Created by women for women in 2014, Galvan aims to disrupt the traditional idea of formal wear. Anna-Christin Haas, Sola Harrison, Carolyn Franks and Katherine Holmgren wanted to make pieces that were luxurious yet effortless, and versatile enough to be styled differently and worn repeatedly.
Commercial Director Katherine Holmgren tells Us their designs are “universally flattering and timelessly chic.” The London-based brand is known for its slinky slip dresses and sophisticated sequin gowns — and celebs can’t get enough. Creative Director Sola Harrison says the ideal red carpet look “reflects a woman’s personality while taking them a little outside of their comfort zone.” She adds: “Many of our designs feature invisible corsetry, which empowers the wearer like a support armor, so they feel ready to face the world with quiet confidence.”
One of the most memorial red carpet moments for the company was when Sienna Miller wore a striped sequin look to a movie premiere in 2014. “She was one of the first celebrities to wear Galvan,” Partnerships Director Carolyn Franks reveals. “The next day, everyone wanted that dress and we sold out instantly. That is when I realized the power of celebrity dressing.”
Design Director Anna-Christin Haas has an affinity for the dress Michelle Dockery wore to the Downton Abbey premiere September 9. “We loved using one of our simple, clean silhouettes with 90s DNA at the core, and working with a timeless copper color,” Haas says. “The sequins are smaller than usual, which was a new development for us and helped to create the overlapping effect and reversible paillettes. This brought out a new texture, which created a rich feeling, and strikingly beautiful dress on Michelle.”
Another favorite of Christin Haas is the Karlie Kloss number she picked for a pre-Met Gala party in May. “It was inspired by a kimono to create a wrap effect. We played with different layers and long sleeves to make the cut of the dress feel cool and chic, just like Karlie is!”
Scroll through to see how Mandy Moore, Olivia Munn, Lea Michele and more stars wear Galvan’s covetable gowns below.