Isabela Merced Wore Donna Karan To The ‘Hamnet’ LA Premiere

Isabela Merced attended the Los Angeles premiere of Hamnet at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Tuesday, and if you’ve been following her press tour, you’ll know this look signals a clear shift.

We’re used to seeing Isabela lean into hooded silhouettes, cool-girl edge, and those subtle nods to Y2K that she deploys better than most. But last night, she arrived in something entirely different in tone.

Dressed in an archival Donna Karan Fall 2011 gown, the vibe was far more serene—almost earthy, in a way that quietly echoes the emotional core of Hamnet. The film deals with grief, loss, and the fragile threads that tie family together, so a gown built from soft draping and natural tones feels unexpectedly aligned with that world. It’s as though she traded her usual sharpness for something contemplative and organic.

That being said, I can’t lie: I find myself irrationally bothered by where the lining stops on her upper thigh. It’s visible on the runway version too, so this isn’t a styling misstep, but once you clock it, you can’t un-see it. The gown itself is beautiful, the colour looks stunning against her skin, but that lining point nags at me more than it should.

Still, this is a refreshing change in direction for Isabela. The minimal styling lets the dress breathe, and I love that she kept her signature curl.

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