At the BAFTA Television Awards in London this May 2026, Marisa Abela chose a black Prada gown with an emerald collar necklace, and the contrast near the neckline changes everything.
That neckline needed restraint.
At the BAFTA Television Awards in London on May 10, 2026, Marisa Abela arrived on the red carpet in a custom black Prada gown cut close through the body with a sharp off-the-shoulder neckline. The dress itself stays extremely clean – no visible embellishment, no dramatic volume, no distracting texture. Which means every small detail suddenly matters more.
Notice the way the neckline sits slightly wide across the shoulders instead of pulling upward into a tighter Bardot shape. It keeps the upper half open enough for the emerald necklace to sit cleanly against the skin without crowding the dress. And the emerald piece – a vivid green pendant suspended on a slim dark cord – changes the entire mood of the look. Without it, this would’ve landed closer to classic awards-season minimalism.
The fit through the waist is also precise. The gown narrows through the middle before falling straight to the floor, giving the shape structure without looking stiff. Then there are the smaller accessories: the Omega watch, the engagement ring, the small hoop earrings. Nothing fights for attention.
One thing I kept coming back to: the fabric stays matte under the lights, which lets the jewelry hold all the contrast. A shinier finish would’ve weakened that balance fast.
And yes, Marisa Abela at the BAFTA awards clearly understood that the necklace had to be the headline piece.
Would you keep the emerald pendant with this gown, or strip the styling back even further?
The green stone is the entire pivot point of the look.
A restrained celebrity red carpet moment like this only works when every proportion is exact, and this one mostly is.
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