Lily James led the red-carpet arrivals at the London premiere of Swiped on Thursday, wearing a figure-hugging black satin gown as she continued promotion of the Disney+ biopic about dating-app entrepreneur Whitney Wolfe Herd.
The 36-year-old actress, who portrays Wolfe Herd — founder and former CEO of Bumble and an early co-founder of Tinder — stepped out at the Curzon cinema ahead of the film’s U.K. and U.S. release on Sept. 19. Swiped dramatizes the campaign Wolfe Herd ran at Tinder after encountering misogynistic behaviour on the app and her subsequent decision to launch Bumble, where women can make the first move.
James’s gown featured a structured satin silhouette, a sweetheart neckline and ruffled detailing down the front, and trailed along the floor. She kept accessories minimal, pairing the dress with a gold necklace linked to a chunky chain and black platform heels.
The premiere drew a number of celebrities and figures from British media and fashion. Poppy Delevingne arrived in a blue jumper paired with grey flared trousers and a black double-breasted coat. Model and presenter Laura Bailey chose a white dress layered with a black jacket and platform heels. Former news presenter Emily Maitlis wore a floor-length sparkly dress with padded shoulders.
Other attendees included Rio Fredrika in a green knitted jumper and leather trousers with a lime-green handbag; Rachel Lee in a black jumpsuit over a crisp white shirt with white leather boots; and broadcaster Tania Bryer in a pale pink two-piece suit with a black leather top. Actress Grace Tutty wore a black satin dress with a high split, Myha’la opted for flared jeans and a fitted black bustier top with pointed heels, and Norah Tash appeared in a structured red milkmaid-style dress.
James has been promoting Swiped in advance of its simultaneous U.K. and U.S. release. The film follows the arc of Wolfe Herd’s early career in tech and dating apps and chronicles the tensions and decisions that led to the launch of a women-led dating platform. Disney+ is distributing the biopic, and marketing has emphasized both the personal story of its subject and the broader cultural debates around online dating and gender dynamics.
At the Curzon premiere, guests mixed red-carpet glamour with more casual looks, reflecting a range of personal styles. James’s appearance capped a series of promotional events for the film in recent weeks, during which she and the production team have discussed the research and preparation that informed the portrayal of Wolfe Herd.
Swiped will be available on Disney+ beginning Sept. 19 in the United Kingdom and the United States.