DUBAI: Hollywood’s top stars hit the Oscars red carpet at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night, with a handful of attendees dressed in creations by Arab designers while others sported pins calling for a ceasefire amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Canadian “Never Have I Ever” star Maitreyi Ramakeishnan opted for a Spring/Summer 2024 ready-to-wear look by Lebanon’s Zuhair Murad in a monochrome color palette. Meanwhile, Marvel star Danai Gurira showed off a coral gown from the same collection at the Vanity Fair After-Party, complete with matching semi-sheer opera gloves.
Maitreyi Ramakeishnan opted for a Spring/Summer 2024 ready-to-wear look by Lebanon’s Zuhair Murad. (Getty Images)
Content creator Ashley Yi attended the Academy Awards in an all-white gown by Saudi label Waad Aloqaili boasting a ruffled wraparound which she playfully posed with on the red carpet. For her part, US model Molly Sims chose a pink Georges Chakra dress from the Lebanese designer’s Spring/Summer 2024 Couture line.
Ashley Yi attended the Academy Awards in an all-white gown by Saudi label Waad Aloqaili. (Getty Images)
The event is often a moment for political activism, and this year the conflict in Gaza was not far from the minds of some A-listers on the red carpet.
Several nominees, including Oscar-winning singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell, wore red Artists4Ceasefire pins in support of “an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.” US Egyptian star Ramy Youssef and US filmmaker Ava DuVernay also wore the red pins while “Anatomy of a Fall” stars Swann Arlaud and Milo Machado-Graner wore pins bearing the Palestinian flag.
Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell wore red Artists4Ceasefire pins. (Getty Images)
When it came to fashion, German actress Sandra Hueller, a best actress nominee for “Anatomy of a Fall” and the star of “The Zone of Interest,” was ready for her Oscars close-up in a stunning black Schiaparelli gown with a wide sculptural neckline.
Colman Domingo — a best actor nominee for “Rustin” and one of the definite style stars of this awards season — looked sharp in a double-breasted Louis Vuitton tuxedo with slightly flared trousers, ornate silver buttons and lots of jewelry, including a stunning brooch in his bowtie.
“High School Musical” actress Vanessa Hudgens made a big statement with her black long-sleeved body-con gown — it showcased her baby bump as she announced her pregnancy with baseball player husband Cole Tucker.
Vanessa Hudgens made a big statement with her black long-sleeved body-con gown. (Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Dubai-based US movie star Lindsay Lohan made a strong comeback to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, along with her Kuwaiti husband Bader Shammas. The “mean Girls’ star wore a shimmering Balenciaga gown to mark her first appearance at the party since 2006.
Dubai-based US movie star Lindsay Lohan made a strong comeback to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, along with her Kuwaiti husband Bader Shammas. (Getty Images)
One of the best ways to ensure attention on the Oscars red carpet is to dress a bit like the golden statuette — metallics are a timeless sure bet.
Anya Taylor-Joy, who presented an award, took that to heart and stunned in a silvery strapless Dior gown with plenty of sequins and sparkle.
America Ferrera, a nominee for best supporting actress for her turn in “Barbie,” combined two hot red carpet trends with her form-fitting sleeveless Versace dress that was both metallic and pink.
Presenters Cynthia Erivo, a two-time Oscar nominee, and pop star Ariana Grande — who will soon star in a two-part film adaptation of the popular Broadway musical 'Wicked' — brought their Oz energy to the Academy Awards stage. Grande channeled her inner Glinda in a strapless pink cloud of a gown with voluminous sleeves from Giambattista Valli Haute Couture.
Erivo meanwhile struck a very Elphaba chord in a dark green leather Louis Vuitton gown with a plunging neckline and ruffles down the back.
