Lili Reinhart has captured the internet's imagination once again. The actress stepped out in an ethereal custom look that pays homage to one of the most beloved romantic films of the late 1990s. The Riverdale star shared a series of captivating photographs on Instagram featuring a bespoke Rodarte gown inspired directly by Drew Barrymore's iconic ensemble from the 1998 classic Ever After: A Cinderella Story.
The high-fashion tribute forms part of a creative promotional strategy orchestrated by Reinhart and her styling team as she prepares for the release of her upcoming romantic film, The Love Hypothesis.
Alongside conventional promotional appearances, Reinhart and stylist Ib Abdel Nasser have incorporated a series of editorial fashion tributes to iconic romance-film heroines into the film's press campaign.
Channelling 90s Nostalgia
Set against a picturesque, sunset-lit backdrop, Reinhart's photoshoot captures the fairy-tale aesthetic that made Andy Tennant's Ever After a timeless staple of the genre. The gown comes from luxury fashion house Rodarte. It mimics the off-the-shoulder silhouette, soft puff sleeves, and romantic detailing worn by Barrymore's character, Danielle de Barbarac, in the film's memorable masquerade ball scene.
Reinhart made no secret of her personal connection to the film. She wrote on social media that she treasured her VHS copy of Ever After while growing up. The heartfelt homage resonated strongly across platforms like Reddit, where fans in pop culture communities praised both the execution of the shoot and the nostalgia it evoked.
'Lili will be paying homage to the leading ladies of the Golden Age of romcoms and romance films throughout the press tour,' her stylist revealed on the promotional campaign's thematic direction.
The concept marks a refreshingly creative approach to film marketing, prioritising artistic editorial imagery over standard publicity appearances.
Online Reactions and Fan Reception
Over on Reddit, fans quickly highlighted how refreshing Reinhart's promotional approach feels compared to standard movie PR strategies. One popular user, ledge-14, commended the creative direction, noting: 'Love that she's been doing these homages to famous romcom looks as a way to promo her new romcom. It's such a more fun way to do a PR cycle than the much more gimmicky things I feel like have been popular lately.'
Other users echoed similar sentiments on the visuals, with mindovermatter15 posting, 'I don't know the why, but I do know that these photoshoots have been gorgeous!'
However, public reaction to the upcoming film itself remains delightfully mixed, leading to humorous online banter. User Easy_Hearing_3223 quipped, 'woah the movie looks awful. anyway, beautiful gowns...' referencing a classic internet meme.
Replying directly to the scepticism, ledge-14 admitted that while the film's premise might divide audiences, the lore surrounding its origins is an irresistible pull: 'Exactly same! Tho I am probably going to watch it just bc I find the whole fanfic/real people web related to this movie to be incredibly funny.'
A New Approach To Press Cycles
While method dressing—wearing outfit choices that reference a project's theme—has become a staple of modern Hollywood publicity tours, Reinhart's strategy pivots the trend in a distinct direction. Instead of dressing solely in character for her own film, she is using her platform to honour the cinematic lineage of the romance genre itself.
The Ever After tribute is one of several editorial shoots Reinhart has rolled out in recent weeks, each meticulously recreating fashion looks from iconic cinema history. Fashion commentators and fans alike have commended the effort, noting how the editorial format allows actors to engage audiences directly on social media while celebrating classic culture.
By honouring Drew Barrymore's legacy in Ever After, Reinhart not only showcases her own style credentials but also aligns her modern projects with the lasting magic of nineties Hollywood romance. As her promotional tour continues, fans are eagerly anticipating which classic cinematic look the star will reimagine next.
