Joining Sophia Bush on the black carpet, Lena Dunham attended the season four premiere of Girls at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on January 5, 2015.
Lena Dunham keeps her beauty look understated with a sleek auburn bob, emerald drop earrings, and softly defined eyes at the season four premiere of Girls at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on January 5, 2015 (Credit: Michael Carpenter / WENN / Ivan Nikolov / Derrick Salters)
The actress and writer wore a Creatures of the Wind Spring 2015 cold-shoulder dress crafted from black Japanese crepe and detailed with colorful sequined embroidery in shades of bronze, aqua, green, and yellow.
The graphic patterning gave the look a playful, art-inspired feel while the trapeze silhouette softened the bold design.
The open-back silhouette revealed Dunham’s striking tattoo of two weathered houses stretching across her upper back
Dunham paired the dress with Irene Neuwirth jewelry and simple black strappy sandals.
While the shoes were not identified by brand, contemporary coverage consistently described them as understated black sandals that kept the focus on the dress’s intricate embellishment and vibrant color accents.
Lena Dunham pairs a sequined Creatures of the Wind dress with simple black strappy sandals, letting the colorful embroidered panels take center stage on the black carpet
The open-back dress also revealed one of Dunham’s most recognizable tattoos: an illustration of two houses spanning her upper back. Inspired by a children’s book, the artwork reflects her longtime affection for storybook imagery and literary references.
She has shown the tattoo at several public appearances over the years, including the premiere of Tokyo Project at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. Another well-known design appears on her right foot, where a rosary-inspired tattoo incorporates red and green pills, featured in our guide to celebrity foot tattoos and the shoes that put them on display.
Dunham also has a tattoo of Ferdinand the Bull on her upper right arm, inspired by The Story of Ferdinand. She has described the character—known for preferring flowers to fighting—as a symbol of pacifism and has noted that musician Elliott Smith wore a similar design.
Dunham showed the same two-house tattoo at the 2017 Tokyo Project premiere, offering a closer look at the detailed illustration and weathered colorwork on April 22, 2017, in New York City
Lena Dunham’s Most Memorable Shoe and Style Moments
The Girls premiere captured many of the elements that came to define Lena Dunham’s red-carpet style during the 2010s: unconventional silhouettes, literary-inspired personal details, and footwear chosen to support rather than overpower the look. From colorful designer pumps and platform boots to statement sneakers and even playful novelty slippers, her fashion choices have often reflected the same individuality and sense of humor found in her work.
👠 Explore Lena Dunham’s Shoe & Fashion Moments:
- 📏 Standing at 5’3¼” (160.7 cm) and wearing a US shoe size 6, Dunham often uses footwear to shift the tone of a look, from polished pumps to playful statement shoes.
- 💙 Her cobalt Nicholas Kirkwood “Hutton” pumps brought sharp color and structure to a Mary Katrantzou dress at Variety’s Power of Women New York.
- 👟 The olive Fenty Puma by Rihanna Bow Sneakers she wore at Tribeca captured her more experimental side, turning a red-carpet appearance into a 2017 sneaker-culture snapshot.
- 👢 At the 2017 Met Gala, Dunham grounded an Elizabeth Kennedy gown with chunky Jeffrey Campbell platform boots, adding height and a tougher finish beneath the sculptural fabric.
- 🌸 Her Simone Rocha floral dress sparked a shoe debate: Nicholas Kirkwood “Origami” pumps or Freda Salvador “Sleek” boots.
- 🩰 Her plush pink Streezies bunny slippers showed Dunham leaning fully into comfort, humor, and offbeat red-carpet styling.