Penélope Cruz Bloomed in Butter-Yellow Chanel Lace at the Bunker Premiere — Every Flower Was Embroidered by Hand

Butter yellow has been one of the most persistent colour trends of the past few seasons, and Penélope Cruz just gave it its most romantic red carpet yet. On Saturday, October 10, 2026, the actress attended a screening of her new film Bunker at the 70th BFI London Film Festival in a custom Chanel gown covered in embroidered flowers, WWD reported.

The dress: Chantilly lace and cotton flowers

According to WWD's Erin Wisti, the custom gown was made from Chantilly lace in a soft butter-yellow shade. It was embellished with embroidered cotton flowers in white, pink, red and a slightly deeper yellow, placed asymmetrically across the lower half of the dress, clustered near the neckline and completely covering the straps.

The placement is what makes the dress feel modern. Instead of an all-over print, the flowers appear in scattered groups, as if they had been tossed onto the lace, and then gather at the shoulders where they act like jewellery.

Beauty: soft and nearly neutral

Cruz kept everything else quiet. WWD described her makeup as minimal, with a soft pink, nearly neutral lipstick in a tint similar to the flowers on the dress. The only bold colour came from her red-painted toenails, visible in her sandals.

It is a smart balance. With a dress this detailed, a strong lip or heavy eye would compete with the embroidery. A soft rose lip echoes the flowers and keeps the focus on the gown. A red pedicure adds one small, deliberate pop.

The soft palette also plays well against London's grey autumn light. Pastels can look flat on camera, but the texture of Chantilly lace, with its fine, open pattern, creates shadow and depth, so the colour reads as rich rather than washed out. The three-dimensional cotton flowers add a second layer of texture on top. It is the kind of couture detail that is easy to miss in a single photo and impossible to miss in person, which is why close-up images of the straps have been shared so widely since the screening.

A Chanel ambassador's red carpet run

Cruz has been a Chanel brand ambassador since 2018, WWD noted, and wears the house constantly. At the Cannes Film Festival last May she chose a black asymmetric Chanel gown with tufts of fabric on the shoulder and thigh. At a SAG-AFTRA Foundation conversation in June, she wore a navy Look 62 suit with black-and-white Mary Janes from Chanel's cruise 2027 collection.

The London gown shows the lighter side of that relationship: less sharp tailoring, more garden party.

About Bunker

The look also had a reason to celebrate. WWD reported that Bunker, a psychological thriller directed by Florian Zeller, won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival in September and received a standing ovation there. Cruz plays the wife of an architect hired to build a bunker for an eccentric millionaire, a job that puts their marriage to the test. The film is set for release on January 15, 2027.

London has been a festival of strong looks this week. For more from the BFI red carpets, see "Scarlett Johansson's Red Hermès Dress Showed Off Her Back Tattoos — and Had Pockets" and "Naomi Ackie Wore a Gown Made of 850 Makeup Brushes — and Slicked-Back Hair Was the Only Way to Do It."

How to wear butter yellow like Cruz

Choose a soft, warm yellow rather than a bright lemon, which can wash out many skin tones. Lace or another textured fabric adds depth to a pale colour. Keep makeup in the pink-nude family, skip heavy jewellery if the dress already has detail at the neckline, and add one small accent, such as a red pedicure or a red bag, to keep it from looking too sweet.

FAQ

What did Penélope Cruz wear to the BFI London Film Festival?

A custom Chanel gown in butter-yellow Chantilly lace, embroidered with cotton flowers in white, pink, red and deeper yellow, according to WWD.

What is Penélope Cruz's new film?

Bunker, a psychological thriller directed by Florian Zeller. It won the Golden Lion at Venice and is due for release on January 15, 2027.

Is Penélope Cruz a Chanel ambassador?

Yes. She has been a Chanel brand ambassador since 2018.

What makeup did Penélope Cruz wear?

Minimal makeup with a soft, nearly neutral pink lipstick, WWD reported.

Cover photo: Pedro J Pacheco / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0