The Academy Awards returned for their 2022 showing last night to celebrate the past year in film, and it was an eventful night… for numerous reasons. Not least of all being the fashion on display, though. The stars really raised their A games last night and graced the event with countless stunning looks which will go down in the Oscars fashion history book. Here’s our rundown of the best looks of the night from both the red carpet and the ever so exclusive afterparty!
Red Carpet
Lily James
Baby Driver actress Lily James arrived on the red carpet wearing an evening gown from Versace’s atelier collection. The gown, which was coloured in a pleasing pastel pink, was intricately designed featuring a long skirt made of rosewater georgette and finished off with ruffles, Chantilly lace and some beautifully detailed micro embroidery.
Zoë Kravitz
Hot off the heels of the release of The Batman, Zoë Kravitz wore a distinctly more traditionally feminine outfit than her alter ego Catwoman would ever be seen wearing. The dress, courtesy of Yves Saint Laurent, accentuated Kravtiz’s figure and was adorned with a large bow on the chest for a touch of extra flair.
Zendaya
Attending the event as part of the cast of Dune, which was nominated for a staggering ten awards, including the coveted Best Picture, Zendaya looked flawless in a custom Valentino Haute Couture look. The pristine look consisted of two parts, a cropped double satin silk shirt in white and a flowing skirt in a shimmering silver.
Halle Bailey
Grown-ish star, and future Princess Ariel, Halle Bailey appeared at the ceremony for the first time to present the award for Best Animated Feature Film, which was won by Encanto, and looked fittingly like a Disney princess whilst doing so. Bailey wore a bright teal strap-gown which featured a wrap skirt with a thigh-slit. Is this a sneak peek at the kinds of outfits her version of Ariel will be sporting?
Chloe Bailey
Halle’s sister, and fellow Grown-ish star, Chloe was also present wearing a dramatic purple gown. The gown, which was royally coloured in a deep purple, melted down from Chloe’s neck and out onto the floor leaving a huge trail. Bailey also wore a pair of matching purple heels and some purple eyeshadow, increasing those royal vibes to the absolute maximum.
Rachel Zegler
Presenting the award for Best Visual Effects, West Side Story star Rachel Zegler wore a black beaded gown from Dior’s Couture collection. The wonderful detail of the gown also extended around to its back, which was braided by the brand’s creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri.
Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion took the audience by surprise last night by appearing to perform the smash hit We Don’t Talk About Bruno from Disney’s Encanto. The rapper appeared in one of the most striking dresses of the night, a slate blue strapless gown embellished with sequins which flowed out into dramatic waves. Some finishing touches of jewellery, including a ring with a shining blue gem, added to the ultra elegant look.
Beyoncé
Arriving at the Oscars ready for her live performance (we’ll get into that look later) and nominated for Best Original Song, Beyoncé wore a dramatic yellow gown whilst on the red carpet and seated in the audience. The gown consisted of a form fitting dress which led out into a small trail and a billowing cape which added a wonderful side of theatricality to the outfit. Not content with the cape, Bey also wore some opera gloves for added elegance and sported some huge diamond earrings.
Rickey Thompson
Former Vine creator Rickey Thompson brought all the drama to the red carpet! The internet personality wore an outfit from Italian brand GCDS and completely slayed everyone in his path. Strutting his stuff in a black velour cape twisted over his right side and fitted with loose, hanging jewels, Thompson looked like royalty. The jewels didn’t stop on the cape, though, with more hanging down his torso and from his ears. Truly a spectacle of the night.
Jada Pinkett Smith
Matrix Resurrections star Jada Pinkett Smith was dressed in a stunning emerald dress courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier. Tailored to fit and with a high neck up top, the dress billowed out into a stunning collection and trail of ruffles below for a truly magical appearance. With matching green heels from Jimmy Choo and jewellery from Glenn Spiro, Jada was a jewel on the red carpet.
Mila Kunis
Four Good Days star Mila Kunis attended the red carpet with her husband Ashton Kutcher in a haute couture dress courtesy of Zuhair Murad. The misty rose coloured dress was a luscious satin and featured a belt, ruched bodice, asymmetrical neckline and an attached overskirt for a truly regal appearance.
Billie Eilish
With her Bond song No Time to Die winning the award for Best Original Song, Billie also could have won the award for Most Gothic Outfit on the red carpet. Dressed entirely in black, complete with dyed hair, the singer wore a dramatic tulle dress, with tulle appearing all over the dress and popping out in all directions.
Jessica Chastain
It was a big night for Jessica Chastain as she won the award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her part in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Chastain attended the red carpet in a custom Gucci gown embellished with sparkling sequins and finished with a ruffle-trimmed hem. The top of the dress also featured a cool ombre effect, starting off as orange before morphing into a gentle pink further down.
Afterparty/Ceremony
Beyoncé
For her performance of Be Alive, Bey stripped away the humongous yellow cape from earlier and slipped into something more stage ready. Performing on a tennis court In Compton rather than on the Oscars stage, Bey and her backing dancers, one of whom was daughter Blue Ivy, wore neon yellow outfits representative of tennis balls. Bey’s outfit in particular was a sequin wrapped dress fitted with a bunch of feathers which ran along the chest. Who had tennis chic down as 2022’s hottest new trend?
Anya Taylor-Joy
The Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy rocked up to the afterparty in a strikingly gothic sheer black gown. The gown featured small ruffles along the chest and draped down elegantly to the floor. Anya was also wearing what looked like a sheer veil over her head, giving off extreme gothic bride vibes. We appreciate the gravitas and drama.
Laura Harrier
BlacKkKlansman star Laura Harrier appeared at the afterparty sporting some serious haute couture Cruella De Vil vibes. The Off-White dress, fittingly titled ‘The Diva’, consisted of a shimmering black dress embroidered with sequined white dots which started off smaller towards the top of the dress before gradually getting bigger further down.
Kendall Jenner
Kendall Jenner was serving some serious Matrix realness at the afterparty last night, in a dress from Balenciaga. The model was wrapped up like the sleekest present imaginable in a dramatic black dress with some serious tulles which led into a slick trail and revealed some smooth black shoes. The finishing sunglasses only added to the cool factor.
Adwoa Aboah
Model Adwoa Aboah wore a stunning dress from Christopher Esber for the event’s afterparty. The sparkling dress ran from Aboah’s chest down to the floor and featured a unique cut out pattern on her torso with parts of the dress twisting around itself. This incredibly unique cut was one of the most striking looks of the afterparty, no doubt.
Words By Andrew Coyle
Photo Credit: Beyoncé Instagram
