‘Dune’ Star Florence Pugh Dazzles in a Lavender Corset at the BFI London Film Festival as She Debuts Her Romance With Finn Cole
Florence Pugh and the BFI London Film Festival go back a long way. Early in her career, the Oxford-born actress earned a nomination for Best British Newcomer at the festival for her debut in ‘The Falling’, long before global hits made her one of Hollywood’s most in-demand stars.
This year, the festival is celebrating a major milestone. The 70th edition runs from October 7 to 18 and features 33 world premieres, including Anthony Wonke’s boxing drama ‘In the Shadows’.
Pugh returned to the festival on Friday, October 9, for the world premiere of ‘In the Shadows’ at Vue West End. Against the event’s bright pink backdrop, she quickly delivered one of the most talked-about looks of the week.
She wore a lavender-and-silver corseted gown from Wiederhoeft’s Spring 2027 collection, styled by Rebecca Corbin-Murray. The pale lavender corset was decorated with sparkling silver embellishments above a shimmering skirt, and the daring design hung from a delicate strap.
More 4K Photos of Florence Pugh at the 70th BFI London Film Festival. 📸 (Joe Maher/Getty) https://t.co/UFUyTZiUD0
— JumpTrailers (@JumpTrailers) October 9, 2026
The rest of her styling leaned soft and romantic. Pugh wore her blonde hair swept up from her face with loose waves falling around her shoulders, adding a statement silver pendant necklace, sparkling earrings, and silver open-toe platform heels, with a lavender pedicure as a subtle coordinating detail.
The evening was about more than fashion. Pugh attended alongside her boyfriend, actor Finn Cole, marking their first official red carpet appearance as a couple. Cole kept things classic in a brown suit, and the pair posed together with Pugh resting a hand on his shoulder. Their coordinated polish suited the occasion, especially since the premiere celebrated his own work.
Florence Pugh attends the ‘IN THE SHADOWS’ premiere during the 70th BFI London Film Festival. https://t.co/nPsVhIx7TD
— Cinethology (@thecinethology) October 9, 2026
The couple had been spotted enjoying a day out in New York City just the week before. Pugh first revealed she was dating someone in an interview with British Vogue in October 2024, and this appearance finally put their relationship in the spotlight.
Cole stars in ‘In the Shadows’ alongside Jasmine Jobson, the 2 actors named in the film’s principal cast billing. The drama centers on Britain’s first female Muslim boxing champion and her search for her own identity, weaving family, love and faith into the sporting story.
Florence Pugh and Finn Cole finally made their red-carpet debut as a couple, stepping out at the "In The Shadows" BFI London Film Festival screening! The actress attended to support Cole, who starred as a lead in the new sports biopic. #FlorencePugh #FinnCole #InTheShadows https://t.co/1VhmPPKDbw
— MTN (@movietv_news) October 10, 2026
The film runs 117 minutes and is presented in English and Somali. Its cast also includes Gershwyn Eustache Jnr., with Lee Magiday and Madeleine Sanderson producing. Festivalgoers who missed the premiere still have chances to catch it.
Additional screenings are scheduled for October 10 and October 16 as part of the festival programme. The premiere joins a packed slate of events across London. The festival opened with Simon Stone’s ‘Elsinore’ and will close with Jesse Eisenberg’s ‘The Debut’, with screenings taking place across 7 venues, including BFI Southbank and the Royal Festival Hall.
For Pugh, the night capped off a strong year that included a Saturn Award nomination for her work in ‘Thunderbolts*’. Her lavender-and-silver gown has already become one of the festival’s standout fashion moments, and fans are eager to see whether she and Cole will make more joint appearances.
What do you think of Florence Pugh’s lavender gown and red carpet debut with Finn Cole?
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