The Academy Awards have been handing out little faceless gold statues for close to a century. But like all awards shows, it’s only been in the past few years that we’ve seen something that feels like diversity creep into the ceremony. Hollywood’s homogeneity has long been a hallmark of its red carpet. Finally, we’re starting to see a major shift transforming the pageantry that precedes the most important event in filmmaking. And the results, I’m pleased to report, have been gorgeous.
It used to be that any woman over a size two had almost no options. Want something flattering? Wear Christian Siriano … or Christian Siriano. Practically nobody else made anything that fit, let alone flattered.
It used to be that any woman over a size two had almost no options.
And while the fashion industry’s old guard might act like Karl Lagerfeld’s fatphobic comments are the exception, in fact his opinions have up until very recently represented the mainstream view in fashion. (The man was the inspirational theme for the 2023 Met Gala, for heaven’s sake.)
Two of this year’s highest-profile nominees were Lily Gladstone and Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Gladstone, nominated for best actress for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” arrived on the red carpet Sunday night a heavy favorite (although she ultimately lost to Emma Stone). However, Gladstone’s awards season attention hasn’t just been the result of her historic acting. Gladstone has worn huge designers throughout her string of awards circuit wins: Valentino at the Golden Globes, Jamie Okuma at the Independent Spirit Awards, Armani Prive at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and, of course, Siriano at the Critics’ Choice.
For the Oscars, Gladstone wore a custom Gucci gown, but the fit wasn’t the only part that flattered. The gown’s train design incorporated her tribe’s symbol; this was high fashion merging with heritage in a beautiful display of progress.
Randolph also arrived as a heavy favorite to win best supporting actress for her work in “The Holdovers.” The actress’s red carpet looks have been absolute stunners heading into the Oscars. We’ve seen her in Valdrin Sahiti at the SAG awards, in an opera glove-accessorized stunner by Robert Wun in London at the BAFTAs, in Rodarte at the Golden Globes, and in Tony Ward Couture at the Governor’s Ball.
Her Oscar red carpet gown was a silvery-blue sequined knockout custom designed by Louis Vuitton. The designers at Vuitton, like Lagerfeld, have historically balked at dressing larger women. Now, the label is proudly dressing women like Randolph on their way to Oscars gold.
“Orange is the New Black” star Danielle Brooks was also nominated for best supporting actress for “The Color Purple.” Brooks turned heads in Monsoori at the Emmys, and sported Herve Leger, the man who popularized the skintight bodycon dress, to the Essence Awards. For the Oscars, she sailed onto the red carpet in a gown by a brand that was once even more unthinkable than Leger: custom Dolce & Gabbana. Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have a long and ugly history of misogynistic and, frankly, racist statements. Now, they’re competing for an Oscar nominee who was never favored to win. (Speaking of “The Color Purple,” even Fantasia’s frankendress at the Globes was flattering. It’s a major step forward when even some of the worst dressed on the carpet are wearing outfits that look good on their bodies.) These changes may seem frivolous, especially given Randolph and Gladstone’s history-making awards season. But representation, especially on a night like the Oscars, extends beyond the winners list. Glamour, like respect, should not be siloed. All bodies are worthy of couture — and, in fact, look good in couture. On these massive stages, with proverbial flashbulbs popping, the surge in fashion representation has become impossible to ignore. Even for the biggest fashion houses, even for the designers who for decades were given a pass as their overt fatphobia gave other less brazen fashion houses cover for their arguably more subtle bias. Now Melissa McCarthy — who was stuck wearing an ill-fitting white bib and waiter-like pants when she was up for best actress in 2019 — has a plethora of fantastic options when all she’s doing is presenting an award for writers while everyone grabs a drink in the kitchen. It may be a smaller victory in the context of the night, but it’s a victory worth celebrating.
Ani Bundel
Ani Bundel is a cultural critic who has been writing regularly since 2010. Her work can also be found at Elite Daily and WETA's Telly Visions, where she also co-hosts "Telly Visions: The Podcast." 
