Less than an hour into arrivals at Sunday’s 94th Academy Awards, it was clear that red would be the color trend of the night, with Rosie Perez (in Christian Siriano), Kirsten Dunst (in vintage Christian Lacroix), Marlee Matlin (in Monique Lhuillier), Jennifer Garner (in Brandon Maxwell) and Ariana DeBose (in Valentino) among the actresses turning up in crimson hues.
And why not? These powerful women looked superb in the color that communicates strength on a night when the industry’s biggest awards event embraced diversity, inclusion and popularity in equal measure.
Aside from the color that dominated the carpet — pink was also a trend — the night’s fashion offered a little bit of everything, from the structure and drama of old-Hollywood glamour to the glimmer of metallic dresses and looks that veered from the traditional, with two of the night’s nominees saying “no, thanks” to the idea of a gown altogether.
Related Stories
Who stood out among the night’s abundance of stylish women on the red carpet? Here are 15 looks that set social media ablaze.
Jessica Chastain in Gucci
Among the earlier arrivals, the best actress winner for The Eyes of Tammy Faye set Twitter buzzing over her glimmering Gucci gown, which featured a beautifully fitted halter bodice in ombré-effect bronze sequins above a lilac-hued skirt with a lush, ruffled hem. From the color combination to the gown’s beautiful movement, the dress by Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele felt unexpected and inspired.
Lupita Nyong’o in Prada
It can’t be eight years since Lupita Nyong’o won her Oscar for 12 Years a Slave, can it? But yes, that moment was indeed that many years ago, which is why her appearance reminded viewers how flawlessly she continues to command red carpets. Nyong’o attended as a presenter Sunday evening in a custom Prada gown crafted of burnished yellow three-dimensional sequins, embellished with amethyst and topaz crystals. The actress finished the look with De Beers high jewelry that showcased vivid orange, yellow and pink fancy color diamonds.
Nicole Kidman in Giorgio Armani Privé
The Being the Ricardos nominee exuded old-Hollywood glamour in a Giorgio Armani Privé custom strapless column gown of light blue silk faille with a voluminous peplum that tied in an exaggerated bow and a train embellished with gold crystals. Kidman paired the look with diamonds by Harry Winston, including the house’s Eagle Yellow diamond necklace totaling 33.43 carats and set in 18-karat yellow gold and platinum.
Ariana DeBose in Valentino
The night’s best supporting actress winner wowed social media with her nontraditional take on a gown-meets-tuxedo, courtesy of Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli. In the Italian house’s signature shade of red, DeBose capped a stellar awards season in a design she said perfectly expressed her personality. More than 80 carats of De Beers diamonds and a diamond-embellished Omega watch completed her look. “She said, ‘I don’t want to be a princess; I want to be a queen,’” one of DeBose’s stylists, Zadrian Smith, told The Hollywood Reporter before the show.
Zendaya in Valentino
If you remember Sharon Stone’s 1998 Academy Awards ensemble, a crisp white shirt paired with a satin floor-length skirt, the look surely leaped to mind when Zendaya appeared on the Oscars red carpet, wearing a wholly modern update of that iconic red carpet moment. Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli crafted a cropped white collared shirt and a silver sequined skirt with train. High jewelry from Bulgari’s iconic Serpenti collection finished the look.
Mila Kunis in Zuhair Murad Couture
Born in Ukraine in 1991, Mila Kunis was on hand to introduce a best song nominee, Dianne Warren’s “Somehow You Do” from Four Good Days (in which Kunis co-stars alongside Glenn Close), but her remarks showed her heart is very much with her native country: “One cannot help but be in awe of those who find strength to keep fighting through imaginative darkness.” Kunis, looking elegant in a blush-toned gown by Zuhair Murad Couture, created one of the night’s most memorable moments.
Regina Hall in Vera Wang Haute
The Oscars co-host enjoyed success both onstage and off Sunday night, excelling in both comedy and style. Her first look of the night was also her best, a sandstone silk-chiffon draped Vera Wang Haute gown with a plunging neckline, floor-length sleeves, center front slit, and exposed corset, paired with chocolate and white diamonds set in rose gold by Pomellato. Amid all the bright colors Sunday night, Hall’s neutral gown exuded standout style.
Aunjanue Ellis in Atelier Versace
The King Richard co-star and best supporting actress nominee looked lovely in an Atelier Versace tangerine-hued organza corset gown with beautiful draping that reportedly took 1,300 hours to complete. One-of-a-kind jewels by L.A.-based designer Irene Neuwirth, set with gemstones that included beryl, aquamarine, topaz, tourmalines and fire opals, proved a perfect match with her sumptuous gown.
Marlee Matlin in Monique Lhuillier
The CODA star looked sleek and stunning in a custom long-sleeve gown of scarlet-red silk, accented with an artfully draped skirt, by L.A.-based Monique Lhuillier. She paired the dress with estate jewels courtesy of New York-based Briony Raymond that included an early 1980s Harry Winston necklace and earrings suite crafted of lapis lazuli and diamonds and a 1950s sapphire and diamond ring by Van Cleef & Arpels.
Lily James in Atelier Versace
The Pam & Tommy star looked simply scintillating in an Atelier Versace gown crafted of rosewater-hued silk georgette accented with delicate ruffles, Chantilly lace and micro embroidery. An example of how fit, cut and color work together perfectly to create a showstopping moment.
Caitriona Balfe in Louis Vuitton
A ruffled peplum that extended into a train defined Balfe’s custom Louis Vuitton gown in ivory silk cady and taffeta, finished with silver straps embroidered with sequins and paillettes. The Belfast co-star continued her streak of wearing Van Cleef & Arpels jewels this awards season, choosing pieces on Sunday evening that included a 1957 diamond Heritage necklace from the house’s archives.
Jada Pinkett Smith in Jean Paul Gaultier
While drama ensued between Will Smith and Chris Rock during the ceremony, Pinkett Smith won the contest for most dramatic gown on the red carpet in a spectacular emerald-hued look by Jean Paul Gaultier, crafted of a scuba-like bodice over a lush, gathered train. She paired the look with platform shoes in the same shade by Jimmy Choo.
Saniyya Sidney in Giorgio Armani Privé
The King Richard actress exuded a sweet elegance in a strapless A-line Giorgio Armani Privé gown of seafoam-toned silk, embellished in a floral motif of multicolored paillettes and crystals. She paired the look with diamond earrings by New York-based Cicada Jewelry and Jimmy Choo shoes.
H.E.R. in Carolina Herrera
Making one of the evening’s most spectacular color choices, H.E.R. appeared to present alongside Daniel Kaluuya, who likewise opted for a bright, bold shade. The R&B singer’s chartreuse strapless minidress with an extended train, from Wes Gordon’s Pre-Fall 2022 collection for Carolina Herrera, not only was a nontraditional, inspired choice, but also created one of Sunday’s best color pairings next to Kaluuya’s peacock-blue satin tuxedo by Gucci.
Sofia Carson in Giambattista Valli Haute Couture
Every awards show red carpet needs a sublime princess silhouette, and Carson easily took that prize Sunday evening in a draped, one-shoulder tulle top and voluminous tulle skirt from Giambattista Valli’s Fall/Winter 2021 haute couture collection. The idea of “princess” can easily veer into precious, but that wasn’t the case with Carson’s look, which was equal parts sweet, elegant and, with the sheer treatment of the top, a bit seductive.
