Black Tie Wasn’t Optional for the Week’s Best Dressed Stars

Casual clothes have their place, but lately celebrities have had little interest in dressing down. Last week’s influx of formal events encouraged stars to pull out the couture, enlist their friends to create custom pieces, and generally put their best feet forward. Nowhere was this more evident than at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Opening Gala, where Hollywood’s brightest dressed to the nines to celebrate the forthcoming opening of the largest museum in America devoted solely to cinema. Leading the pack was Lady Gaga, who did double duty as performer and attendee and (naturally) arrived with two bold looks. The first, a custom Schiaparelli Haute Couture by Daniel Roseberry, was the most impactful. The strapless velvet column gown with a sky blue peau de soie stole made a statement on the red carpet; so did the nearly 30 carats of Chopard diamonds that dangled from her ears. 

The gala's other standout Ruth Negga, wore a vintage Arnold Scaasi from 1992 with puffed sleeves, a velvet bodice, and miles of sequin embroidery. Sourced from Shrimpton Couture the opulent look came with a history lesson. Scaasi, the Canadian couturier who was a favorite of legends like Lauren Bacall and Diahann Carroll, designed an all-silver version for Elizabeth Taylor, who wore it to the Fragrance Foundation's 20th Annual FiFi awards where she picked up a prize for her now-classic scent, White Diamonds. 

The Academy Gala wasn’t the only place where stars went for full-tilt glamour. Always ready to create a fashion moment, Cynthia Erivo gave the audience at The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon a treat when she performed ‘Your Not Here’ from her new album, Chapter 1, Verse 1 in a tiered, off-the-shoulder gown from Ashi Studio’s fall/winter 2021 couture collectsion. At the San Sebastián Film Festival, Jessica Chastain picked up the prize for Best Actress in a crimson Givenchy Haute Couture gown with woven fringe and tone-on-tone crystals. The red theme was continued at the premiere of The Many Saints of Newark, where Vera Farmiga dazzled in a minimalist custom piece from best friend Ryan Roche, which proved that sometimes finding the right look is all about who you know.