Ashley Graham’s Best Outfits: Her Most Iconic Looks Yet

From the runway to the red carpet, the supermodel stays winning

Ashley Graham’s fashion evolution is all bangers, no skips. Over the years, the outspoken supermodel has evolved from a familiar runway face to a fashion force of nature. Whether she’s posing on the Met Gala steps or sitting front row during Fashion Week, Graham’s style is all about confidence and sensuality, with a dash of her signature playfulness thrown in.

Graham is also something of a fashion chameleon. Her best outfits include everything from pantsuits to sheer gowns. What’s more, she’s not afraid to take major fashion risks. In fact, she began working with Jordan Foster, celebrity stylist and style director of Favorite Daughter, in order to do just that.

“When Ashley and I started working together, she was very interested in elevating her red carpet style,” Foster, who styled Graham from 2017 to 2021, tells InStyle. “She felt like she had worn every version of a stretchy dress with a belt that she could have and really wanted to not be held back by the availability, or lack thereof, of designer clothes in her size.”

For years, Graham was left in a lurch come red carpet season. Despite being a successful model, her choices were limited by exclusionary sizing, something she and Foster worked hard to change. “We always just wanted to show that she looked incredible in all types of clothing and she didn’t have to be stuck in a mold,” Foster shares. “We started working closely with designers to make custom looks and building relationships with brands who were excited about loaning clothes to women with realistic bodies. Ashley started wearing things that were more fashion-forward. We built on that for the next few years.” Fast-forward to 2023 and Graham is not only well dressed, she’s at the forefront of trends, proving that a woman can look bomb in a completely sheer gown or a latex minidress, no matter what size she wears.

Graham’s best looks also obliterate the kind of sizeist “fashion rules” designed to shame women into covering or concealing their bodies. Case in point: Graham, who has openly discussed changes in her weight and body, didn’t abandon her curve-hugging aesthetic when she was pregnant. “She was so comfortable pushing the boundaries with her fashion when she was pregnant. We had so many good looks during that time,” Foster recalls.

You’ll find a few of those stellar maternity looks ahead, along with more of Ashley Graham’s best red carpet, fashion week, and street style outfits through the years.

Ashley Graham in a Clio Peppiatt Minidress in 2023

The rhinestone-encrusted Clio Peppiatt minidress she wore to a Clase Azul Tequila event in Brooklyn is a great example of how Graham is seriously good at fashion without taking it too seriously. Much like Graham’s current stylist, Emily Evans, we can’t get over the hotness of this look.

Ashley Graham in a Hildur Yeoman Dress at ‘Live with Kelly and Mark’ in 2023

The custom Hildur Yeoman sheer dress Graham for an appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark was a slightly more saturated take on the celeb-loved vintage chartreuse trend. As is typical a standout Graham outfit, this dress takes a classic silhouette and adds striking design details like ruching, visible boning, and sheer fabric.

Ashley Graham in a Nina Ricci Gown at the ‘Barbie’ L.A. Premiere in 2023

This Barbie is a classic. For the L.A. premiere of Barbie, Graham showed up and showed out in a custom Nina Ricci by Harris Reed tulle gown. The combination of polka dots and playful ruffles brought whimsy to the all-black outfit, which was mirrored by dazzling Chopard earrings, the one subtle pop of Barbie pink in Graham’s outfit.

Ashley Graham in a Victoria Beckham Dress at Paris Fashion Week in 2023

Graham is famous for exuding confidence while wearing barely-there outfits, but she’s equally good at serving serious smolder when covered up from head to toe as she did in this Victoria Beckham turtleneck maxidress.

Ashley Graham in a Marc Jacobs Sweater Dress at NYFW in 2023

Not only did she look fabulous in her slouchy, oversized Marc Jacobs sweater dress, but she added at least half a foot to her height with stacked white platform heels.

Related: Ashley Graham Added Her Own Flair to the Pantsless Trend

Ashley Graham in a White Nina Ricci Suit at the amfAR Cannes Gala in 2023

A pantsuit suits Ashley Graham just fine. Her perfectly tailored white look and bold hat were custom-designed by one of Graham’s favorite and frequent collaborators, Harris Reed, for Nina Ricci.

Ashley Graham in an Alberta Ferretti Gown at the 95th Annual Academy Awards in 2023

For the 2023 Oscars, Graham looked regal and sultry in a custom Alberta Ferretti gown, two vibes that are surprisingly difficult to seamlessly integrate. Naturally, Graham pulled it off while also managing to have a bit of fun via the gown’s dramatic slit cape sleeves.

Ashley Graham in a Georges Hobeika Minidress at Cannes in 2023

Taking coquette fashion to daring new heights, Graham looked like a work of art in an ultra-short minidress straight off the Georges Hobeika Couture runway. Despite its thigh-skimming hemline, the dress serves up a lot of look, so Evans and Graham cleverly accessorized with well-matched but subtle Chopard earrings.

Ashley Graham in a Harris Reed Gown at the Met Gala in 2023

Every time Graham collaborates with designer Harris Reed, magic happens. As is the case with the jaw-dropping custom velvet and satin gown she wore to the 2023 Met Gala. The look captured the theme while still taking bold design risks, making it an instantly iconic fashion moment.

Related: See Every Amazing Look from the 2023 Met Gala

Ashley Graham in a Silver Skirt at London Fashion Week in 2023

We love the attention to detail included in her more casual looks. Graham arrived at the Nensi Dojaka runway show in London wearing a silver skirt and a bit of Big Brit Energy courtesy of a quilted Union Jack-patterned Chanel purse.

Ashley Graham in a Versace dress at Paris Fashion Week in 2022

Corseted outfits are another trend Graham got to early. Her black Versace dress and subtle accessories are a master class in vampy minimalism.

Ashley Graham in a Patrick McDowell Gown at the British Fashion Awards in 2022

For the 2022 British Fashion Awards, Graham wore British designer Patrick McDowell. Graham’s most iconic outfits have established that our girl loves the chance to toss a gauzy train up in the air, and this dreamy gown delivered just that.

Ashley Graham in a Mugler Bodysuit at Paris Fashion Week in 2022

Is there anything vampier than an illusion mesh Mugler bodysuit? We don’t think so. This sumptuous look, worn by Graham during Paris Fashion Week, answers the question, “Can I look high-fashion without pants on?” with a resounding yes.

Ashley Graham in an Interior Dress at the TIME Person of the Year Reception in 2022

Graham was all about entirely see-through maxidresses before they were cool. Her hooded, open-crochet Interior dress played with oversized lines, covering her hands with extra-long bell sleeves, and featured a lightly ruffled train.

Ashley Graham in an Etro Set at Milan Fashion Week in 2022

We would like to thank sweater weather for delivering this gorgeous Etro colorblocked look to Ashley Graham (and to us). During Milan Fashion Week in 2022, Graham stepped out in a beautiful knit sweater set that looks as cozy and it does chic.

Ashley Graham in a Houghton by Katharine Polk Dress the the MTV VMAs in 2022

Ashley Graham never shies away from a provocative look, as proven by the daring and dramatic cutout Houghton by Katharine Polk dress she wore to the MTA VMAs in 2022. We especially love the way her Lorraine Schwartz earrings tie into the glittering safety pins accenting her dress.

Ashley Graham in an Etro gown at Milan Fashion Week in 2022

Graham posed on the red carpet outside the Calendario Pirelli Presentation in a custom olive green Etro dress. Proving yet again that she and Evans are masters of a cohesive look, Graham’s gold Jimmy Choo heels, metallic mini bag, and gold jewelry echoed the gown’s hand-beaded neckline without overtly matching.

Ashley Graham in a Christian Siriano Gown at the amFar Cannes Gala in 2022

Graham is known for nailing a classic silhouette, and she did just that at the AmFar Gala during the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Her red Christian Siriano gown is timeless enough on its own, but Graham amped up the elegance with quietly luxurious jewelry.

Ashley Graham in a Dapper Dan x Gucci Blazer Dress at the Met Gala in 2019

For the 2019 Met Gala, Graham combined the best elements of menswear and ultra-femininity. Sporting the logos of both names that collaborated on the piece, her checked green and pink blazer dress was a mashup of streetwear and country club aesthetics, while her rhinestone embellished boot tights and wooden phone read as a cheeky homage to ’90s prep fashion.

Ashley Graham in a Vex Clothing Dress at the Daily Front Row Fashion Awards in 2019

Fun fact: Graham’s custom Vex Clothing latex dress wasn’t initially designed as a maternity look. “We had it made before she was pregnant,” Foster reveals, “But the right moment didn’t come up. We randomly tried it on months later just to see how it would fit and it was more perfect than ever.”

Ashley Graham in a Christopher John Rogers Dress at the CFDA Fashion Fund Gala in 2019

Graham’s styling choices during her pregnancies place her in the expectant fashion icon hall of fame, right alongside Rihanna. The ruched hyper-color Christopher John Rogers dress she wore while out and about in N.Y.C. is equal parts Old Hollywood glamour and futuristic techno colors.

Ashley Graham in a Zac Posen Gown at the Academy Awards in 2019

The velvet mermaid gown Graham wore to the 91st Annual Academy Awards is among Foster’s favorites. “She wore a custom gown by Zac Posen and it was the most perfect fit I’ve ever seen on a person,” Foster recalls. “We topped it off with simple diamond necklaces. She was the epitome of class and style.”

Ashley Graham in an Ashley Graham x Pretty Little Thing Dress in L.A. in 2019

Our girl loves a high-slit dress for red carpets and seems equally fond of its more causal iteration: the split-hem minidress. Spotted out and about in Los Angeles in a dress of her own design created for PrettyLittleThing, Graham’s stacked necklaces and sandals with ankle strap chain detailing paired beautifully with her dress’s snaffle bit print.

Ashley Graham in a Prabal Gurung Gown at the Met Gala in 2018

Graham definitely nailed the 2018 Met Gala theme, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination.” Graham’s shimmering bronze Prabal Gurung gown and matching metallic strappy sandals were celestial goddess goals.

Ashley Graham in a Rubin Singer Gown at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in 2018

Graham and Foster created a sleek silhouette for the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. Her strappy Sophia Webster sandals echoed the clean lines of her Rubin Singer gown, and a dark smoky eye beautifully complemented her look’s gunmetal gray color palette.

Ashley Graham in a Fleur du Mal Trench Coat at the SI Swimsuit Launch in 2018

While Graham’s mid-aughts style was characterized by a snatched silhouette, she was never one note this rosy blush ensemble proves. The contrast between her silky Fleur de Mal trench coat, high-shine bodysuit, and Schutz pointy-toe pumps kept the monochromatic look rich and layered.

Ashley Graham in an H&M Corset Dress at the Met Gala in 2017

In an interview with New York Magazine, Graham revealed the troubling reason she had to skip the 2016 Met Gala. “I couldn’t get a designer to dress me,” she said. The following year was a different story. Graham wore a gorgeous custom H&M gown that played with ideas of deconstruction and opulence.

Ashley Graham in a Sheer Black Dress in New York City in 2017

Graham established one of her favorite looks in the mid-aughts and you can still spot her bodycon dresses with illusion mesh or sheer paneling today. Her attention to detail is also front and center in this outfit featuring loops at the hem of the dress that share a high-shine texture with her strappy sandals.

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