The ultimate honor during awards season is to take home a statue. But the glut of ceremonies and related events between January and March has long offered celebrities another way to distinguish themselves: by their clothing choices.
For A-listers, red carpets are as much a venue for self expression as they are an arena for landing brand deals, invitations to fashion weeks and the covers of not-yet-extinct print magazines. For viewers, they can offer a peek at the trends of tomorrow. And for many people, whether they are walking or watching, red carpets are also just a lot of fun.
The eight stars on this list seemed to have a firm grasp of all of those points, based on the ways they navigated the many red carpets that they graced. Some used the carpets to play muse to particular designers, while others used them to challenge beauty stigmas. All, needless to say, turned countless heads while doing it.
Zoe Saldaña
The “Emilia Pérez” actress, who won an Oscar on Sunday, has worked with stylist Petra Flannery. Lately she has worn sculptural creations by Saint Laurent, whose top designer, Anthony Vaccarello, was an “Emilia Pérez” producer.
Demi Moore
Intricate detailing characterized many gowns worn by the “Substance” star, who won best actress awards at the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Awards and the SAG Awards. Moore, who has worked with stylist Brad Goreski, also carries an occasional fluffy accessory: her dog, Pilaf.
Timothée Chalamet
Some ensembles worn by Chalamet, who has worked with stylist Taylor McNeill, were said to take inspiration from those of Dylan. (Source: Reuters)
The “Complete Unknown” star, whose portrayal of Bob Dylan earned him a SAG Award, pushed the limits of men’s formal wear by wearing leathery suits and bright colors that would have fit right in at an Easter parade. Some ensembles worn by Chalamet, who has worked with stylist Taylor McNeill, were said to take inspiration from those of Dylan.
Cynthia Erivo
Story continues below this ad
High necklines, voluminous skirts and graphic pinstripes were among the ways that the “Wicked” actress imbued her red-carpet appearances with a sense of drama. The film’s sequel, “Wicked: For Good,” is coming out this fall, so fans won’t have to wait too long before Erivo, who has worked with stylist Jason Bolden, is at it again.
Colman Domingo
Almost every style risk that the “Sing Sing” actor took — a tie-waist tuxedo jacket, a capelike coat, a scarf tied into an oversize bow — yielded rewards for those watching him. No matter what he had on, Domingo, who has worked with stylists Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald, seemed to be feeling good.
Anna Sawai
The “Shogun” actress, who won Golden Globe and SAG Awards for best actress in a drama television series, bounced between blacks, whites and primary colors like red and blue. Many of the looks worn by Sawai, who has worked with stylist Karla Welch, had skirts that pooled elegantly around her feet and were constructed in ways that tastefully exposed skin.
Jeremy Strong
Wearing muted greens and browns was how the actor, a star of “The Apprentice,” often set himself apart from others in traditional penguin suits. On the occasions when he wore black, Strong, who has worked with stylist Warren Alfie Baker, sometimes differentiated himself by including statement pieces like overcoats.
Pamela Anderson
The actress, a star of “The Last Showgirl,” embodied the term “natural beauty” by choosing to wear little if any makeup for her many appearances. Adding to her aura of easygoing elegance were ensembles involving soft drapes and fabrics, many of which Anderson put together with help from her assistant, Jonathan Zeiler.
