The purple carpet on the Academy Awards is normally thought-about hallowed floor. Not like the Grammys or the MTV Awards, and even the Golden Globes, it’s neither the time nor the place for humorous enterprise. The truth is, it’s typically, as Sofia Coppola just lately warned, too tasteful, too protected, and, sadly, too boring. However, in between the same old fishtail clothes and retro ballgowns, just a few fearless ladies typically dare to actually wow on the purple carpet. There was Nicole Kidman in 1997, for instance, spectacular in chartreuse by John Galliano for Dior. Then there was Marion Cotillard, redefining the that means of fishtail robes in Gaultier couture that truly appeared like fish scales. Sharon Stone as soon as turned a Hole button down into an influence assertion, and Lupita Nyong’o gave us princess dressing with out being predictable. As for sheer bravado there’s at all times Cher, perpetually clad in Bob Mackie and desirous to flout the conventions of “tasteful dressing.” Who is aware of what new, iconic clothes will seem on the upcoming Oscar’s purple carpet, however till then, listed below are the 45 most memorable appears from Academy Awards previous.
Rihanna arrived on the ninety fifth Academy Awards on March twelfth, 2023 carrying a sheer, latex halter high with an elongated prepare from Alaïa—however not for lengthy. The star and soon-to-be mom of two become a glittering Maison Margiela quantity to carry out her Oscar-nominated track “Raise Me Up” from the movie Black Panther: Wakanda Ceaselessly.
Nicole Kidman in Armani Privé
Nicole Kidman embodied purple carpet stylish on this sequined robe from Armani Privé—a glance that additionally featured one of many largest tendencies of the night time: rosettes.
Cate Blanchett in customized Louis Vuitton
…and a unique sort of purple carpet stylish from Cate Blanchett, who wore customized Louis Vuitton. The uneven velvet shirt comes from a never-before-seen archival LV assortment; the actress paired it with a jet black skirt constructed from sustainable silk.
A Sharon Stone reference? We like to see it. On the 2022 Academy Awards, Zendaya wore a satin cropped button-down and a sequined silver column skirt with a bustle prepare on the again harking back to Stone’s well-known Oscar ensemble from 1998—comprised of a Hole button down and a purple satin Vera Wang shirt.
Jessica Chastain in Gucci
Jessica Chastain clearly had Tammy Faye, the character she embodied for The Eyes of Tammy Faye (which, by the way, gained her the Greatest Actress Oscar) in thoughts when she wore a customized Gucci robe—which channeled Alessandro Michele’s imaginative and prescient for his spring 2022 assortment—to the 2022 Oscars.
Billie Eilish in customized Gucci.
Zendaya channeled Cher on this brilliant yellow Valentino costume on the 2021 Academy Awards.
Not solely is Portman’s Dior costume from the 2020 Oscars basic Maria Grazia Chiuri, however the added addition of the embroidered fringe of the overcoat, which options the names of snubbed feminine administrators, turned the look right into a feminist assertion.
Janelle Monae in Ralph Lauren
Monae wore Ralph Lauren to the 2020 Oscars—a hooded robe comprised of 168,000 Swarovski crystals that required 600 hours of hand embroidery to assemble.
Chan’s place within the purple carpet canon has solely gone up since she wore this bubble gum pink Valentino robe to the Academy Awards in 2019.
Woman Gaga in Alexander McQueen
In 2019, Gaga donned customized Alexander McQueen and a 128-carat diamond necklace by Tiffany & Co. that has solely been worn by three different folks, together with Beyoncé and Audrey Hepburn.
Jennifer Lopez in Tom Ford
Lopez managed to face out whereas sticking to her regular aesthetic on this disco ball-inspired Tom Ford column costume on the 2019 Academy Awards
Fonda proved herself to be a worthy member of the Balmain Military on the 2018 Academy Awards.
Rita Moreno in Pitoy Moreno
In 2018, Moreno walked the Oscars purple carpet in the identical black and gold robe she wore to the Oscars in 1962, when she took residence the award for Greatest Supporting Actress.
Cate Blanchett in Armani Privé
Blanchet surprised on this seafoam Armani Privé robe on the 2016 Academy Awards.
The Azzedine Alaïa costume—and gloves—Gaga wore to the 2015 Award ceremony impressed a thousand memes.
Zendaya in Vivienne Westwood
The Euphoria actress fielded unsavory commentary about her option to put on her hair in locs to the 2015 awards, the place she surprised in Vivienne Westwood.
Jennifer Lawrence in Dior
Lawrence’s Dior robe on the 2013 awards might be remembered for a lot of causes—it’s beautiful construction, sure, but additionally the foremost fall Lawrence took whereas strolling on stage in it to simply accept her award.
Lupita Nyong’o in Prada
The Us actress appeared like Cinderella in Prada on the 86th Annual Academy Awards in 2014.
Streep appeared jaw-dropping on this fantastically draped Lanvin costume on the 2012 Oscars.
Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford
On the 84th Annual Academy Awards, Paltrow wowed in a caped Tom Ford column robe.
Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace
Many have tried to recreate the leg second this costume allowed from Jolie on the 84th Annual Academy Awards in 2012, however to date, nobody has succeeded.
Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein
Lawrence may have gone large for her first Oscars in 2011, however as an alternative she mentioned a lot extra on this fantastically easy Calvin Klein costume.
Penelope Cruz in Atelier Versace
The actress selected an Atelier Versace robe for the 79th Annual Academy Awards in 2007.
Marion Cotillard in Jean Paul Gaultier Couture
Cotillard surprised on the eightieth Annual Academy Awards in 2008 carrying Jean Paul Gaultier couture.
Nicole Kidman in Balenciaga
Kidman’s Balenciaga robe with a bow element in the back of the neck from the 2007 Oscars proves stars shouldn’t be afraid to put on purple on the carpet.
Reese Witherspoon in Classic Christian Dior
It’s not typically stars put on classic to large occasions just like the Academy Awards, however Witherspoon’s danger paid off when she selected this stunning embellished robe for the awards in 2006.
Hilary Swank in Man Laroche
The true magic of this Man Laroche costume comes from the whole open again, which Swank confirmed off on the 77th Annual Academy Awards in 2005.
Diane Keaton in Ralph Lauren
Nobody has private fashion fairly like Keaton, as she proved on this three-piece menswear-inspired go well with with a bowler hat on the 76th Annual Academy Awards.
Jennifer Lopez in Valentino
Lopez wore this one-shoulder mint inexperienced costume to the seventy fifth Annual Academy Awards in 2003.
To gather her Greatest Actress award—as the primary Black girl ever to take action—Berry wore a sheer Elie Saab robe on the 74th Annual Academy Awards in 2002.
Julia Roberts in Valentino
We all know. We are able to’t consider it’s taken this lengthy into the gallery to get to Julia Roberts carrying Valentino on the 2001 Oscars, both.
To essentially drive the purpose residence on the 2001 Oscars, Björk mimicked giving delivery to an egg on the purple carpet carrying this unforgettable Marjan Pejoski costume.
Cate Blanchett in John Galliano
On the 71st Annual Academy Awards in 1999 Blanchett opted for this intricate John Galliano costume with an open again.
Gwyneth Paltrow in Ralph Lauren
Paltrow was carrying this iconic Ralph Lauren robe to the Oscars in 1999 when she took residence the award for Greatest Actress.
Who may neglect the backward Dior tuxedo on the 71st Annual Academy Awards in 1999?
Sharon Stone in Hole and Vera Wang
Ever the envelope-pusher, Stone wore a Hole shirt paired with a Vera Wang skirt to the seventieth Annual Academy Awards in 1998.
Nobody was as cool as Ryder within the ‘90s. Working example: this black beaded Chanel costume she wore to the Oscars in 1997.
Tiara or no tiara, Hayek nonetheless appeared like a princess on this Armani column costume in 1997.
Nicole Kidman in Christian Dior by John Galliano
On the 69th Annual Academy Awards in 1997, Kidman would ceaselessly change purple carpet dressing by sporting this flawless, devastating silk robe in iridescent chartreuse that instantly appalled Joan Rivers and upstaged Tom Cruise.
Uma Thurman in Prada Barbar Tfank
The Pulp Fiction actress was nominated for her function in Quentin Tarantino’s movie in 1995—but it surely was her lilac Prada costume designed by Barbar Tfank that made headlines following that yr’s Academy Awards.
Madonna wore Bob Mackie and $20 million value of Harry Winston diamonds on the 63rd Annual Academy Awards in 1991.
Who may neglect Cher’s one-of-a-kind Bob Mackie headpiece from the 1986 Oscars?
The one manner Ross may have made this beaded, sheer robe extra fabulous was by including a fur stole, simply as she did in 1982.
Farrah Fawcett in Stephen Burrows
The actress, recognized for her golden blonde locks, selected slinky and metallic for the 1978 Academy Awards.
Hutton’s sherbert-colored Halston robe she wore to the awards in 1975 is the epitome of ‘70s trend.
Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy
The Roman Vacation star caught along with her go-to designer of the period, Givenchy, in 1975.
Kim Kardashian recreated this look, which Cher wore to the forty fifth Annual Academy Awards in 1973, for Halloween.
Barbra Streisand in Arnold Scaasi
Streisand shocked some when she accepted her Greatest Actress Award in sequin see-through bell-bottom pants with an identical high on the 1969 Academy Awards.
Kelly wore mint Givenchy on the 1955 Oscars, the place she gained Greatest Actress for her function within the 1954 movie The Nation Woman.
This text was initially revealed on
