Tessa Thompson Wore Balenciaga To The 2025 Franca Fund Gala

Tessa Thompson attended the 2025 Franca Fund Gala at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha on Sunday, where she was joined on the red carpet by the man behind her dress, Pierpaolo Piccioli.

After the debut of his Balenciaga Spring 2026 collection, my expectations were already sky-high, but the run of custom designs he’s been creating is deepening my appreciation for what this new chapter of the house is becoming.

Tessa’s mint-green dress wasn’t part of the Spring 2026 runway, but it clearly draws from Look 9’s pastel palette and mirrors the dazzling paillette embroidery Piccioli introduced in his custom design for Ariana Grande’s ‘Wicked: For Good’ Singapore premiere. The way the sequins catch the light gives this dress an effervescent quality, almost like it’s gently shimmering in motion even when she’s standing still.

Tell me I’m not alone in getting a ’60s read from this look. The silhouette, the opera gloves, the playful volume at the bodice — there’s a retro sweetness here that still feels entirely modern on Tessa.

If there’s been one recurring quirk of this Balenciaga collection, it’s the default pairing of black shoes with nearly everything. So seeing Tessa in white heels felt like a small victory — and let’s be honest, Karla Welch does love a black pump, so this was a refreshing departure.

The rare updo and those striking earrings finish the look which was a standout moment from Tessa, and another strong case for Piccioli’s Balenciaga era.

Stylist: Karla Welch. Makeup Artist: Harold James. Hair Stylist: Hyungsun Ju.

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