Since its first ceremony was held more than 90 years ago, the Academy Awards has cemented itself as Hollywood’s biggest night of the year where the best of the best in film join together at the Dolby Theatre to celebrate. With all eyes on the red carpet (millions of viewers from over 200 countries, to be exact), it’s no surprise that celebrities from established A-listers to newcomers pull out all the stops when it comes to their look.
The ‘grand finale’ of awards season has seen memorable moments on the red carpet that range from classic Hollywood glamour to boundary-pushing looks (Björk’s swan dress, anyone?). Arguably, a triumph on the Oscars red carpet can be just as important as the gold statue itself – if not more so – and forever go down in history. It’s seen how a carefully crafted look that steals the sartorial spotlight can launch an actress’s career forward and gain her serious clout in the fashion industry. Just look at Jennifer Lawerence. The once indie darling wore a fire-engine red Calvin Klein gown at the 2011 ceremony that immediately captured the industry’s attention and ultimately led to a multi-million dollar contract with Dior and earned her a place on the Hollywood A-list.
From Audrey Hepburn’s timeless Hubert de Givenchy looks and Gwyneth Paltrow’s pretty in pink gown to Nicole Kidman’s striking Balenciaga dress featuring a trailing bow and Jennifer Lawrence’s Dior ballgown (which she infamously stumbled in on her way to accept Best Actress), the Oscars never fail to deliver iconic red carpet looks.
While we anticipate to see what Lady Gaga, Margot Robbie and Emma Stone will wear for this year’s ceremony on February 25, let’s take a look back at the greatest red carpet looks in Oscars history.
Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy (1954)
Grace Kelly in Edith Head (1955)
Grace Kelly in Edith Head (1956)
Barbra Streisand in Arnold Scaasi (1969)
Cher in Bob Mackie (1973)
Lauren Hutton in Halston (1975)
Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy (1975)
Farrah Fawcett in Stephen Burrow (1978)
Cher in Bob Mackie (1986)
Winona Ryder (1990)
Madonna in Bob Mackie (1991)
Cindy Crawford in Versace (1991)
Cindy Crawford in Herve Leger (1993)
Winona Ryder in Badgley Mischka (1996)
Nicole Kidman in John Galliano for Christian Dior (1997)
Sharon Stone in Gap and Vera Wang (1998)
Meryl Streep in Valentino (1999)
Gwyneth Paltrow in Ralph Lauren (1999)
Renee Zellweger in vintage Jean Dessès (2001)
Björk in Marjan Pejoski (2001)
Julia Roberts in Valentino (2001)
Halle Berry in Elie Saab (2002)
Kate Hudson in Versace (2003)
Jennifer Lopez in Valentino (2003)
Charlize Theron in Gucci (2004)
Sandra Bullock in Oscar de la Renta (2004)
Angelina Jolie in Marc Bouwer (2004)
Beyonce in Atelier Versace (2005)
Keira Knightley in Vera Wang (2006)
Reese Witherspoon in Christian Dior (2006)
Michelle Williams in Vera Wang (2006)
Anne Hathaway in Valentino (2007)
Kate Winslet in Valentino (2007)
Penelope Cruz in Atelier Versace (2007)
Nicole Kidman in Balenciaga (2007)
Marion Cotillard in Jean Paul Gaultier (2008)
Jennifer Aniston in Valentino (2009)
Anne Hathaway in Armani Prive (2009)
Diane Kruger in Chanel (2010)
Sarah Jessica Parker in Chanel (2010)
Zoe Saldana in Givenchy (2010)
Cate Blanchett in Givenchy (2011)
Mila Kunis in Elie Saab (2011)
Jennifer Lawrence in Calvin Klein (2011)
Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace (2012)
Emma Stone in Giambattista Valli (2012)
Meryl Streep in Lanvin (2012)
Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford (2012)
Jennifer Lawrence in Christian Dior (2013)
Lupita Nyong’o in Prada (2014)
Lady Gaga in Alaïa (2015)
Keira Knightley in Valentino (2015)
Sienna Miller in Oscar de la Renta (2015)
Alicia Vikander in Louis Vuitton (2016)
Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell (2016)
Emma Stone in Givenchy (2017)
Ruth Negga in Valentino (2017)
Janelle Monáe in Elie Saab (2017)
Agnès Varda in Gucci (2018)
Saoirse Ronan in Calvin Klein (2018)
Zendaya in Giambattista Valli (2018)
Jennifer Lawrence in Dior (2018)
Margot Robbie in Chanel (2018)
Jessica Chastain in Gucci(2022)
Zendaya in Valentino (2022)
Lily James in Atelier Versace (2022)
Jada Pinkett Smith in Jean Paul Gaultier (2022)
Nicole Kidman in Armani made in custom “Nicole Kidman Blue” colour (2022)
