Earlier this year BAFTA requested that their A-list celebrity guests and honourees consider making a sustainable choice for their big red carpet moment in London.
The awards ceremony even provided a sustainable fashion guide penned especially for the actors and their esteemed stylists by the London College of Fashion’s Centre for Sustainability.
However, bar Kate Middleton's rewearing of her gold and white Alexander McQueen dress (first worn by her in 2012) and Joaquin Phoenix's repeat-wear Stella McCartney suit, there was a notable lack of sustainably-minded ensembles on the esteemed red carpet.
Thankfully, last night's Oscars and Vanity Fair Oscars after party told a different story, with almost every single facet of sustainable dressing displayed on the final red carpets of the 2020 awards season.
Rewearing, upcycling and vintage options were all seen on the 92nd Academy Awards' carpet, worn by the likes of Léa Seydoux, Kaitlyn Dever and Kim Kardashian.
'This is absolutely an important and meaningful change', climate activist and Instagram eco-warrior Venetia La Manna told ELLE UK of the exciting red carpet moment. 'As these celebrities have such huge platforms, it would be brilliant to see them strive to re-wear and up-cycle past red carpet looks time and time again - not just for awards season, but for TV and promotional appearances too.'
A sentiment echoed by How To Break Up With Fast Fashion author Lauren Bravo: 'This is exactly what the BAFTAs red carpet was missing, and I’m really happy to see there are stars willing to take the initiative and prove that sustainable and sensational don’t need to be mutually exclusive.'
Celebrities Who Wore Sustainably-Made Dresses To The 2020 Oscars
While items already in your closet are the most sustainable out there, that need for 'new' can be overwhelming (or sometimes, necessary).
Thankfully these stars, their stylists and the clever brands they worked with, used the glamorous affair to perfectly illustrate how new needn't cost the earth.
Saoirse Ronan (with help from her stylist Elizabeth Saltzman and Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele) wore a Gucci gown with a bodice created using the surplus fabric from her BAFTAs dress.
Both Kaitlyn Dever and Léa Seydoux wore custom-made and eco-responsible Louis Vuitton gowns made in partnership the Red Carpet Green Dress campaign, therefore following the organisation's strict sustainable standards.
Finally, Olivia Coleman opted for famously eco-conscious brand Stella McCartney for her moment in the spotlight. The dress was made for Olivia using sustainable velvet alongside McCartney's usual sustainable cady fabric in the brand's London atelier.'
Celebrities Who Wore Vintage Dresses To The 2020 Oscars
Proving old is the new new, Penelope Cruz wore a vintage Chanel dress, featuring a white flower and pearl string belt, from the French design house's SS95 Couture show.
A regular wearer of vintage, Kim Kardashian West joined the Everybody Knows actor in wearing an iconic piece of fashion history, rather than buying new.
The make-up mogul wore a deconstructed Alexander McQueen gown from his SS04 'Shipwrecked' collection for the Vanity Fair Oscars after party.
Celebrities Wearing Vintage: From Kylie Jenner To Kate Moss, Here Are The Best Vintage Red Carpet Moments
Celebrities Who Re-Wore Dresses At The 2020 Oscars
By its very definition, there is no piece of clothing more eco-conscious than the one you already own, and author and sustainability expert Lauren Bravo agrees.
'I think that’s one of the most meaningful things that celebrities and influencers can do to help change our attitudes; busting the ridiculous idea that we need a new outfit for every occasion,' Bravo told ELLE UK.
'Because let’s not forget that Hollywood stars have money and resources that most of us could only dream of, so of course wearing a luxe sustainable creation from a couture fashion house is an option for them. But wearing our clothes again and again, looking after them and showing them some love? That’s something we can all get on board with.'
Repping repeat-wear like Joaquin, was Laura Dern whose custom-made Giorgio Armani Vanity Fair Oscars after party gown was first worn by the Marriage Story star in 1990 at the Wild at Heart premiere during Cannes Film Festival.
Charlie's Angels director, writer and actor Elizabeth Banks also championed re-wearing a previous awards dress, once again donning the exact same red, plunge neck Badgley Mischka gown she wore to the Vanity Fair Oscars after party 16 years prior.
'It’s gorgeous and it fits…so why not wear it again?! Proud to wear my Badgely Mischka dress that I first wore to Vanity Fair's Oscars party in 2004,' Banks explained on her Instagram, 'To bring global awareness to the importance of sustainability in fashion and consumerism as it relates to climate change, production & consumption, ocean pollution, labor & women.'
Screen legend Jane Fonda also recycled a crimson beaded Elie Saab gown she previously wore to Cannes in 2014 while carrying the red coat she previously declared was 'the last article of clothing I will ever buy' to present Best Film.
Of course, these fantastic sartorial choices made by the honourees and their teams are great, but we're far from a truly green awards season.
Like most of us, the ultimately wasteful and over-the-top season has plenty to work on, and La Manna has got the sentiment just right.
'It’s confusing as an onlooker to have observed the Academy Awards shout about offering plant based food, yet also offer a $78,000 (£60,380.19) voucher for a Cruise ship - one of the most ecologically damaging modes of travel.' La Manna noted, 'Having said that, it’s been super encouraging to see the climate crisis become a conversation at these global events, and we should celebrate this as much as we can in order to encourage more positive change in the future.'
