Located in the heart of Hollywood, the Dolby Theatre rolled out the red carpet last night to celebrate the biggest night in film, the 96th Annual Academy Awards. Before the winners were announced, speeches read and bows taken, hopeful nominees walked their final red carpet of awards season showcasing their best evening attire.
While the Oscars is a night celebrating all things film it has been coined by some as “fashion’s most important runway” with a standout outfit having the ability to garner as much press as winning one of the coveted trophies. It is also a big night for designers, giving them an opportunity to showcase their work to an international audience which can garner them significant commercial success. Over the years the Academy Awards has cemented itself as a spectacle of grandeur within the fashion community. It is a night renowned for its gorgeous gowns, dazzling dresses and sleek, sophisticated suits as much as it is an evening to commemorate the best that Hollywood has to offer.
One could not help but notice the dominating themes among attendees’ outfits with many of the women choosing to go with simple yet elegant form fitting dresses, or conversely, choosing flowy yet forgettable and outdated frocks. There were also a number of mesmerising metallic looks worn on the red carpet. The influence of designer’s archives was clear with many older works being reimagined with modern twists. We also seem to be living through a peplum resurgence. Many of the outfits could have been amplified tenfold by the simple inclusion of a necklace or jewellery of some sort. A beautiful gown does not negate the importance of accessorising. Unsurprisingly, most men choose to be a member of the predictable black tux brigade, although the high rise pants were embraced, we’re looking at you Cillian.
After the lacklustre champagne coloured carpet of last year’s awards, the 2024 Oscars saw a return to the traditional and timeless red carpet. With all eyes on Hollywood last night here are some of the most interesting looks from the evening.
And the Oscar for best dressed goes to….
Anya Taylor-Joy
Adoring a Dior dress, Taylor-Joy dazzled on the red carpet. The custom Dior piece was a take on Christian Dior’s ‘Junon’ dress from his 1949 Fall collection. Much like its predecessor, Taylor-Joy’s look was heavily embellished but with a less voluminous silhouette.Her grey smokey eye and simple silver jewellery gave the look an overall sense of cohesion making it one of the night’s most elegant looks.
Greta Lee
Making her Oscars debut last night the ever stylish Lee graced the red carpet dressed in a black and white number from Loewe’s Fall 2024 collection. The gown is not something I believe just anyone could pull off, however Lee did so with ease. The chic styling of the look saw Lee wearing enchanting diamond studded Tiffany & Co. earrings, an eye-catching Tiffany Archives bracelet and a gorgeous green tourmaline ring.
Back in Black..
Sandra Hüller
Despite not taking home the award for best actress Hüller stunned in this custom Schiaparelli. The sharp structure of the gown is unforgettable. The wearing of a necklace did not go unnoticed by me and it’s simple nature effectively assists in accentuating the bold contour of the dresses neckline.
Laverne Cox
Wearing a dress from Thierry Mugler’s Spring 1985 collection Cox had people captivated.
Her gold eye look only served to complement the look’s overall cohesiveness. This insane archival pull is enough to warrant it as a memorable fashion moment.
Mesmerising Metallics
America Ferrera
In a clear nod to her role in Barbie, Ferrera stunned in a custom pink Versace gown. This chainmail look took over 400 hours to complete and it shows! The perfect tailoring of the dress effortlessly elevated this look making both it and her a memorable moment from last night’s red carpet indeed.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph
Dawning custom Louis Vuitton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph looked effortlessly elegant. Going onto win best supporting actress for her role in The Holdovers is what will make last night memorable for Randolph however this periwinkle dress saw her exuding elegance and glamour. This was only amplified by her sleek styled hair which was evocative of old Hollywood glitz and glam.
Menswear aka the return of the black tux
My usual low expectations for men’s red carpet attire were once again met last night. It’s not only the repetitive nature of black tuxes but rather the often poor tailoring visible on them. This aside, there were one or two men who deferred from the status quo.
Reece Feldman
Wearing Saint Laurent Spring 2024 menswear and styled by LA based stylist Tabitha Sanchez, Feldman’s red carpet look came as a pleasant surprise and a much needed break from the tuxedo tornado. It goes to show there are options available for men other than the familiar tux if so chosen.
Colman Domingo
Known as “the best-dressed man in Hollywood” Domingo clearly cemented this title on last night’s red carpet. Tackling each red carpet with ease, this award season he once again oozed confidence dressed in a double breasted black Louis Vuitton suit adorned with intricate buttoning. His look also had a western twinge as he flashed a pair of red and black steel toe cowboy boots. Domingo, ever the maximalist, was also decked out in an array of sleek silver jewellery including a ring which belonged to civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who he portrayed in his Oscar nominated role in Rustin.
Raised Straps Raise Eyebrows.
It would not be possible for me to discuss last night’s red carpet without addressing the raised straps visible on both Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh. At first, when I saw Blunt in particular, I thought her dress was not fitted properly but after taking to Twitter to discover that no, it was meant to look like that. Blunt’s cream-coloured Schiaparelli gown paired with Tiffany jewellery made little impression on me.
Where Blunts look left me perplexed, Pughs Del Core’s Spring 2024 look left me charmed. The specular silver details on the sheer corset of the dress gave the appearance of water beads. The tasteful peplum detail on the corsets hem gave a fuller shape to the dress amplifying the overall look. The silver Bulgari jewellery really solidified the look as one of the night’s most breathtaking, specifically the Serpenti diamond necklace.
With awards season coming to an end last night there were certainly some memorable looks from the evening. Many attendees oozed sophistication in structured gowns and
prominent silhouettes that were elegant yet reserved and metal frocks dominated. A well made metallic moment goes a long way but with the resources available to both celebrities and their stylists I would love to see more risks taken on future red carpets.
WORDS: Aoibhínn Clancy
