While there are often moments that pull focus during the Oscars (you know, like an A-lister slapping the host during the ceremony), sometimes the buzziest things happen outside of the awards show itself.
The 96th Academy Awards delivered a range of eyebrow-raising moments, from Ryan Gosling’s performance of I’m Just Ken to John Cena presenting a trophy while stark naked. And then there was the whole Al-Pacino-announcing-Best-Picture-with-zero-aplomb thing. Even amid all of that, stars managed to turn heads mostly on the red carpet. Vanessa Hudgens used the pre-ceremony period to announce that she is pregnant with her first child, and for her part, Emily Blunt stole the spotlight with an eye-popping dress.
Blunt, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Oppenheimer, proved that attention-grabbing Oscar moments can happen outside of the Dolby Theatre. So who is the mastermind behind Emily Blunt’s iconic look?
Who designed Emily Blunt’s 2024 Oscars dress?
The gold, statuesque dress worn by Emily Blunt on the 2024 Oscars red carpet was designed by Schiaparelli. The dress was instantly notable for looking like the Oscar statue itself, but also caught attention by appearing to defy gravity. The plated torso of the dress remained stationary, with the sleeves stiffened over Blunt’s shoulders. The unique design meant that the look stayed in place even as Blunt was moving, giving the appearance that it was floating.
Blunt paired the dress with Alexandre Birman shoes, a Judith Leiber clutch, and Tiffany & Co. jewelry, while sporting a fishtail-braided bun. The look has somewhat divided fans, with some saying the jewels below the waist of the gown resembled a pair of underwear or a jock strap. Others were confused by the dress’ gravity-defying properties.
For his part, Blunt’s husband and fellow actor John Krasinski joined her on the red carpet in a matching off-white tuxedo. While Blunt ultimately lost out on the night to Da’Vine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers, Oppenheimer was the big winner, taking trophies for Best Actor (Cillian Murphy),Best Director (Christopher Nolan), and Best Picture.
Blunt is one of multiple stars to wear a Schiaparelli-designed dress to the Oscars. This year, fellow nominee Sandra Hüller turned heads with an exaggerated off-the-shoulder piece created by the designer, with Naomi Campbell, Maggie Gyllenhaal and others gracing the Oscars red carpet in Schiaparelli in previous years.
Blunt later wore the Schiaparelli dress while presenting an Oscar alongside Barbie star and nominee Ryan Gosling. The pair hilariously traded barbs over the 2023 Barbenheimer craze, with many viewers crowning them the best presenters of the night.