Gillian Anderson turns heads in purple at the 2026 BAFTAs

Gillian Anderson attends the 2026 EE BAFTA Film Awardson February 22, 2026 in London, England — (Image credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

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Shop Purple Gowns

Gillian Anderson is well-versed in red carpet dressing, often making the best dressed lists, and the star regularly relies on fashion designer Roksanda for those big award season moments, and the BAFTAs 2026 was no different.

Wearing a gorgeous purple gown from Roksanda’s Spring 2026 show, it was the dress's bold, artistic brushstroke pattern that really caught my eye. Coupled with a simple silhouette, the contemporary design was a fresh take on print, and the hand-painted black brushstrokes, on a rich purple base, were a masterclass in reworking the red carpet for the modern day.

Fans of both Gillian and her stylist, Martha Ward, were quick to comment on the purple colourway, with one writing on Martha’s Instagram, “I'm absolutely in love with the dress. She can wear any colour, but I never would have thought that purple could shine so perfectly.” While another said, “The dress made me gasp!” And purple love hearts could be found all across her comments section, proving just how much her fans had fallen for the look.

Shop Purple Gowns

Monsoon

Marianna Paisley Print Tiered Midi Dress Purple

A dark purple hue and statement paisley print give this affordable high street dress a similar feel to Gillian's luxe, designer piece. The colour is elegantly striking, while the full sleeves and a tiered skirt add an eye catching finish.

Phase Eight

Carra Swirl Midi Dress

If it's the contemporary pattern that draws you to Gillian's dress, this Phase Eight midi is worth a look. Deep hues of burgundy, teal and pink create a striking print across the dark purple base. An easy AM to PM wear, try it with boots or heels.

Jolie Moi

Long Sleeve Ruffle Hem Mesh Maxi Dress

As we head into spring, you can't go wrong with a floral maxi dress, and this one from Jolie Moi is given depth by the rich purple hue of its fabric. With a flattering empire line and wrap style across the bust, this is a flattering dress to hide a tummy too.

Plum Purple Floral Printed Short Sleeve Utility Midi Dress

This Next dress makes it easy to incoporate purple hues into your everyday wardrobe, with its rich plum tone and utility-inspired design creating an effortlessly elevated look that can be styled day-to-day or for more formal events, too.

Jolie Moi

Frill Detail Chiffon Midaxi Dress

This floaty, romantic midi dress boasts a simple round neckline, a flattering tie waist, and short flowy sleeves for a simple yet elegant style. The double-frilled hem and dainty floral pattern use lighter shades to complement the rich purple fabric.

Phase Eight

Simara Ombre Midi Dress

An ombre effect gives this dress a fun look, with pleating across the fabric adding movement to the midi silhouette, as well as texture, creating a contemporary and timeless feel. We love the pop of pink at the hem, for a lighter finish.

This distinctive colour might not yet have taken off as a must-have hue, but there’s no denying that it’s just as chic as any of the spring/summer fashion colour trends for 2026.

Gillian makes the colour feel incredibly wearable, not only because the silhouette of her dress is so simple and therefore does not overpower the bold hue, but also because the pattern of her dress incorporates grounding black tones.

With this rich, complementary shade, the purple is left feeling much more understated and can be easily styled with black accessories, whether that’s pumps, ballet flats or any of the styles we’re seeing take off as spring/summer shoe trends 2026, like a pair of jazz shoes or peep-toe heels.

Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is a freelance royal news, entertainment and fashion writer. She began her journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with Good To, BBC Good Food, The Independent, The Big Issue and The Metro.

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