There was a brief but unforgettable period in the late 2010s — specifically 2017-2018 — when the internet collectively decided it had a phobia of holes. One BuzzFeed quiz, a few cursed lotus pod photos, and suddenly half of Tumblr was self-diagnosing with trypophobia. The discourse eventually died down (somewhere between the “What Color Is This Dress?” era and the tide pod panic), but Cynthia Erivo may have just resurrected it — unintentionally — on the red carpet.
At the 2025 LACMA Art + Film Gala, Erivo arrived in a couture column gown from Schiaparelli’s fall/winter 2025 haute couture collection, a piece fully encrusted in pearl and crystal embellishments arranged in an almost eye-shaped pattern. The design is technically inspired by surrealism and couture beadwork, but to anyone with lingering 2017 internet brain, the effect immediately clocks as “the dress version of those photos we all shuddered at as we wondered if we developed a new phobia.”
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Cynthia Erivo at the 2025 LACMA Art + Film Gala held at LACMA on Nov. 1, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Gilbert Flores
The beadwork was only half the moment. Erivo’s gown also featured a dramatic tulle cape that trailed behind her in soft gray layers, adding even more movement — meaning the pattern didn’t just sit there, it shifted, which is great for couture, less great for anyone whose fight-or-flight reflex is activated by repeating clusters. She finished the look with silver pointed-toe heels (yes, also embellished), diamond drop earrings, and a blue swirl-tipped chrome manicure that matched the gown’s cool-toned palette.
Fashion-wise, it’s a Schiaparelli signature: maximalist, architectural, deeply committed to turning the human body into a canvas for surrealist art. Erivo, who has worn everything from neon Valentino to sculptural Louis Vuitton, is one of the few celebrities who can make that level of intensity feel intentional rather than costume-y — which is probably why the online reaction is less “what was she thinking?” and more “I’m terrified but also she looks incredible.”
Cynthia Erivo wearing her Schiaparelli gown with beaded eyes that reminded the internet of the trypophobia era of the late 2010s at the 2025 LACMA Art + Film Gala held at LACMA on Nov. 1, 2025 in Los Angeles, Calif.
Gilbert Flores
Reddit has already noticed. The top comment under a post of the look reads, “This is gorgeous but please tell me I’m not the only one getting flashbacks to the trypophobia era,” while another added, “My brain is itchy and yet I cannot stop staring.” TikTok hasn’t escalated into full slideshow edits yet, but give it 24 hours.
So yes, the dress is couture. Yes, it’s art. And yes, if you spent 2017 scrolling past photos of lotus pods like they were psychological landmines, your nervous system probably recognized this gown before your eyes did. Consider it a beautiful reminder that even in 2025, the internet never really forgets — it just waits for a red carpet moment to bring the bit back.
And for those of you curious what all the other celebrities wore to the gala, you’re in luck — not everyone showed up in a look capable of triggering a dormant fear of clustered holes. Head to our full red carpet gallery to see every outfit from the 2025 LACMA Art + Film Gala — trypophobia-safe (mostly).
Click here to see the rest of the celebrity looks from the 2025 LACMA Art + Film Gala.