Few celebrities have reinvented their sartorial aesthetic as successfully as Sofia Richie Grainge. Then again, few celebrities have grown up in the public eye the way that the Los Angeles native has, with her fashion choices being documented through red carpet events and paparazzi photos since her early teens. As the youngest daughter of musician Lionel Richie, Richie Grainge got an early start appearing at red carpet events, posing alongside her father as well as her older sister, Nicole Richie, before she was even 10 years old. But by her teenage years, she began to carve out a path of her own, one that was very much centered around the fashion world. What began as modeling work, with features in publications like Teen Vogue and Nylon, quickly grew to include various fashion weeks—first as a guest, then as a model for fashion houses including Chanel and Dolce & Gabbana.
Off the runway, Richie Grainge’s fashion choices have mirrored the It girl style of the times, relying heavily on athleisure pieces like crop tops and joggers for her everyday wear, and cut-out dresses or embellished designs for red carpet events. But Richie Grainge embarked on a major style rebrand in her early twenties, when she teamed up with stylist Liat Baruch, and she began to define the “quiet luxury” trend as we now know it.
“People have seen my evolution of just different stages I was in in life,” Richie Grainge, who was recently named a brand ambassador for David Yurman, told Vogue of being in the spotlight from a young age. “I’m really proud of where I am now because I’m expressing myself through my clothing.” That expression has focused on a more polished style, with oversized sportswear largely being replaced with tailored trousers and classic dresses. The driving force behind all of her recent style choices is a “timeless” aesthetic, as she told Who What Wear. Richie Grainge’s style evolution was on full display at her 2023 fairytale wedding to music executive Elliot Grainge, which took place at the iconic Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in the South of France and immediately went viral.
From custom Chanel to her more casual classic denim and crisp button-downs, Richie Grainge is the ultimate example of how to elevate your look—and ahead, we’ve retraced the fashion moments that led her there.
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2008, ASCAP Pop Awards
Unsurprisingly, Richie Grainge made her red carpet debut accompanying her father and sister to a Los Angeles award ceremony, where Lionel Richie was honored for his musical contributions.
2014, ‘Nylon’ Young Hollywood Party
A few years later, Richie Grainge began to venture into modeling, attending an event for Nylon magazine in a pair of black skinny jeans paired with a fitted crop top and a leather jacket, which she casually draped over her shoulders.
2014, Michael Kors Event
Towards the end of the year, Richie Grainge went platinum blonde, unveiling the lighter hair color with a more sophisticated white suit.
2015, Diane Von Furstenberg Show
In 2015, Richie Grainge was a guest at every major New York Fashion Week show, from Tommy Hilfiger to Marc Jacobs and Jeremy Scott. To attend the Diane von Furstenberg show (where she sat front row with Furstenberg’s granddaughter, Talita von Furstenberg), Richie Grainge wore a black and white gingham set that she styled with a cropped, long-sleeved top and white-blonde hair, accented with braids.
2016, Met Gala
Richie Grainge attended her first Met Gala with Stella McCartney in 2015, but her 2016 look—a metallic Topshop gown—really helped to get her noticed. The bespoke design was a mix of shimmering gold, copper and silver colors, which created a leopard print that the model paired with a complementary metallic smoky eye.
2016, InStyle Awards
While attending the InStyle Awards with Jeremy Scott in 2016, Richie Grainge wore a custom floral-embroidered wrap dress from the designer’s 2017 resort collection for Moschino. The minidress featured a plunging neckline, and Richie Grainge kept the accessories to a minimum, with strappy black heels, a dainty cross necklace and stacks of rings.
2016, Chanel Show
Richie Grainge’s long-standing relationship with Chanel began when she was still a teenager, and then-creative director Karl Lagerfeld cast her in his Métiers d’Art show in Paris. Though it wasn’t her runway debut (she walked in Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 4 showcase a few months earlier), it marked a turning point in her modeling career.
2017, Dolce & Gabbana Show
From Paris, Richie Grainge headed to Milan, where she kicked off the new year with another runway first: walking in Dolce & Gabbana’s fall 2017 men’s collection.
2017, Topshop Unique Show
After a busy New York Fashion Week that included sitting front row at Jeremy Scott and walking in Philipp Plein, Richie Grainge made her way to London, where she attended a show for Topshop in sporty camouflage pants, a sheer blue top and a black vinyl trench coat.
2017, amfAR Gala
In one of her more glamorous early red carpet moments, Richie Grainge was spotted in Cannes wearing a tulle gown by Alberta Ferretti. The entirely sheer design included beaded embroidery and feather detailing, with the model carrying a yellow crocodile handbag to break up the otherwise all-black ensemble.
2017, In Los Angeles
Before her quiet luxury days, Richie Grainge was all about athleisure. In a prime example of her model-off-duty style, she paired a sweatshirt and sneakers with Adidas track pants. Earlier in 2017, the model starred in a campaign with the activewear brand.
2017, ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ Icons Event
For the Harper’s Bazaar Icons party, Richie Grainge embraced the naked dress trend in a black knitted Julien Macdonald design, paired with red sandals and oversized hoop earrings.
2017, Oscar de la Renta Show
A taste of the quiet luxury to come, Richie Grainge attended the Oscar de la Renta show in New York City in a tonal look that included belted khaki trousers, a leopard print coat and a white blouse with oversized drawstring detailing at the collar.
2017, Bulgari Event
Richie Grainge drew inspiration from Old Hollywood, specifically referencing Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with this strapless pink Giorgio Armani gown. As it was an event celebrating the Bulgari Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York City, the model accessorized with the jeweler’s classic diamond Serpenti necklace, as well as a matching cuff bracelet and diamond earrings.
2018, Elton John AIDS Foundation Event
Now embracing a darker hair color, Richie Grainge attended the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party with her father. While she chose another strapless Giorgio Armani number, this time, the model’s vintage design featured mixed patterns of silver sequin embroidery. Once again, she turned to Bulgari for her jewelry, opting for a different Serpenti diamond necklace design (and the matching earrings), which included emerald details.
2018, Carolina Herrera Show
In September of 2018, Richie Grainge was back in New York City to make the fashion week rounds. While she attended some of her longtime favorites like Oscar de la Renta and Michael Kors, it was the model’s red pantsuit at Carolina Herrera that proved to be the most noteworthy. The colorful look included a sheer blue blouse with a plunging neckline, and a matching circular red bag by Mazook that was covered in Swarovski crystals and feathers.
2019, 21st Birthday Party
While celebrating her 21st birthday in Las Vegas, Richie Grainge wore a slim-fitting pink jumpsuit that was completely covered in crystals and paired with PVC mules and a waist-length braided hairstyle.
2019, Venice Film Festival
For the Venice Film Festival, Richie Grainge opted for a more sophisticated look, arriving in a tailored black suit from Please Don’t Buy by Twinset. Letting the jacket’s fringe detailing serve as the statement-making piece of the look, she accessorized with black Bottega Veneta Padded Mules, dainty jewelry, and a classic slicked-back low bun that was parted in the middle.
2021, In Los Angeles
By early 2021, Richie Grainge’s style transformation was firmly underway. She even made sweatpants look chic while out in Los Angeles, pairing her loungewear look with a tailored black coat and quilted Chanel backpack.
2022, Elton John AIDS Foundation Event
Shortly before their engagement, Richie and Elliot Grainge attended the annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards viewing party in coordinated black ensembles. For Richie Grainge, that meant a sleek Tom Ford column dress, which was accessorized minimally with a vintage pouch bag and simple jewelry.
2022, in Los Angeles
The official It girl of the quiet luxury trend, Richie Grainge was spotted in Los Angeles in a casual look that was perfectly curated to include a cream-colored sweater tied over her shoulders and a Chanel bag in hand.
2022, Michael Kors Show
Richie Grainge and Michael Kors go back to her teen years, when she starred in the brand’s 2016 holiday campaign. These days, she sits front row, and attended the spring 2023 presentation in a camel blazer from the fall 2022 collection, which she paired with a matching belt over a dark brown dress.
2022, In New York City
Richie Grainge has described her current style as “timeless,” and that’s exactly what was reflected in this classic ensemble, which included belted blue jeans, a white button-down and a Chanel bag and heels.
2023, At Chanel
Before heading to her wedding dress fitting at the Chanel atelier in Paris, Richie Grainge and her sister Nicole Richie attended the fashion house’s womenswear show in head-to-toe Chanel. While Nicole wore a jumpsuit, her younger sister chose a blue and gray plaid minidress. The long-sleeved design featured ornate buttons and a black ruched Chanel belt, which was styled with a box bag and patent Mary Janes with a sparkly mesh overlay.
2023, Chanel Resort Show
Post-wedding, the new Mr. and Mrs. Grainge attended the show for Chanel’s resort collection, which was held in Los Angeles. Naturally, Richie Grainge wore Chanel for the occasion, opting for a cream set from the 2023 spring collection. While the silk shorts were quite simple, Richie Grainge’s tweed jacket featured pastel feathers at the front. She also accessorized with Chanel, pairing the look with a crystal-encrusted Mini Flap Bag in bright pink hues and a pair of ivory and black slingbacks that the newlywed wore pre-France festivities during her private wedding ceremony in the US.
