts and the romantic, historical world of the Netflix adaptation. There have been enormous black Rodarte ruffles, a corseted Vivienne Westwood gown in shocking chartreuse, and an Erdem ensemble that paired sparkling lingerie with a kilt—the prettiest looks always come with a rebellious streak.
While this time the finishing touch was the XXL shoulders, she recently made her red carpet debut with boyfriend Finn Cole on her arm. Corsetry has emerged as a common thread, but Florence Pugh has never been one to play the demure period heroine. The bigger the shoulders, the better.
Source: www.vogue.com
