THE Oscars has always been one of the world’s most watched and closely followed “fashion shows”, with scores of paparazzi covering the movie industry’s most glamorous night and events being followed live by an audience of millions worldwide.
It is no wonder that fashion designers meticulously plan for this gala event and go to great lengths to have their creations adorn the stars of the silver screen who will grace the red carpet.
Held at the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles, the red carpet entrance is quite possibly the ultimate display of glamour and glitz, with perhaps only the Cannes Film Festival able to rival it for stardust.
Building the anticipation, theSun provided a preview in last week’s fashion issue, predicting the expected fashion trends for the night.
The forecasts for menswear trends, such as a revival featuring brooches and jewel-toned elements, were fairly accurate, with stars like Cillian Murphy sporting gem brooches. Additionally, the projection of floor-length gowns expected to dominate for women was spot on.
These are some of the outstanding looks spotted at the 96th edition of the Academy Awards:
Margot Robbie took a break from Barbie’s pink
The anticipation was for Robbie to arrive in style as the 50th-anniversary SuperStar Barbie doll. The star, however, decided to go with a classy black ensemble, gracing the red carpet in a shimmering black Versace dress adorned with Fred Leighton jewellery.
While Robbie took a rare departure from Barbie-pink, her co-star America Ferrera injected a pop of colour into the metallic trend with a pink chainmail design by Atelier Versace. Ferrera completed the look with jewels by Pomellato.
This occurrence serves as a testament that Barbie fashion trends show no signs of abating. Other celebrities donning the pink dress trend include Ariana Grande, who seemingly paid homage to her role as the good witch in the upcoming movie Wicked with her pink Giambattista Valli haute couture gown featuring pillowy waist attachments and a trailing train.
Embracing elegance and sophisticated
The Oscars red carpet this year was a showcase of elegance and sophistication, with numerous celebrities adorned in stunning gowns. Among the best-dressed, Emma Stone stood out in a custom Louis Vuitton pale mint peplum gown designed by Nicolas Ghesquiere, later winning the Best Actress award for her role in Poor Things.
Da Vine Joy Randolph continued to bring dramatic looks to red carpets this awards season, donning a shimmering periwinkle dress with pom-pom sleeves and a long train. She went on to win the prize for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Holdovers.
In addition, Dune star Zendaya captivated everyone in her one-shoulder Giorgio Armani Privé gown. The luxurious antique rose silk featured an embroidered palm tree motif, beautifully complemented by the strapless bodice adorned with gunmetal paillettes. A Bulgari ambassador since 2020, Zendaya adorned the gown with pink-gold high jewelry from the Italian house.
Couples well-dressed
Certainly, couples embracing matching looks always grab attention and shine even more under the camera flashes. This year’s red carpet witnessed more synchronisation in design to celebrate partnership looks.
Emily Blunt and her husband John Krasinski showcased a coordinated cream look. The best supporting actress nominee wore a structured Schiaparelli gown with Superman-style underwear detailing.
Bradley Cooper, nominated for best actor for Maestro, opted for a classic appearance in a custom Louis Vuitton suit and Tambour watch. Accompanied by his mother Gloria Campano, who also wore a black outfit, they added extra flair with accessories such as brooches and stylish shades.
Men’s fashion
As highlighted in the previous issue, men’s fashion showcased avant-garde trends, including the revival of accessories like brooches and jewel-toned elements.
Colman Domingo, a standout style star, dazzled in a custom Louis Vuitton suit at the Oscars. The ensemble featured a black double-breasted jacket with gold crystal buttons, matching flared pants, a white shirt, and a black monogram bowtie adorned with a Louis Vuitton brooch. Domingo completed the look with gold-accented boots from Louis Vuitton and an Omega De Ville Prestige watch.
Simu Liu, known for his role as Ken 2 in Barbie, opted for a Fendi Men’s black tuxedo over a silver-black tank top with a diamond brooch by De Beers. He finished the ensemble with Christian Louboutin Alleo black patent-leather boots.
Ryan Gosling, donning Gucci, graced the red carpet in a custom single-breasted suit with black hand-embroidered jacket and shirt, metallic trim, matching trousers, and patent-leather shoes. Gosling later changed into a custom pink performance suit by Gucci for his electrifying I’m Just Ken performance, accompanied by legendary rock guitarist Slash.
Artists4Ceasefire brooches pin spotted
Brooches took centre stage as the standout accessory at the 2024 Oscars, with one particular pin standing out — the Artists4Ceasefire. This distinctive pin symbolises solidarity for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.
Billie Eilish, the winner for Best Original Song with What Was I Made For? from Barbie, graced the 96th Academy Awards in an elegant skirt suit ensemble, adorned with theArtists4Ceasefire pin.
Writer-director Ava DuVernay exuded regal elegance in a custom pale blue silk cady crepe gown by Louis Vuitton, featuring wide buckle-like leather straps highlighting her shoulders. DuVernay complemented her look with jewellery by Reza and proudly wore the Artists4Ceasefire pin.
Prominent celebrities, including Mark Ruffalo, Ramy Youssef, Riz Ahmed and Mahershala Ali also proudly sported the Artists4Ceasefire pin, making a powerful statement for peace on the prestigious Oscars red carpet.
