Story by Elizabeth Juengling/Contributing Writer
Between 2010 and 2019, the world saw many spectacular gowns bless the red, or otherwise colored, carpets. From the Oscars to the Grammys, and the Grammys to the Met Gala, designers invited celebrities to display their detailed work for all to see. So from the beginning of the decade to now, here are some of the most jaw-dropping fashions to grace our screens and our memories.
2010:
Diane Kruger made a colorful statement at the 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. She wore a golden-yellow gown designed by Jason Wu. The asymmetrical sleeves added an interesting, fresh take on the common concept of a one-shoulder gown.
Jennifer Lopez, the queen of red carpet gowns, wore an intricate gown designed by Zuhair Murad to the 2010 Met Gala. The Gala’s theme was “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity.” The gown featured crystal beading that began in the bodice and feathered out onto the skirt.
2011:
Mila Kunis wore a lavender dress designed by Elie Saab to the 83rd Academy Awards. While the dress had an effortless flow, it still managed to feature complex, paneled lace detailing.
Olivia Wilde wore the entire galaxy on the 68th Annual Golden Globes’ red carpet. Her black, sleeveless Marchesa ball gown featured crystal detailing that faded from the bodice to the skirt. Wilde displayed a new, sparkling light to a typical black ball gown.
Rachel McAdams also graced the red carpet in a Marchesa gown. The dress McAdams wore to the 2011 Cannes Film Festival had a sheer, nude bas with intricate red lace applique. The gown had a beautiful sheer train that flowed behind McAdams.
2012:
Penélope Cruz looked fit to be a queen at the 84th Annual Academy Awards. She wore a muted blue drop-waist gown designed by Armani Privé. All she needed was a crown to pass as royalty.
Jessica Chastain also wore a gorgeous gown to the 84th Annual Academy Awards. She wore a black, strapless dress with gold detailing. The Alexander McQueen dress complimented Chastain’s complexion and ginger hair.
2013:
While she may not ever live down falling on the stairs at the 85th Annual Academy Awards, Jennifer Lawrence’s dress will not be forgotten either. Lawrence wore a pastel-pink trumpet gown designed by Dior Haute Couture. The bustled, strapless floor-length dress had a slight train on the back.
Cara Delevigne shone a new light on the “little black dress” at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. She wore a long sleeve black Burberry gown with lace detailing. The lace covered her arms and tastefully framed the v-line neck. Paired with her signature eyebrows, the dress helped her stand out among the stars.
Elle Fanning caught everyone’s attention at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival in a dress that as the polar opposite of Delevigne’s dress. Fanning’s Zuhair Murad dusty-rouge ball gown featured beautiful pink and green floral detailing.
2014:
Lupita Nyong’o had one of the most talked about dresses in this decade. Nyong’o looked effortlessly beautiful in the light blue Prada dress that she wore to the 86th Annual Academy Awards. The dress complimented her complexion perfectly and really highlighted her frame.
Lily Collins brought color to the 2014 Rome Film Festival’s pink carpet with an ombre dress by Elie Saab. The strapless gown was black in the bodice and faded seamleessly to purple, pink, and orange in the skirt, then to white in the train.
Rihanna broke boundaries with her CFDA Fashion Awards outfit. The revealing gown designed by Adam Selman consisted of 275,000 crystals. Rihanna claimed on instagram that her look was inspired by the late singer Josephine Baker.
2015:
Chinese actress Li Bingbing looked like a snow queen on the Cannes Film Festival’s red carpet. The gown, designed by Zuhair Murad, had a light-blue, floor-length slip dress underneath a faux cape. The cape, rather than coming from the shoulders, extended from the waistband of the skirt.
Rihanna defied odds at the 2015 Met Gala when she wore a dress with a 16 foot train. The elaborate gown was designed by Guo Pei Couture. Rihanna claimed that she loved the dress but it was extremely hard to walk in, especially considering that the embroidery alone weighed 50 pounds.
Ciara showed off her skin and body at the 2015 American Music Awards in a sheer, black dress designed by Reem Acra. The singer flaunted her silhouette with thee geometric detailing on the thin fabric.
2016:
Nicole Kidman caught eyes at the 2016 Met Gala with her elaborately detailed gown designed by Alexander McQueen. The dress was inspired by the phases of the moon and featured cutouts around the rib and a sheer cape. Many fans questioned whether she met the theme of the gala: “Manus X Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.”
Beyonce, also accused of skirting the 2016 Met Gala theme, still looked as beautiful as ever. She wore a latex mermaid gown with puffy sleeves. The Givenchy dress was the first of many dresses in the latex trend of the late 2010s.
2017:
Jennifer Lopez strikes again on the 2017 People’s Choice Awards’ red carpet. Lopez wore a skin tight black gown with gorgeous silver detailing on the bodice and neckline. The long-sleeve dress, designed by Reem Acra, highlighted Lopez’s beautiful figure.
Lily Collins stunned her fans with a rouge gown from Zuhair Murad at the 74th Annual Golden Globes. The short-sleeved dress featured gorgeous beading and crystal detailing. The color was a lovely contrast against Collins’ dark hair.
2018:
Blake Lively stole the show at the 2018 Met Gala. Lively met the theme of “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” beautifully. Her Versace gown featured traditional Catholic colors like maroon and gold. The intricately embroidered dress had a long, flowing train.
Lady Gaga flowed down the red carpet at the 2018 Venice Film Festival in a pastel-pink feather dress. The gown, complete with a feather train, was designed by Valentino. It was a gloomy night in Venice, but that didn’t stop Gaga from posing and showing off her feathery dress.
2019:
Lady Gaga also made the cut with her 4-looks-in-1 at the 2019 Met Gala. Gaga effortlessly took off pieces of her outfit to reveal a different look as she made her way down the pink carpet. All four looks were designed by her friend Brandon Maxwell. Gaga was one of the five hosts for the theme of “Camp: Notes on Fashion.”
Zendaya was likened to the Batman character Poison Ivy on the 2019 Emmys’ purple carpet. The dress, designed by Vera Wang, was a beautiful emerald green. The strapless bodice featured boning that created a structured look.
Cardi B caught everyone’s eyes on the red carpet at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. The avant garde take on an oyster shell was designed by Mugler. The theme of an oyster was reinforced by the pearl detailing and the pearl headwear.
Billy Porter made the biggest red carpet statement of the decade at the 91st Academy Awards. Porter wore a tuxedo gown designed by Christian Siriano. When asked about why he chose to wear a gown, Porter said, “I’ve always wanted to wear a ball gown, I just didn’t know when. I was inspired because there’s a conversation happening about inclusion and diversity.”
Based on all of the fashion forward designs that came out of 2019, we can definitely expect that the third decade of the 21st century will only transcend even further. Here’s to more strange stitching, marvelous make-overs and logic-defying designs!
To contact Lifestyles Editor Brandon Black, email [email protected].
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