Gracie Abrams' Chanel Moment Turns the BAFTAs Into a Low-Key Fashion Win for Fans and Red Carpet Watchers

The audience most immediately affected by this evening was the couple’s fanbase: gracie abrams' choice to play a quietly supportive role at the 2026 BAFTAs made the night feel like a shared moment for fashion watchers and admirers of Paul Mescal alike. Her red carpet appearance emphasized celebration over spotlight, creating a new public phase for the pair while keeping the tone intentionally low-key.

Why Gracie Abrams' BAFTAs Appearance Resonates with Fans and Fashion Watchers

Here’s the part that matters: the appearance signaled a shift from private outings to formal, paired appearances that are still tuned to restraint rather than spectacle. Fans who have tracked gracie abrams and Paul Mescal since they were first seen together will read the look and the public kiss as a deliberate, celebratory choice—one that keeps the focus on Mescal’s nomination while confirming their red carpet status.

What’s easy to miss is how the couple balanced visibility and privacy; the night felt like both a public milestone and a nod to their past preference for low-key moments.

How the night unfolded at the Royal Festival Hall

The couple arrived at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London for the 2026 British Academy Film Awards. Earlier in the week they had made a first official public appearance together at the London premiere for Sir Paul McCartney’s documentary Man On The Run, where they posed casually in baseball caps and winter coats. The BAFTAs marked another first: the pair made their red carpet debut as a couple, arriving arm in arm and sharing a kiss at the event.

Mescal was on the night’s roster as a nominee for his role in Hamnet, recognized in the supporting actor category for his portrayal of William Shakespeare. He had previously won a BAFTA Television Award for Best Actor in 2021 for his work on Normal People. Other attendees at the BAFTAs that evening included Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Prince William and Princess Kate.

Two takes on the Chanel look — and Paul Mescal’s Prada

The coverage presents multiple descriptions of Abrams’ outfit and styling. One account describes a floor-length Chanel gown paired with a signature dark pixie cut and kitten-heel pumps that emphasized understated elegance and purposefully avoided upstaging the nominee. Another account places her in a black sleeveless Chanel dress from Matthieu Blazy’s 2026 Métiers d’art collection, trimmed with teal-blue beading and aquatic motifs in shades of red and brown, featuring an open back, an extra-short bob, long diamond earrings, a statement diamond ring, black pointy-toe heels and deep-brown nail polish; that version notes she kissed Mescal on the cheek.

Paul Mescal’s red carpet approach was consistently described as relaxed: he wore Prada by Felicity Kay, choosing a black suit with a white dress shirt left open at the collar, an unbuttoned jacket, and rolled sleeves with cuffs folded for a casual finish.

Mini timeline — the path from public sightings to a formal debut

• 2021: Mescal previously won a BAFTA Television Award for Best Actor for Normal People.
• 2024: The pair were first seen together; they have been dating since 2024.
• Earlier this week: They made a first official public appearance together at the London premiere for Sir Paul McCartney’s documentary Man On The Run, posing in baseball caps and winter coats.
• 2026 BAFTAs: The couple made their red carpet debut as a couple at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, with Mescal nominated for his supporting role in Hamnet.

One forward signal to watch for: whether future photo calls keep this balance of paired visibility and understated styling or tilt toward more coordinated, high-profile appearances.

Short takeaways for fans and onlookers

• gracie abrams’ red carpet presence framed the evening as a celebration of Mescal’s nomination rather than a bid for attention.
• The pair’s public arc moved from casual, masked-in-public outings and social posts to an official red carpet debut.
• Styling accounts differ on specific hair and gown details; both descriptions emphasize restrained elegance on Abrams and relaxed Prada tailoring on Mescal.

The real question now is whether this will become the couple’s standard approach for high-profile events, blending celebrity milestone with a preference for low-key coordination.

The bigger signal here is how a single night can formalize a private pairing without turning it into a spectacle, a useful model for public-facing couples who want to celebrate together while keeping the spotlight where they intend it.