The latest Oscars was a study of fairytale fashion from trailing gowns to glitterball embellishments
Brides-to-be will find plenty of fairytale fuelled fantasy on the champagne-coloured red carpet of the 95th Academy Awards.
The Oscars red carpet may have been switched out for a more minimalist champagne hue at the 95th Academy Awards, but that did not diminish the high-voltage fashion on show for film’s night of nights on Hollywood Boulevard. However, just like the newly nude carpet under foot, many of the biggest stars sought paler hues as ethereal whites and neutrals, embellished flesh and heavily encrusted metallic gowns afforded plenty of Old Hollywood glamour alongside endless inspiration for brides-to-be.
Case in point was best actress winner Michelle Yeoh, star of the seven-Oscar-winning film Everything Everywhere All at Once and the first Asian woman to win the category, who wore a feathered, white, museum-worthy Christian Dior couture confection. On receiving the award, Yeoh said: “Ladies, don’t let anyone tell you that you are past your prime.”
Yeoh’s co-star Jamie Lee Curtis also took home her first Oscar, for best supporting actress, after 45 years in the business. She wore an all-sequined Dolce & Gabbana gown, which she joked matched the new beige carpet perfectly.
The champagne chic continued with Zoe Saldana in blush-hued Fendi couture and vintage Cartier jewels; Ana de Armas in pearlescent Louis Vuitton; Michelle Williams’s Chanel couture creation that took 900 hours to complete; Sofia Carson’s nude Valentino; and Rooney Mara in a cream organza Alexander McQueen gown that had strong princess vibes. Perhaps the most modern look was the result of stylist Jessica Paster’s work with maison Valentino on a minimalist white column for presenter Emily Blunt.
And while still technically neutral in hue, metallic embellishments were another key and sometimes blinding trend. Close contenders for this year’s disco ball award included: Kate Hudson’s hand-beaded silver-and-white Rodarte gown, Malala Yousafzai’s glittering silver Ralph Lauren, Eva Longoria plunging geometric Zuhair Murad, and Jessica Chastain’s high-shine strapless Gucci.
At the other side of the spectrum, black was certainly back and made up some of the most elegant looks of the night, perhaps surfacing as a subtle nod to the recession dressing that dominated the European catwalks earlier this month. Jennifer Connelly scored high in the fashion stakes with her noir Louis Vuitton column, which was embellished at the clavicles, as did Elizabeth Olsen in a sequined, cowl-necked Givenchy number and Margot Robbie in off-the-shoulder Saint Laurent. Nicole Kidman in Armani Prive made a similarly strong case for black with her asymmetrical shoulder and rosette detailing.
The flower applique became its own mini trend, best seen on the lapel of Paul Mescal’s cream Gucci tuxedo jacket and perhaps less so on Halle Berry’s thigh-slit cream gown by Australian designer Tamara Ralph.
Also doing her bit for monotones, presenter Mindy Kaling arrived in a white version of her cut-out bodice Vera Wang dress before changing into a black iteration to present the best original score award. Then there was Lady Gaga’s black, boned Versace red-carpet look that had gone down the runway days earlier on Gigi Hadid. However, when it came time to perform her hit from Top Gun: Maverick, Gaga reappeared virtually makeup-free in a black tee, ripped jeans and sneakers.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who presented the best costume design award, looked peak chic in a plunging black jewel-studded Lanvin column about which she jested: “It’s from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 1989” – a nod to the season’s growing “green” carpet challenge.
Best actress nominee Cate Blanchett was only too keen to oblige after championing archival looks throughout the awards season, and she did not disappoint with a two-piece Tar-esque vintage Louis Vuitton teal top and skirt cut from sustainable silk. Winnie Harlow and Vanessa Hudgens also mined the archives in Armani from 2005 and black-and-white vintage Chanel respectively. That said, it wasn’t as massive a year for recycled looks as many would have hoped.
Breaking up all the monochrome was a fashion red alert. Cue presenter Salma Hayek’s fiery fringed Gucci number, to Yulia Navalnaya, wife of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, whose message of resistance shone brightly in siren red Chloe. Then there was Cara Delevingne, fresh off the April cover of US Vogue, in a fire-engine red trailing Elie Saab gown and glittering Bulgari Serpenti jewels.
Trains provided plenty of extra drama, and almost a slip for Elizabeth Banks who nearly took a tumble on hers when walking onto the stage with Cocaine Bear, while a pregnant Rihanna donned a body-skimming Alaia gown complete with a glossy train. And given the number of big ball gowns, slick up-dos were the dominant hair trend, while this year also afforded a big moment for jewellery courtesy of those plunging and asymmetrical necklines. Even Baz Luhrmann sported a serious neckpiece.
As for the men, there was plenty of personality on show. Lenny Kravitz went his own way and embraced the deep-V trend with an open satin Saint Laurent shirt sans jacket, while presenter Riz Ahmed ditched the traditional bow tie and instead opted for a 1970s pointed collar under his Prada suit.
The more conventional way to add extra punch was via a custom tuxedo jacket: Samuel L. Jackson went beige with a matching bow tie, The Rock pastel peach satin, just as Oscar winner for best live action short film James Martin went even louder in leopard.
And while the fashion police largely has been disbanded in the name of inclusivity, those who may have missed the mark in the style stakes included Tems’s frothy organza hooded Lever Couture look, which blocked the view of those seated behind, while Kaling’s cutaway dress seemed more at home at the Grammys than the Oscars – ditto for Janelle Monae’s Vera Wang two-piece that served up cleavage and tummy cut-outs, a rare combination at the Oscars.
