It’s been more than 20 years since Emma Watson made her on-screen debut as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series. And during that time, the British actress has gone from a child star who became a household name at the age of 11 to Hollywood leading lady with a diverse portfolio of films. From thrillers to comedies, Watson’s big-screen career has also included quite a few blockbuster hits, such as the live-action Disney adaptation of Beauty and the Beast in 2017 and Greta Gerwig’s take on Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel, Little Women, in 2019.
Along the way, the actress carved out a unique sartorial path; one that’s grown to prioritize sustainable and ethical practices (and has pushed big brands to do the same). Thanks to her early start to acting, Watson became a style star before she even turned 18, with world-renowned fashion houses like Chanel and Burberry clamoring to dress her for red carpet events. That soon turned into official fashion partnerships, with Watson first teaming up with Burberry at age 19 for the British brand’s fall 2009 and spring 2010 campaigns. But it was her introduction to the ethical fashion brand People Tree that proved to be the most influential for Watson, who traveled to Bangladesh with the brand in 2010.
“It became clear to me then that sustainability in fashion is a critical issue given how the industry can have damaging impacts on the environment, on workers’ rights, and on animal welfare,” she recalled to British Vogue in a 2020 interview after announcing she would join the board of directors at luxury fashion group, Kering. “It’s also a feminist issue,” she continued, adding, “It’s estimated around 80 percent of the world’s garment workers are women aged between 18 and 35.”
That appointment with Kering included serving as the chair of the sustainability committee, a title that closely aligned with the actress’ established accomplishments. In 2011, Watson worked with Italian designer Alberta Ferretti on an environmentally-friendly capsule collection, and in 2014, she was named a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. By 2016, Watson began making headlines for wearing red carpet gowns made from recycled materials, and in 2017, she created an Instagram account (@thepresstour) dedicated to sharing the details behind her eco-friendly red carpet looks.
From her very first Harry Potter red carpet to wearing custom creations that put sustainability at the forefront, relive Watson’s best fashion moments ahead.
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For her first big red carpet event at the UK premiere of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Watson went for an ankle-length gray dress and purple accents in the form of snakeskin boots, a feather boa and a hair bow.
The following year, Watson chose a ruffled slip dress in pastel pink, with matching eyeshadow, for the UK premiere of the second Harry Potter film.
Watson’s camo print suit with floral embellishment details at the New York City premiere of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets proved that she wasn’t afraid of taking fashion risks (and signaled her future penchant for a red carpet pantsuit).
“I’ve been interested in sustainability in fashion ever since I had to properly engage with it during my time of junkets and promotional tours for Harry Potter,” Watson reflected in an interview with British Vogue. In perhaps the first public glimpse into that interest, the actress wore a vintage dress from the 1920s for the premiere of the third Harry Potter film. The plum-colored gown included tiers of tulle throughout, a ribbon belted at the waist and a corsage of white flowers along one shoulder.
It would be more than five years before Watson teamed up with Alberta Ferretti on an eco-friendly capsule collaboration, but she donned a blue dress from the Italian fashion designer for the New York City premiere of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005.
2007 marked a shift in Watson’s red carpet style choices, as evidenced by the black and gold Chanel number that she wore to attend a gala dinner in London. The feather-accented gown was a custom take on a design from the French fashion house’s spring 2007 couture collection, and Watson styled it with simple black heels, a gold clutch and a tousled updo.
For a premiere celebrating the fifth installment of the Harry Potter film series, Watson wore a white........