For other costumers, what they wore on the Oscars carpet was inspired by a more specific vision. Ellen Mirojnick—who earned her first Oscar nomination last night for Oppenheimer—wanted to approach her attire in a more traditional, Old Hollywood sense. “Dressing for the carpet can be intimidating at first, if you aren’t using a stylist to help sort everything out,” she says. “In my opinion, the brief should always be: Be glamorous, this is the Oscars!” (Another costume designer with a similar approach? Holly Waddington, who took home the trophy for Poor Things. She accepted her Oscar in a puff-sleeved gown that Bella Baxter herself would approve of.)
Running with a fashion direction of classic glitz and glam, Mirojnick zeroed in on a regal reference that her ensemble could really take shape from. “My inspiration was classic Princess Di, with a modern twist,” says Mirojnick. She felt a sculptural black gown by Schiaparelli fit the bill. “I’m a huge fan of Daniel Roseberry. His unique brilliance sets my imagination on fire,” says Mirojnick. “My favorite detail, which gave me the twist I was looking for, was the addition of Schiaparelli accessories; The expressive gloves are new, coupled with a vintage Schiaparelli purse. The whole design sang in perfect harmony.”
So, there you have it. While costume designers may not have whole fashion and beauty teams behind them, their creativity and mood boards give any professional squad a run for their money. West put it best: “As Anaïs Nin said in her incredible 1930 diaries, ‘Everything you wear, everything you choose, reveals your inner riches—so wear only things you love.’ I try!”
