Riccardo Tisci Just Revived His Eponymous Label to Dress Michaela Coel

Riccardo Tisci just resurrected his eponymous label 17 years after shutting it down when, on Thursday, Michaela Coel walked the red carpet for the premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in a custom dress by Tisci.

The actress wore an all-black, matte silk bodysuit, with a black lace skirt wrapped around her waist. Bespoke floral lace tights and black sandals completed the simple, yet sultry ensemble. According to WWD, the look was created in partnership with Tisci, Coel, and the actress’ mother, Kwenua Osborne, who has been designing pieces for Coel for decades.

Tisci’s work with Coel comes a little over a month after it was announced the designer would be exiting Burberry, where he was the chief creative officer since 2018. Before that, Tisci was the creative director of Givenchy, a job which he initially shut down his namesake label for in 2005, only five months after his first show. Following the announcement of his departure from Burberry, many wondered where the designer would go next. This dress is a hint that Tisci could once again move his focus to his own line.

It was Coel, who actually approached Tisci about the project. The actress is clearly a fan of the designer’s work, having worn a look from his final collection at Burberry earlier in the Black Panther press tour. “We knew this premiere in London—a city so close to both of us— would be the best moment to bring our conversations to life in a very special way,” Tisci said. “It felt like the perfect time to celebrate Riccardo Tisci, the house that brought me so many opportunities and which led me to where I am today.”

For her part, Coel called Tisci her “amore” and said “to become a part of this moment in which his career comes full circle is a nourishing experience,” adding that the designer’s willingness to collaborate with Osborne, “displays a remarkable confidence and humility in his craft.”