Gemma Chan Takes on Tassels

An easy way to reinvent the classic satin slip? Cover it in tassels. This was Gemma Chan’s approach last night, when she stepped out in a champagne-colored dress adorned with tiny tufts of fringe.
For an event at SoHo House during the BFI London Film Festival, the British actor opted for a lustrous Burberry design with a high-drama twist. It had all the makings of a minimal ’90s slip, with a V-cut neckline and a matching silk eveningwear scarf. But the textured, ornamental add-ons cascading down the bodice gave the look an opulent allure.
It’s a funky flourish one might think pairs well with a languid slip, but it’s a decidedly du jour embellishment. The maximalist tassel trend has been building on the runway for many seasons, from Dries Van Noten’s viral fringe-covered dresses for fall 2025 to Dior’s haute couture fall 2026 skirt suit with knotted appliqués swinging freely.
For Chan, who never shies away from 3D embellishments or busy patterns on the red carpet, it’s a decidedly fitting look. Case in point: at the BFI London Film Festival earlier this week, the 43-year-old star stepped out in another statement ensemble, wearing a print-heavy Dries Van Noten knot dress for the screening of her new film Josephine, in which she stars alongside Channing Tatum.
While promoting the upcoming movie, Chan’s head-turning red carpet looks have felt reminiscent of one of her other onscreen counterparts, the stylish Astrid Leong in Crazy Rich Asians. This week, the beloved film was greenlit for a sequel HBO series. Whether or not Chan will be reprising her role remains to be seen, but the actor has said she hopes to be a part of it in some capacity. She’s certainly still got the outfit drama down.