Charlize Theron Puts a Technical Twist on Sheer Dressing

Charlize Theron tapped into the growing popularity of clear plastic in high-fashion designs with her Tom Ford look at “The Odyssey” press conference in Seoul on Monday.

The Oscar-winning “Monster” actress wore a look loosely inspired by a design from the American luxury label’s fall 2026 ready-to-wear collection. Designed by creative director Haider Ackermann, the ensemble featured a black slipdress with lace details, paired with a sky blue and off-white striped silk boyfriend shirt.

Over the shirt, the actress wore a low-waisted skirt mdae from black glass-effect technical fabric and exotic printed leather, finished with a belt. Theron completed the look with black TF monogrammed tights, black soft napa leather gloves and black patent leather pumps.

The translucent material featured in Theron’s latest “Odyssey” press tour look was a dominant motif throughout Tom Ford’s fall 2026 ready-to-wear collection, which debuted during Paris Fashion Week in March.

“Ackermann dressed his women in protective plastic, too, transparent coats and even skirts, some of which were fused with croc,” Samantha Conti wrote in WWD’s review of the collection. The plastic and plastic-adjacent materials popped up again roughly three months later, when Marc Jacobs presented his spring 2027 ready-to-wear collection during New York Fashion Week in June 2026.

“Jacobs’ study, or rather lesson, in enlivening wardrobes with heightened colorblocking continued with a mix of brights against jewel tones — great hip-jutting croco structured miniskirts, PVC-fringed tiny tank dresses and plastic-y scoop tanks with sweet polka dot pleated skirts (a nod to his own spring 1998 and 2000 designs) — layered over those sheer knit and nylon base layers,” Emily Mercer wrote in WWD’s review of the collection.

One such look from Marc Jacobs’ spring 2027 collection was worn by Hunter Schafer during the “Blade Runner 2099” panel at San Diego Comic-Con in July. The “Euphoria” alum’s look included a translucent yellow short-sleeve top.

Though sheer styling has always been a mainstay on contemporary red carpets with lace and other delicate materials, plastic and other translucent fabrics have given the trend a more technical edge, merging futurism with structure and technical experimentation.