Back in 2020 (a mere month before lockdown hit, ah, how naive we were) the Oscars' red carpet was a celebration of sustainable fashion.
Among the stars making eco-conscious dressing choices were Saoirse Ronan, who wore a Gucci gown with a bodice created using the surplus fabric from her then-recent BAFTAs dress, Léa Seydoux, who wore a custom-made and eco-responsible Louis Vuitton gown made in partnership the Red Carpet Green Dress and Laura Dern, who re-wore an old Armani gown of hers, while Penelope Cruz wore vintage Chanel.
Fast forward four years, however, there was little sign of dressing green on the main Oscars red carpet. That isn't to say the award nominees and winners of today didn't dress to impress – be it Cynthia Erivo in a custom Louis Vuitton gown or Margot Robbie in straight-off-the-runway Versace – Hollywood's A-list showcased the most impressive fashion talent of today.
Bar Laverne Cox, a notable exception in AW86 Mugler at the awards show's red carpet, it was at the afterparty where the real fashion fun started when it came to iconic vintage style.
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A newly-bobbed Sydney Sweeney paid homage to two icons with her archive Marc Bouwer gown. Originally worn by Angelina Jolie to the Academy Awards 20 years ago, the white, plunging dress referenced Marilyn Monroe's own dress in the 1955 hit The Seven Year Itch (and that subway grate scene).
Actor Jennifer Lawrence also opted for white in the form of a lace, empire-line gown from Givenchy's autumn/winter 1996 couture collection. First worn by Kate Moss on the runway, the sheer dress looked angelic paired with an innocent up-'do on Lawrence.
Cardi B, a red carpet vintage aficionado, eschewed all things modest in her own vampy vintage gown, with the musician choosing an Atelier Versace gown from the spring/summer 2003 couture collection. Bought from Tab Vintage's archive, the rare, beaded gown proved Cardi B's status as a style star.
And finally, Oscar-winner Margot Robbie took a leaf out of both Zendaya and Cardi B's books and turned to the vintage designer of the moment, Mugler. The Australian native glowed in a gold corset and coat from the spring/summer 1996 collection.
New designs are always exciting, but it's in making what was old, new again, where actors can really get their red carpet cachet.
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