‘The Love Hypothesis’ Star Lili Reinhart Ditches the Rom-Com Cute for Sultry Armani Vines at the Academy Museum Gala
For weeks, Lili Reinhart’s red carpet wardrobe has been a love letter to the romantic comedies she grew up on. While promoting ‘The Love Hypothesis,’ she wore a yellow dress that nodded to ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,’ a custom silver Rodarte gown that referenced Drew Barrymore’s fairy dress in ‘Ever After,’ and a colorful Emanuel Ungaro gown with Y2K mermaid vibes. It was method dressing at its most playful.
Now the press tour is over, and so are the rom-com references. The sixth annual Academy Museum Gala took place on October 17 in Los Angeles, honoring Charlize Theron, Colman Domingo and John Carpenter, with Taylor Swift set to perform. Reinhart arrived in custom Giorgio Armani.
Lili Reinhart’s Academy Museum Gala look was a more grown-up, sultry affair. The dress has a nude-toned bodice with thin straps, covered in a swirling pattern of black, vine-like embroidery that curls across the neckline.
Lili Reinhart at the 6th Annual Academy Museum Gala https://t.co/yNXDwvXSth
— JumpTrailers (@JumpTrailers) October 18, 2026
In the photo, the dress sits low on her chest, and the black scrollwork climbs the straps and winds across the sheer-looking fabric like ink on skin. A small black pendant necklace on a thin chain and a dark stud earring echo the dress’s palette, keeping the jewelry delicate.
Her hair is pulled into a high, messy bun, with soft, face-framing tendrils falling around her cheeks. Her makeup is warm and natural, with a rosy lip, a glowy complexion and a slightly smoky eye. The look balances romantic and risqué, with the embroidery doing the teasing.
Lili Reinhart on the carpet at the Academy Museum Gala https://t.co/DigEur60gQ
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) October 18, 2026
The choice of Armani isn’t a surprise. Reinhart wore an Armani gown to the Venice premiere of ‘Babygirl’ in 2024, and she has appeared in Armani Beauty’s Gen A campaign alongside her ‘Riverdale’ co-star Camila Mendes. She has said she loves being around the friends she meets at Armani events.
The brand had a huge presence at the gala, too. Sabrina Carpenter wore a custom cobalt blue Armani gown, and Rami Malek and Belmont Cameli also wore Armani, making it one of the night’s defining labels.
Hailey Bieber and Lili Reinhart bringing that It-girl energy 💅🏻 💅🏻 Hailey, 29, went pretty in pink with jewelled detailing while Lili, 30, opted for intricate black floral embellishment as they arrived at the Academy Museum Gala in L.A. 📽️: @jpasc24 #lilireinhart #haileybieber #academymuseumgala
— HELLO! Canada (@HelloCanada) October 18, 2026
Reinhart’s 2026 carpet looks have been far from timid. At the SXSW premiere of ‘Forbidden Fruits’ in March, she wore a custom black Elisabetta Franchi gown with a corset-style bodice, crisscross lacing and a dramatic high slit. She also wore a custom champagne Valentino gown with two sky-high slits to the Gotham Television Awards.
Compared with those high-slit moments, the gala dress is quieter but just as seductive. It proves she can do drama through detail as well as through cut.
Lili Reinhart arrives at the #AcademyMuseumGala https://t.co/s1yIZ41kbg
— Variety (@Variety) October 18, 2026
Her film choices have grown edgier, too. In ‘Forbidden Fruits,’ a horror comedy from Meredith Alloway, she plays Apple, who runs a witchy coven out of an upscale mall store, a villain role she had said she wanted to play. ‘The Love Hypothesis,’ a rom-com directed by Claire Scanlon, arrived on Prime Video on September 23.
Next, she has the ensemble comedic thriller ‘The Very Best People’ with Paul Walter Hauser and Tim Roth, the horror film ‘Bad Boy’ with Ke Huy Quan, which is told from the point of view of a serial killer’s dog, and Sean Byrne’s thriller ‘The Mannequin’ with Melissa Leo.
Lili Reinhart at the 6th Annual Academy Museum Gala. https://t.co/gt7XXc5dm5
— 21 (@21metgala) October 18, 2026
Reinhart, who was born in Cleveland and grew up in nearby Bay Village, is best known as Betty Cooper in ‘Riverdale,’ which earned her seven Teen Choice Awards. She also runs the skincare line Personal Day and the production company Small Victory Productions, which champions women’s stories.
That mix of acting, producing and entrepreneurship helps explain her control over her image. Each carpet look feels like a deliberate chapter.
Reinhart shared the carpet with a huge guest list. Taylor Swift, Kate Hudson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kerry Washington, Janelle Monáe, Inde Navarrette and Anna Kendrick all walked the carpet.
In a night full of feathers, sequins and sculpted gowns, her understated embroidery stood out for its subtlety. It was a reminder that sultry can be quiet.
What do you think of Lili Reinhart’s custom Giorgio Armani gown at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala?
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