We know you know how much we love a red carpet/whāriki whero - so it’s like Christmas for us to have two in a row. If the Venice Film Festival was the entrée, last week’s Met Gala was a bit of a confused main course that left us bloated and a little ill. Thankfully, this week’s Emmy Awards serve like a Michelin starred dessert; heavy on the eye and not holding another back in their pursuit of excellence.
Just like the plethora of must-watch TV shows right now, it was incredibly hard to narrow down our favourite red carpet ensembles. But Getty images don’t come cheap, so here’s eight of our most interesting and fabulously dressed...
Sarah Paulson wears Carolina Herrera
So much red today, and so many incredible red lips (for our easy ‘how to’ video on how to create your own at home click here). Sarah works with one of my favourite celebrity stylists, Karla Welch, who seems to work mostly with intelligent, politically engaged women (see also, Tracee Ellis Ross looking amazing in red today, and Lorde), and Justin Bieber. I love volume on the red carpet, and there’s nothing that makes me more uncomfortable than an impractical dress (although I consider myself schooled by seeing Kendall Jenner kneel down to fix her mother’s shoe at the Met Gala). This Carolina Herrrera dress/weweru looks voluminous and commanding, while also showing off a fair amount of skin. The styling is sleek and pared back save for said red lips and the obligatory diamond earrings. It’s a glamorously chic look for this versatile actress who is currently appearing on screen as the frumpy and rather unlikeable Linda Tripp for which she, controversially, wore a ‘fat suit’. - Rebecca Wadey
Michaela Coel wears Christopher John Rogers
She deserves all of the accolades, including best dressed. Her approach to red carpet dressing feels so refreshing and modern - I loved her sleek sequin Balenciaga suit at the Met Gala last week, and this neon bralette and skirt with a six-foot silk organza bow is unexpected and gorgeous. It’s designed by Christopher John Rogers, a New York-based designer who is known in fashion circles for his bold use of colour - a genius red carpet choice, I think. Neon heels are not for me - they give me flashbacks to the 2007/2008 shutter shades era - but they do work here. - Zoe Walker Ahwa
MJ Rodriguez wears custom Atelier Versace
The first openly trans woman to be nominated in the outstanding lead actress category, Michaela Jaé (or MJ as she’s also known) knows she’s making history and she’s doing so in style. She worked with her stylist Katie Bofshever on sketching her ultimate dress which they then took to the Donatella and her Versace team. It feels very ‘90s Versace red carpet, perhaps a deliberate attempt to go back and reclaim space from a time when trans people were visibly excluded from representation in this space. The icey blue colour is perfect for harking back to another time while also keeping things fresh and modern. - RW
Seth Rogen wearing Brioni
“Let me start by saying there’s way too many of us in this little room!” Seth wins simply by stating the obvious and jokingly calling out the lack of social distancing at the awards (everyone in attendance was vaccinated). But his look is also a lot of fun, and very in keeping with his effortlessly cool, cardigan wearing, pot making (as in ceramics, but also the other kind) vibe of late. He looks hot! It’s nice to see some interesting, more fashion focused menswear on the red carpet (Jason Sudeikis, in a velvet blue Tom Ford suit, of note here too) - and a fresh way of wearing a bow-tie. I feel like Seth would also appreciate the absurdity of his ensemble being likened to everyone from Velma from Scooby Doo to Jim Carrey’s orange suit in Dumb & Dumber, and a pumpkin spice latte. - ZWA
Aidy Bryant wears Simone Rocha
It’s not easy making your mark on the red carpet when you’re not sample size. And it’s not easy pulling together a high fashion outfit complete with headband and accessories at any size. This Simone Rocha on the SNL and Shrill star is so brilliantly styled. It’s fun and playful, like an uber-elevated version of herself which is exactly what a red carpet look should be. For a long time designer Christian Siriano has had the monopoly on dressing ‘real’ people and deservedly so, he’s been an advocate for size diversity since launching his brand (he’s also got some amazing looks on the Emmy red carpet including Jennifer Coolidge and Nicole Byers). But it’s great to see other designers starting to pay attention to these spectacular talents and create looks that do their beauty justice. - RW
Elizabeth Olsen wears The Row
This is just outrageously chic, but I would expect nothing less from a gown designed by The Row - the luxury brand from Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, sisters of the Wandavision star. With its streamlined silhouette and cape detailing at the back, this is a study in restraint while also allowing the actor to confidently assert her movie star quality. - ZWA
Anya Taylor-Joy in Dior haute couture
I don’t love Dior on a red carpet but I do love Anya Taylor Joy everywhere I see her. I know, as an ex-model she’s at an unfair advantage over mere mortals, but I love that she combines her incredible movie star like presence with a love for clothing and fashion that sees her push the envelope. Anya and Zendaya (who coincidentally share a stylist, the incomparable Law Roach) are what every red carpet needs. They were both dearly missed at the Met Gala, and I desperately missed Anya at the Oscars. Here’s hoping the organisers of every other red carpet from now for the next two years work their event around Anya’s schedule. - RW
Gillian Anderson wears Chloé
While I adore a superstar glam moment, I’m also intrigued and impressed by this refreshing trend of more relaxed, sustainably focused looks on the red carpet. This fringed, linen, beaded look on Gillian, winner of best supporting actress in a drama series for her role as Margaret Thatcher in The Crown, reminds me slightly of Lorde’s outfit by Bode at the Met Gala, with its antique charms and beading and comment on appreciating craft and preservation. Chloé is designed by Gabriela Hearst, a longtime champion of sustainability in fashion and luxury, so I imagine that this look will have some similar messages; an energy that the red carpet industrial complex desperately needs. - ZWA
