Janelle Monáe Wore Sheer Beaded Antonio Grimaldi Couture Gown to Lucas Museum Opening Night

Janelle Monáe knows how to make an entrance, and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art opening night was no exception. The singer, songwriter and actress, known for hits like "Tightrope" and "Q.U.E.E.N." and for roles in Hidden Figures, Moonlight and Glass Onion, walked the carpet in Los Angeles on September 19 in a sheer black gown from Antonio Grimaldi's Spring 2026 Haute Couture collection.

The dress had a high neckline and long sleeves, and rows of dark beads and pearls ran around the whole thing in horizontal lines. Those rows were spaced out over sheer fabric, so the gown had a layered, almost graphic look. It stayed fitted through the body before falling into a floor-length skirt with beaded cuffs and a hem that pooled slightly on the ground.

Grimaldi is an Italian couturier, and his Spring 2026 couture collection was presented in the Chinese Salon of Palazzo Besso in Rome. Blacks, greys and silk whites made up a lot of that palette, so this piece fits right in.

Monáe topped it off with a dramatic pearl choker with a small drop pendant, which made the beading on the dress feel intentional rather than busy. She added a few rings, dark polish and black heels, though designer credits for the jewelry and shoes haven't been shared yet. Her short hair was styled in sleek finger waves with a curl swept across her forehead, and her glam kept things warm and glowing with bronzed eyes and a nude lip.

The opening night was hosted by museum founders George Lucas and Mellody Hobson ahead of the public opening on September 22. The museum has more than 1,300 objects on display across 30 galleries. Jon Batiste played piano at the opening ceremony, and Monáe was on a guest list that included Camila Cabello, Doja Cat, Alicia Keys, Oprah Winfrey and Kim Kardashian.