The 98th Academy Awards, AKA “The Oscars,” took place in Hollywood earlier this month. Not only is this event the biggest night of the year for film, but it is also one of the biggest nights of the year for fashion. Some of the most talked about aspects of the night are the red carpet looks sported by our favorite stars. Although this event started in 1929, the Oscars red carpet did not actually exist until 1961. It was initially used only to chauffer the guests into the building. However, it became the regular start to the night’s broadcast just three years later in 1964 after the public started putting as much focus to the red carpet as the awards themselves.
Now, the red carpet is one of the most talked about aspects of the night. Let’s discuss the fashion of this year’s Oscars red carpet 62 years into the televised pre-awards ceremony.
Who Are They Wearing?
Red carpets have become a sort of marketing tactic for brands, with some celebrities getting paid to wear a certain brand. Many of these stars are bound by contracts with the brands that require them to wear haute couture looks from the fashion house. The strategy of implementing runway looks on the red carpet was popularized with a look from Nicole Kidman in 1997. Kidman is now a brand ambassador for Chanel, and she was photographed at this year’s Oscars wearing a custom gown by Matthieu Blazy. Other stars spotted in Chanel this year include Best Actress winner Jessie Buckley and Best Supporting Actress nominee Teyana Taylor.
Other brands that dressed in the stars this year included a lot of Dior and Louis Vuitton, the usual suspects for a red carpet. A few of these brands pulled some pieces from the archives for this year’s red carpet, with Miyako Bellizzi seen in a Spring-Summer 1999 look from Dior and Amelia Dimoldenberg in vintage Ralph Lauren.
The Trends
What is being worn on the red carpet can reflect the fashion culture we’re currently in. Based on what I saw, we seem to be leaning more towards muted colors and tones. Although some dresses spotted on Oscar’s night were very bright, I saw a lot of black and white gowns, along with some muted pinks. My favorite black dress of the night definitely is from Rose Byrne in Dior, with a special shoutout to Anne Hathaway’s black Valentino dress with pink flowers.
What are stars opting for instead of vibrant colors? Textures. Feathers were definitely a hit on this night, particularly among the Chanel wearers, and Demi Moore with a Gucci gown resembling peacock feathers with a green sheen. Floral 3D accents to dresses were also seen with people like Auli’l Cravalho and Mia Goth, both in similar off-white gowns.
Another texture trend this year was glitter/sequins. Notable glittery dresses include mother-daughter duo Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn in custom Armani and a black dress with a sparkly neckline, as well Best Supporting Actress nominee Wunmi Mosaku in a green, hand-embroidered Louis Vuitton dress (although I will say I preferred her Vanity Fair Oscar Party look more.)
Best Dressed
Everyone always has their own opinion for the best dressed of the night, and I want to highlight mine. I have two different picks for this because I love both looks for different reasons.
- Elle Fanning: This look reminded me of a ballerina, with the soft colors of her makeup mixed with the swept back low bun. Fanning’s dress, Givenchy by Sarah Burton, is breathtaking to me. She also paired this look with a vintage Cartier necklace from 1903. This look is timeless and will be talked about for a while.
2. Chase Infiniti: Somewhat considered the diamond of this year’s award season, newly appointed Louis Vuitton House Ambassador Chase Infiniti wore a stunning lavender gown. As a purple girl myself, I gasped seeing this dress on the carpet. It felt so unique compared to everything else we saw, and she definitely left a lasting impression to close out the awards season.