Fans fawn over Hunter Schafer’s hand-painted Starry Night dress

Hunter Schafer became a walking, three-dimensional piece of art in a dress inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”.

The Cuckoo star stepped out on 11 April for GQ’s Global Creativity Awards, and she couldn’t have represented pure artistry any better. Though Schafer is a known risk-taker and avant-garde aficionado when it comes to her red carpet fashion, the 25-year-old took it to a whole new level in a hand-painted custom Marni gown that was reminiscent of Van Gogh’s renowned artwork.

Both the Euphoria star and Francesco Rossi, Marni’s creative director, were being honoured at the event.

The texture of Schafer’s gown was an exaggerated impasto - like Van Gogh’s paintings - of blue, yellow, and white. The slim silhouette cinched at the waist and featured a plunging neckline. Schafer’s hair was slicked in a side part, with long extensions draping down her back. Her pointed-toe heels were also painted to match the dress design.

On Instagram, Marni invited followers to view the intricate production process through a carousel of photos. The base of the gown appeared to be a long blue silk duchess garment. Once the dress was secured on the form, the painter went in with a metal tool, intentionally lobbing thick strokes of paint on top.

Enamored viewers took to X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok to express their admiration and awe for the carefully crafted couture.

“Absolutely gagged,” one fan wrote, indicating their affection for the gown.

On TikTok, Interview magazine’s fashion director Dara Allen - who also works as Schafer’s stylist - filmed a close-up ASMR video of the dress.

“Hunter, as always looks magical! This piece is also amazing,” one individual commented under the TikTok, while another said: “Obsessed omggg.”

One viewer also complimented Dara’s work as a stylist: “THEE BEST stylist of this generation.”

Risso’s custom Marni has implemented fine art codes before, dressing Tracee Ellis Ross in a hand-painted high-neck, sleeveless dress for the New Museum’s Spring Gala, and Erykah Badu in a painted coat for the GQ event.

Schafer sported Marni during the press tour for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. For the film’s New York City premiere, she graced the red carpet in an organic, floral-embellished pink-hued mini dress. The petals and vines were practically leaping off the fabric, twisting around Schafer’s shoulders and arms.

“This Marni dress is really special. It looks like it’s covered in stickers and is growing a bouquet of wire and foil flowers,” Dara told Vogue about the premiere look. “I love that, while it has all this unhinged decoration, the silhouette underneath is super simple and sweet. It’s been important for us to balance pulling a stunt with a chic effortlessness.”