Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka Style Is a Fashion Fantasy
From brightly coloured sets to custom candy-coloured Cartier jewels, the actor is pulling out all the stops with his 'Wonka' fashion.
This article was originally published on December 4 and has been updated.
There are few things we love more than a fashion-filled press tour for a new film, and Timothée Chalamet is currently feeding into our obsession with his Wonka promotional style.
In the new retelling of the classic Ronald Dahl story, Chalamet plays a young Willy Wonka who’s modelled after Gene Wilder’s eccentric and outgoing Wonka from the original 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. In keeping with the method dressing approach that many actors have been taking on recent red carpets (which is when an actor channels their character from the project they’re promoting through their fashion), it makes sense that many of Timmy’s Wonka press tour looks are seemingly inspired by the iconic chocolatier.
And tbh, we’d expect nothing less from Timothée, seeing as the actor has never been one to shy away from a daring fashion moment. Who could forget his head-turning bright red backless halter-neck ensemble from the 2022 Venice Film Festival or the many times that he’s made headlines for donning womenswear to black-tie events?
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Plus, the actor recently cited none other than his Dune co-star Zendaya as inspiration for his Wonka style. In an interview with Access Hollywood, Chalamet called Zendaya a “great example” for how actors should be dressing as they promote their latest projects. He went on to say, “In this day and age, you can sort of lean into what the vibe of a movie is in the promotional stuff you do” and described Wonka as “cheerful, fun and colourful.”
With Zendaya as his inspiration and a seemingly endless supply of creativity to draw from, it’s no surprise that each of Timmy’s Wonka looks (so far) has outdone the last.
Without further ado, come with us to see a world of pure Timothée Chalamet Wonka style imagination as we round up the actor’s best looks from the Wonka press tour thus far.
An ombré ensemble
While attending Toronto’s very own Yorkdale Shopping Centre for a special Wonka screening, Timmy put a fanciful twist on the classic all-black suit.
As he posed for selfies and signed autographs, the actor looked dapper in a double-breasted blazer that faded from retro grey into a classic black hue. He paired the ombré overcoat with sleek tailored trousers, shiny dress shoes and an eye-catching sparkly necklace and bracelet combo.
Shimmery womenswear moments
For the Paris premiere of Wonka on December 1, Timmy sported a beaded top from Tom Ford’s Spring 2024 womenswear collection, taking “jeans and a nice top” to new fashionable heights. He paired the shimmery look with simple black slacks and boots, allowing the tank’s thousands of beads to truly shine. Plus, fans were extra impressed that the actor managed to still look “so naturally hot” in the sleeveless shirt while it was allegedly only -3°C that evening. Anything for the look, right?
Timothée Chalamet poses during a Wonka cast and filmmakers photocall in London, England. pic.twitter.com/vGscCnjPfB
— 21 (@21metgala) November 29, 2023
While promoting Wonka in London on November 29, Chalamet rocked another glittery top from the same Tom Ford womenswear collection. Similarly to his Paris premiere look, the actor wore classic black slacks and Chelsea boots to contrast the shimmery opulence of his gold mesh shirt.
Willy Wonka 2.0
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Making an appearance at The Game Awards in Los Angeles on December 7, the actor channelled Gene Wilder’s Wonka in a surprisingly traditional, yet timeless, head-to-toe Celine suit.
Chalamet still made the spiffy ensemble his own by focusing on subtle details, including flared trousers in a barely-there pinstriped design that matched his four-button vest. Plus, instead of a traditional tie, he left his white-collared shirt slightly unbuttoned for a more relaxed look. As expected, he accessorized the outfit with his signature Chelsea boots and an elegant silver necklace.
While attending the Los Angeles premiere on December 10, Chalamet chose to sport another adventurous look from one of his favourite designers, Tom Ford.
The custom ombre suit featured a croco-embossed single-breasted jacket with matching trousers in a deep chocolate hue — very fitting considering he’s playing one of the world’s most well-known chocolatiers. Then, he finished the look with Chelsea boots (also by the designer) and his signature jewels.
And, although they weren’t pictured together, his rumoured girlfriend, Kylie Jenner and her mother, Kris, were also allegedly in attendance to support the actor on his big night — how sweet!
At the world premiere of Wonka in London on November 28, the actor wore yet another look from the Tom Ford Spring 2024 collection (we’re sensing a pattern here). For this look, Chalamet chose a head-to-toe velvet suit in a striking plum colour that was reminiscent of the iconic purple jacket Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka wears in the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Timmy added a slightly scandalous touch by foregoing a shirt, letting his custom Cartier candy-inspired necklace, on which he worked closely with the jeweller, take centre stage.
During an outdoor press stop in London on November 27, Timothée Chalamet displayed his Wonka style once again a pinstriped suit from Alexander McQueen’s Spring 2024 menswear collection. The suit featured an interesting layered design with a subtle peplum jutting out from the actor’s hips and falling into a short train, a unique and playful silhouette that felt like something Gene Wilder’s Wonka would wear to a black-tie event. He kept the rest of the look simple with lace-up boots and his classic Cartier jewels.
In one of his most colourful looks to date, Chalamet wore a custom lavender patent leather set from Prada for the Tokyo premiere of Wonka on November 20. The actor paired the eye-catching look with sleek white boots and Cartier jewels (he’s an ambassador for the house). Not only does the glossy purple look act as a callback to the original Wonka’s memorable purple jacket, but the outfit’s shiny finish can’t help but remind us of some of our favourite candies. Laffy Taffy anyone?
The Kylie effect
Arriving in Tokyo on November 18, Chalamet wore an all-black look topped by a statement leather maxi-coat and chunky boots. Though we’d once label this look as “Matrixcore,” we can’t help but see the similarities between Timmy’s leather jacket and several pieces from his rumoured girlfriend Kylie Jenner’s debut Khy collection. We’re not sure if this ensemble is hinting at any future coordinated couple looks from the duo, but we’ll be sure to keep an eye out.
The golden ticket
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Timmy kicked off his Wonka promotional tour with a bang, hosting Saturday Night Live on November 11 in a gold medallion-embellished Celine Fall 2023 jacket. As he sang a parody of the iconic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tune “Pure Imagination,” his jacket sparkled under the studio lights so brightly, he looked a bit like a lucky golden ticket himself.
