Holmes and Posen were introduced in 2000 by their mutual manager, Jason Weinberg. “We bonded over french fries,” recalls Holmes. “Then, when he told me he loved to cook, our friendship took off.” Laughs Posen: “Yes, the real relationship is us making ravioli on Sunday with Katie and her girlfriends and mimosas. But then, of course, fashion came into play.”
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“When I first saw Katie and her rapport on a red carpet, I saw magic,” says the designer, 34. “Some people are born with star quality — she comes alive on the red carpet, and you feel this.” The pair were photographed by Miller Mobley on Sept. 9 at House of Z in New York City. On Holmes: Zac Posen.
“Color always works, but above all is fit — on the carpet, you see the garment at 360 degrees,” says Posen, who dressed six women at the Emmys, including variety sketch winner Amy Schumer. “It starts with draping fabric, having in mind the woman whom you are designing for. The shape gets reworked in my atelier, and from there, it’s about details. It’s a true collaboration with the celebrity.”
“She’s an icon,” says Wang of Balenciaga muse Kidman. “Both a fashion icon and an acting icon.” As Kidman tried on gowns for this photo, she said: “I can’t believe these gowns; they’re amazingly cut and detailed. They’re not like what anyone else designs.”
The pair were photographed by Miller Mobley on July 27 at Milk Studios in Hollywood. On Kidman: Custom Balenciaga.
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“Nicole brings poise and grace to everything she wears, even if it’s a T-shirt and jeans. She’s able to transform clothes and the way you perceive them. That’s true style,” says Wang, whose favorite films starring the Oscar winner are Eyes Wide Shut and Moulin Rouge! (“Her energy and sense of fun — it’s an over-the-top movie”).
“Even in the most glamorous dress, Blake still looks at ease — which I think is the trick to looking terrific,” says Kors about his muse. Responds Lively: “There is an effortlessness to the elegance of all of Michael’s clothes. His brand of glamour seems attainable. Everything he does is really warm and inviting, just like he is — very inviting.”
“The dress should make the woman feel like her best self,” says the 56-year-old designer of his rule for the red carpet. “You want it to fit well, complement her style and show off her personality all while looking glamorous and chic. And of course, it should look great from every angle.” The pair were photographed by Diego Uchitel on Sept. 12 at Michael Kors’ studio in New York City. On Lively: Michael Kors Collection.
Say Piccioli and Chiuri: “Gwyneth Paltrow is an actress that has inspired fashion quite a bit. We are also inspired by her memorable film characters — especially in Shakespeare in Love and The Royal Tenenbaums, which are definitely style references for us.” Photographed by Mary Rozzi on July 9 at Villa Aurelia in Rome. On Paltrow: Valentino.
Says Oscar de la Renta creative director Copping: “What I really admire about Ruth is that she doesn’t go the conventional route on the red carpet.” Notes Wilson: “I feel like I stand out in a way that is unusual and unique, but I still feel incredibly good on that red carpet, and you need that because red carpets are scary places to be." The duo were photographed by David Needleman on Aug. 18 at Oscar de la Renta in New York. On Wilson: Oscar de la Renta.
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“You know, we are both Brits, and I think there is something there. I just love Ruth’s personality, her sense of humor. I like the choices that she has made in her career, and she does make great choices for the red carpet. If it is Oscar de le Renta, that’s fantastic, but I have seen her in other brands looking stunning. For me, she always stands out,” says Copping of the Affair actress, whom he met on a Vogue shoot in 2012 and most recently outfitted for this year’s Met Ball.