Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic The Oscars red carpet isn’t just a spectacle — it’s one of fashion’s biggest marketing moments of the year. As the most anticipated show of awards season, it’s where high-wattage movie stars become walking billboards for luxury brands. And if the right star has a big night, the brand dressing them wins big too.Last year, according to data analytics company Launchmetrics, the Oscars red carpet generated more than $1.1bn in “media impact value” within a week of airing, up from $658.6mn the previous year, surpassing both the Grammys and the Golden Globes. “Fashion is entertainment and it’s such a pivotal part of pop culture now,” says Nicky Campbell, a popular fashion critic on TikTok. “The audience dies for it because they want to see what’s happening on the red carpet.”With so much at stake, brands don’t just rely on chance. They spend months courting Hollywood stylists in hopes of securing a presence on the industry’s biggest stage. But some, such as LVMH-owned Dior, take a more strategic approach, signing financial deals. Dior recently named Monica Barbaro its latest brand ambassador, ensuring she wore the house’s designs throughout awards season. Last night, as a Best Supporting Actress nominee for her role as singer Joan Baez in A Complete Unknown, the 34-year-old American actress arrived in a simple yet elegant pink gown featuring a pleated silk A-line skirt.The category’s winner, however, was Zoe Saldaña for her role as lawyer Rita Mora Castro in Emilia Pérez. She wore a burgundy Saint Laurent dress with tricky bulbous layers over a strapless top. Saint Laurent, owned by LVMH rival Kering, has been dressing Saldaña throughout awards season. However, the brand laid the groundwork early, launching Saint Laurent Productions in 2023 to invest in films like Emilia Pérez, giving the brand a role in the movie and beyond the red carpet. The strategy paid off: Saldaña’s emotional acceptance speech included a public thank you to Saint Laurent, a major marketing coup.Saint Laurent isn’t alone in deepening its ties to Hollywood. Artemis, the investment firm of Kering chair and CEO François-Henri Pinault, holds a majority stake in CAA, one of LA’s most powerful talent agencies. Jonathan Anderson, creative director of LVMH-owned Loewe, also left his mark on cinema as a costume designer for Challengers.But it’s not just about the brands. Actors understand that fashion can raise their profile and open doors to lucrative partnerships. In the past, serious actors were hesitant to experiment with fashion for fear that it would jeopardise their careers. Earlier generations preferred understated choices.Adrien Brody, who won Best Actor for his portrayal of László Tóth, an architect and Holocaust survivor in The Brutalist, opted for a classic tuxedo, punctuated by a glittering brooch. Jeremy Strong, a Best Supporting Actor nominee for his role as Roy Cohn in The Apprentice, took a more unexpected route with a bronze Loro Piana tuxedo. Scarlett Johansson embraced the velvet trend (seen earlier in the night on Substance actress Margaret Qualley’s backless Chanel gown) in a midnight blue Thierry Mugler dress paired with slouchy gloves. Lupita Nyong’o stunned in a custom ivory Chanel dress embellished with 22,410 pearls. Meanwhile, Michelle Yeoh embodied timeless elegance in a sleek, strapless cobalt Balenciaga gown.Even though Mikey Madison, the Best Actress winner for her role as Ani, a sex worker in Anora, leaned into Old Hollywood glamour in a demure pink and black Dior gown, the next generation of Hollywood understands that style is an asset. Now, “they see people like Zendaya [a Louis Vuitton ambassador] and Anya Taylor-Joy [a Dior ambassador] commanding just as much attention for their outfits as for their acting careers,” says Campbell.No one does this better than Timothée Chalamet, a bona fide red carpet star known for his daring, gender-fluid style. As the Best Actor nominee for A Complete Unknown, he arrived in a butter-yellow suit with a cropped, notch-lapel tuxedo jacket and leather pants — a bold choice that even host Conan O’Brien joked about in his monologue: “I love that suit. You will not get hit on your bike tonight.”However, Chalamet’s look was more than a fashion flex — it was “method dressing” in action. The trend has become a red carpet mainstay, with actors using their attire to extend their film’s narrative beyond the screen.No stranger to this approach, rapper Doja Cat reinforced her feline persona in a strapless Balmain micro-gown encrusted with leopard-print-effect glass beads, a feat that required 46 artisans and 5,600 hours to complete.But for movies and their stars, method dressing isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s a branding play. Last year, Barbie leveraged this tactic when Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling stepped into character as Barbie and Ken during their press tour.This year, Wicked stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo — who treated the Oscars audience to a powerhouse performance — capped off their campaign with their most daring red carpet looks yet. Grande, in a nod to Glinda, wore a blush pink Schiaparelli gown with an undulating peplum skirt, inspired by an Alberto Giacometti lamp. Despite its structured design, Grande appeared light and ethereal — just like her melismatic vocals. Erivo fully embraced her inner Elphaba in a dark emerald Louis Vuitton velvet gown with dramatic bow-shaped sleeves and a voluminous ball skirt.Meanwhile, Demi Moore, a Best Actress nominee for her role as Elisabeth Sparkle in The Substance and a veteran red carpet dresser, concluded her season-long red carpet run honouring her character in a sleek silver Armani Privé gown fit for a screen siren. Moore can expect to be on numerous best-dressed lists. Follow us on Instagram and sign up for Fashion Matters, your weekly newsletter about the fashion industry
