Lace-Up Boots vs. Metallic Sandals: How Jennifer Connelly and Selena Gomez Styled Louis Vuitton at the UNICEF Ball

At the 6th Biennial UNICEF Ball at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills on January 12, 2016, Louis Vuitton was one of the evening’s most visible fashion houses. Among its highest-profile guests were Jennifer Connelly and Selena Gomez, who took two very different approaches to red-carpet dressing.

Connelly embraced the brand’s dramatic side in a custom sequined gown and lace-up booties, while Gomez softened a red leather Resort 2016 design with delicate metallic sandals. Their contrasting footwear choices showed how the same fashion house could produce two very different red-carpet statements.

Jennifer Connelly Pairs a Custom Louis Vuitton Gown With Lace-Up Booties

Jennifer Connelly shines in a custom red sequined Louis Vuitton gown with cold-shoulder detailing at the 6th Biennial UNICEF Ball (Credit: FayesVision / Charlie Steffens / WENN)

As one of Louis Vuitton’s longtime ambassadors, Jennifer Connelly arrived in a custom version of the house’s signature red-carpet aesthetic, pairing a sequined gown with equally statement-making accessories and footwear.

Jennifer Connelly wears a custom red Louis Vuitton dress on the blue carpet (Credit: FayesVision / Charlie Steffens / WENN)

The bright red cold-shoulder gown featured embellishments along the collarbone and sleeves. Joined by her husband, English-American actor Paul Bettany, she wore a floor-length dress with a mock-neck design and a thigh-high slit.

Jennifer Connelly stuns in a red sequined Louis Vuitton gown with a thigh-high slit, accompanied by her husband Paul Bettany at the 6th Biennial UNICEF Ball at Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel on January 12, 2016, in Beverly Hills, California (Credit: FayesVision / Charlie Steffens / WENN)

She also paired her custom creation with lace-up booties and a clutch by the same brand. Even her rings were from Louis Vuitton.

Jennifer Connelly wears a full Louis Vuitton ensemble, including a dress, boots, rings, and clutch (Credit: FayesVision / Charlie Steffens / WENN)

Jennifer’s Oxford-style Louis Vuitton booties featured a lace-up design and heels.

Jennifer Connelly completes her Louis Vuitton ensemble with a bold, striped clutch and matching statement rings (Credit: FayesVision / Charlie Steffens / WENN)

The Oxford-inspired booties were a bold choice. While they reinforced the modern, slightly edgy feel of the Louis Vuitton look, some readers may find that a more delicate sandal would have created a stronger balance against the gown’s sequined eveningwear silhouette.

Jennifer Connelly pairs her sequined Louis Vuitton gown with sleek black lace-up Louis Vuitton booties featuring a metallic cap toe (Credit: FayesVision / Charlie Steffens / WENN)

Connelly’s styling emphasized Louis Vuitton’s sharper, more architectural side. Selena Gomez approached the same fashion house from a different angle, opting for lighter footwear and softer styling to balance a bold leather gown.

Selena Gomez Softens a Red Leather Louis Vuitton Gown With Metallic Sandals

The actress wore a red leather Louis Vuitton Resort 2016 gown that showcased the fashion house’s mix of innovative materials and feminine detailing under creative director Nicolas Ghesquière.

Selena Gomez wears her hair down at the 6th Biennial UNICEF Ball on January 12, 2016, at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel (Credit: Charlie Steffens / FayesVision/ WENN)

The singer and actress paired a red leather gown from the French fashion house with delicate silver ankle-strap sandals, creating a sleek combination that balanced modern edge with classic evening glamour.

The floor-length column gown featured several details that set it apart from a traditional evening dress, including a prominent center-front zipper, a ruffled neckline, a self-tie waist, and intricate laser-cut floral panels running along the sides.

These perforated cutouts lightened the visual weight of the leather while introducing texture, movement, and subtle skin exposure.

Selena Gomez’s red leather Louis Vuitton Resort 2016 gown combined a plunging zip-front bodice, ruffled shoulders, and floral cutout detailing that softened the dress’s structured silhouette

While the gown immediately drew attention, the silver metallic sandals were an equally important styling choice.

Their slim ankle straps and open-toe silhouette contrasted with the weight and texture of the leather, creating balance while drawing attention to the gown’s dramatic side slit.

Multiple angles reveal how the gown’s side cutouts, self-tie belt, and front slit created movement and dimension while maintaining the clean lines of a column dress

By keeping the footwear understated, Gomez allowed the craftsmanship and detailing of the dress to remain the focal point.

Delicate silver Louis Vuitton sandals provided a lighter counterpoint to the bold leather design, with slender metallic straps peeking through the gown’s dramatic slit

Gomez’s styling also differed from Louis Vuitton’s runway presentation of the look. While the Resort 2016 collection paired the leather dress with boots, she opted for delicate metallic sandals, loose waves, and understated makeup, transforming the design from an edgy runway statement into a polished red-carpet ensemble.

Gomez also posed for photos with fellow Louis Vuitton guest Miranda Kerr during the UNICEF fundraiser, highlighting the fashion house’s prominent presence at the event.

More Louis Vuitton Shoes That Stole the Spotlight

Jennifer Connelly’s lace-up booties and Selena Gomez’s metallic sandals demonstrated just how differently Louis Vuitton footwear can shape a red-carpet look.

From statement boots and sculptural heels to elegant evening sandals, the French fashion house has produced some of the most memorable celebrity shoe moments of the past decade. Explore more standout Louis Vuitton styles below.