Oscars red carpet: Best dressed at 2023 Academy Awards

By Valli Herman, Maane Khatchatourian

Photography by

March 12, 2023 2:08 PM PT

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Judging from the arrivals at the 95th Academy Awards in Hollywood, the days of playing it safe on the red carpet are history — and so too is the redness of the carpet. Stars embraced the maximalist themes that have been coursing through high-fashion houses, bringing vivid color, rich embellishment and a touch of fantasy to a pathway now carpeted in a faint beige called champagne. (This could be the launch of a sarcastic hashtag called #OscarsSoBeige.)

Yet some of the nominees continued to channel the themes and characters of their recent films, turning their formalwear into a glamorous extension of their movie wardrobes. Throughout awards season and even now, a bit of surrealism touches the attire of the nominees from “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” while Austin Butler of “Elvis” channels a bit of ’50s rock ’n’ roll. It’s easy to imagine conductor Lydia Tár in any of the pitch-perfect ensembles Cate Blanchett has been wearing, including her Oscar look, a vintage Louis Vuitton. Others are cleverly using the Oscars carpet as another kind of stage, where they can audition new characters, such as the sexy vixen, the sophisticate or the gender-bending glamster.

The Oscars red carpet has come to represent the culmination of a monthslong image campaign that is as much about the actors’ fashion aptitude as it is the nominated films.

Here are the highlights from the Oscars carpet:

Many of the gowns matched the pale color of the new champagne carpet, including Ana de Armas’ scoop-neck mermaid gown by Louis Vuitton with a skirt of embellished scalloped petals and Zoe Saldana’s delicate Fendi couture pale pink satin ’90s-inspired slip dress. Jessica Chastain channeled Old Hollywood in a custom Gucci silver crystal-encrusted gown.

White also made a big comeback. Michelle Yeoh looked heavenly with a Moussaieff diamond “halo” hair ornament and feather-fringed white Dior haute couture silk gown with a floor-sweeping train. Michelle Williams paired her signature pixie cut and red lipstick with a Chanel couture strapless silver and white column gown overlaid with a sheer chiffon wrap. Halle Berry also opted for white with giant bronze beaded floral trim at the neck and hip. Emily Blunt wore the evening’s simplest gown, a white strapless column with gauntlet sleeves by Valentino.

Stars also embraced vivid color. Sandra Oh from “Turning Red” turned the color wheel toward orange with her marigold-hued Giambattista Valli haute couture silk chiffon gown. Kerry Condon brought sunny yellow to the event with an asymmetrically wrapped, one-strap dress. Janelle Monáe went full solar flare in a Vera Wang haute couture vivid orange skirt with a black bustier. Stephanie Hsu’s hot pink strapless Valentino haute couture gown featured an enormous, full skirt.

Full-volume was another key trend, with oversize appliques, bows, skirts and trains, many paired with big gems for balance. There was a punk feel to Florence Pugh’s extra poufy, strapless gown with shorts by Valentino couture and a Tiffany & Co. choker. Fan Bingbing’s Tony Ward couture ensemble paired a sleek silver halter dress with an enormous emerald floor-sweeping wrap. Looking regal, Angela Bassett wore an off-shoulder royal purple gown with exaggerated bow neckline by Jeremy Scott for Moschino. Cara Delevingne’s deep red Elie Saab gown wrapped up into a huge bow at the shoulder.

Corsets and boning also were trending. Jamie Lee Curtis showed how to be elegant and a little avant-garde with her crystal-encrusted Dolce & Gabbana gown in the on-theme blush tone. The gown’s exterior boning created an inside-out corset. Similarly, Mindy Kaling’s custom Vera Wang white gown emphasized visible boning at the waist. Fresh from the recent Versace runway show in West Hollywood, Lady Gaga’s black gown did it best, though. The sheer bodice had corset-like boning and a ’50s inspired bullet bra top anchoring the voluminous skirt.

Several stars pulled from the archives, literally and figuratively. Blanchett’s custom Louis Vuitton sapphire blue velvet top and black satin skirt were never-worn items from the fashion house’s archive. Blanchett and others opted for power shoulders common to the ’40s and ’80s, including Ariana DeBose in a white Atelier Versace gown with Art Deco embellishment. Model Winnie Harlow’s pale yellow Giorgio Armani Privé dress is from the 2005 collection. But Nicole Kidman’s custom Giorgio Armani Privé black-sequinned gown brought the look forward with large floral appliques, one sleeve and one very sharp shoulder.

Men’s formalwear was refreshingly creative. In Saint Laurent, Lenny Kravitz skipped the shirt but served layers of chain necklaces on his bare chest, bringing rock ’n’ roll vibes to the event. Austin Butler’s Saint Laurent tuxedo offered a touch of vintage with the extra-sharp shoulders, skinny bow tie, wide lapels and pointy boots. Dwayne Johnson rocked a “ballet pink” satiny jacket with a pink corsage. And Steven Spielberg showed how a midnight blue tuxedo and sneakers, his by Gucci, keep the elders looking fresh.

The guys used embellishment well. Michael B. Jordan’s large lapel pins made a strong case for a new kind of men’s jewelry. Even better? The starburst buttons on Barry Keoghan’s lavender suit. The matching embroidery on Brian Tyree Henry’s white tuxedo shirt and lapels offered new options, as did director Daniel Kwan’s red tuxedo with gold embroidered sleeves.

With an historic number of Asian nominees, several paid homage to their roots. First-time nominee Hong Chau worked with Prada to develop the pink sleeveless dress with a Mandarin collar that she asked the house to add to acknowledge her heritage. The train of black feather-like paillettes elevated the look to luxe. Harry Shum Jr. wore a navy-edged white tuxedo with an obi-sashed waist for an East-West feel. The carpet looked regal, as well as global.