Tabu dons black for 'Dune' premiere

Actor's outfit features Angarakha-inspired gown

At the New York premiere of HBO's Dune: Prophecy, Tabu embodied her character, Sister Francesca, with her red-carpet style in a custom ensemble by Indian brand Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. The iconic designer duo, celebrated for their revivalist approach to Indian textiles and techniques, crafted a piece that channels both their mastery and Tabu's striking presence and elegance.

Tabu shared with HBO Max that the black Angarakha-inspired gown "has taken a month to create," emphasising the painstaking craftsmanship behind it. Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla echoed this sentiment in an Instagram post, describing the gown as "a one-of-a-kind couture masterpiece" that complements Tabu's "sculpted shoulders and tall frame." The ensemble showcases their 'Crushed Silk' collection, a signature texture created through a technique they discovered over thirty-eight years ago. The dress itself is a marvel, using over fifty metres of pure khadi silk, manipulated into hypnotic folds that evoke "an endless sea of maximal fabulosity," in the designers' words.

Tabu's goth-glam look was completed with a pulled-back bun, a smoky grey eye, and statement earrings featuring a central emerald. The look, subdued yet powerful, highlighted her bare shoulders and a touch of décolletage. Nude lips and a pale blush complemented her intense eye makeup, balancing the ensemble's drama with elegance. A black Bottega Veneta knot clutch served as her accessory of choice.

In Dune: Prophecy, Tabu joins actors Emily Watson, Olivia Williams, and Travis Fimmel in a story set 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides (played by Timothée Chalamet in Dune). The series follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit.