There was a parade of stars dressed to the nines on the purple carpet to celebrate the premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
It was a beautiful celebration of fashion and culture, as well as a moving tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman, who played King T’Challa in the first Black Panther film.
Plus, there’s a bonus appearance of post-baby Rihanna with a triumphant return to the music scene to boot!
Here are the most memorable looks at the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Los Angeles premiere:
1. Letitia Wright in Alexander McQueen
The Guyanese-British actress looked powerful in her tailored look from Alexander McQueen. Plenty of fashion critics have pointed out that her look was a tribute to Chadwick Boseman.
Whether it’s true or not, Letitia’s powerful stance and the signature Wakanda salute certainly reminded us of the captivating actor.
Letitia Wright wearing an Alexander McQueen Spring 2023 tailored suit and Punk Chelsea boots (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
She wore a Spring 2023 creation with cut-out details and a crystal harness, which added a striking detail to her all-black look.
The 29-year-old also debuted a new buzz cut and finished off her look with Alexander McQueen Punk Chelsea boots that you can buy at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Letitia Wright showing off the crystal harness on her Alexander McQueen suit (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
2. Lupita Nyong’o in Balmain
In honor of the Atlanteans in the sequel to Black Panther, Lupita Nyong’o showed up in a custom white look from Balmain with a sea theme. It featured braided detailing and cut-out paneling, and she continued the theme with a seashell headband.
The newest ambassador of De Beers Jewellers completed her look with stunning diamonds.
Lupita Nyong’o wearing a custom white braided dress from Balmain with De Beers Jewellers diamonds and a seashell headband (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
3. Danai Gurira in Robert Wun and Roger Vivier
Danai Gurira turned heads in a purple dress from Robert Wun’s Spring 2023 collection. It featured pleated detailing, an asymmetrical design, a short train on the side, and a whole lot of ruffles.
You may think you’ve seen this dress before, and you’d be right. Janelle Monáe recently wore the same look at the Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery premiere, but it’s in a different colorway with a shorter skirt and the train on the back.
The 44-year-old actress rounded out her look with a braided crown, Bulgari jewels, and matching purple heels from Roger Vivier.
Danai Gurira wearing a Robert Wun Spring 2023 purple dress and Roger Vivier pumps (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
4. Michaela Coel in Salvatore Ferragamo
Michaela Coel looked stunning in a custom Salvatore Ferragamo gown with a strapless neckline and a matching hood. It also had glittering crystal embellishments to ensure a head-turning entrance.
She styled it with sheer black gloves, jewelry from Thelma West and Lola Fenhirst, a Ferragamo black sculpture bag, and Ferragamo heels.
Michaela Coel in a custom Salvatore Ferragamo hooded gown and Ferragamo sandals (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
5. Angela Bassett in Moschino and Le Silla
What better way to make an entrance than to wear a striking gown that’s fit for a queen? Angela Bassett had a regal air about her as she paraded around in her custom Moschino strapless gown with pleated detailing and a sweetheart neckline.
While it does look a bit similar to Danai Gurira’s look, especially in terms of the colorway, Danai’s is more avant-garde and Angela’s more fit for royalty.
A teased afro, REZA jewelry, and Le Silla heels provided the finishing touches to Angela Bassett’s regal look.
Angela Bassett wearing a custom Moschino strapless gown and Le Silla heels (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
6. Rihanna in Rick Owens and Giuseppe Zanotti
Rihanna made a highly-anticipated return to the music scene with her lead single, Lift Me Up, which sets the tone for the emotional film.
A new momma with a highly-anticipated new single, Rihanna stepped out on the purple carpet in a Rick Owens Fall 2022 strapless denim dress and Giuseppe Zanotti heels (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
She sashayed down the purple carpet in a Rick Owens Fall 2022 strapless denim dress with sequin embellishments, an asymmetric peplum detail, and a short train.
The 34-year-old billionaire styled it with voluminous curls, gloves, and Giuseppe Zanotti heels.
She attended the high-profile event with her beau, A$AP Rocky, who showed up with a matching colorway and short train.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky in color-coordinating outfits at the Black Panter: Wakanda Forever Los Angeles premiere (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
7. Tessa Thompson in Anna Quan
After a flurry of bold and dramatic outfits at this year’s Venice Film Festival, Tessa Thompson opted for a more subdued entrance on the purple carpet this time around.
She wore the Delfina ivory dress from Anna Quan, which featured a strapless neckline and a column cut. It also had a contoured internal bodice, side pockets, a floor-sweeping hem, and a minimal silhouette.
A statement necklace would have worked wonders for this simple dress, but Tessa Thompson still looked beautiful regardless.
Tessa Thompson wearing an Anna Quan ivory strapless dress at the Los Angeles premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
8. Michael B. Jordan in Louis Vuitton and Intimissimi
It was difficult to miss Michael B. Jordan, who stepped out in a bright yellow look from Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2023 collection.
He wore a collared overcoat with matching yellow split trousers and an Intimissimi white tank top. Black dress shoes and a chain necklace finished off his premiere look.
Michael B. Jordan wearing a Louis Vuitton Spring 2023 yellow suit with an Intimissimi tank top and black dress shoes (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)
9. Ryan Coogler and Zinzi Evans
Director Ryan Coogler attended the Los Angeles premiere with his wife Zinzi Evans. Both stepped out in monochromatic looks with a regal vibe. They started dating in college, and he credits her with helping him succeed.
“My wife, she was my girl at the time, [and] they had a software where you could write screenplays,” Ryan Coogler said in an interview with Hot 97 in 2018.
“I was trying to write in Microsoft Word. It’s impossible because your format gotta be right. I was broke, playing football on the little scholarship money. And my wife scrapped together some cheese and bought me Final Draft, which is the software that you write your movies on. And she got me that,” he told radio hosts Ebro Darden, Peter Rosenburg, and Laura Stylez.
Zinzi wore a sweeping white cape dress, while Ryan wore a white collared dress shirt with matching pants and black loafers.
The most striking element of Ryan’s look is the dog tag-style necklace that he wore as a touching tribute to Chadwick Boseman. As he told Good Morning America, “It was a necklace that I had made while we were getting ready to start filming, because I wanted to keep him close to me.”
Zinzi Evans and Ryan Coogler wearing monochromatic ensembles at the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Los Angeles premiere (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)