Inside the red carpet revolution

It’s been a devastatingly quiet few months for the red carpet. The historic SAG-AFTRA strike, which lasted 118 days and included actors  boycotting the promotion of their work through premieres and film festivals, saw the ceremony of the Hollywood machine grind to a halt.

Now the red carpet is back. But the break in programming has brought to light an industry changed, both in the way that the actors might publicise their work in the future, and in what they are wearing to do so. Gone are the usual black-tie codes of a well-fitting tux and a classic gown, making way for a new era of flamboyance, gender-neutral clothing and an increased presence of adventurous and unexpected labels.

Behind this are a clutch of celebrity stylists. “We are the major powerbrokers in the careers of the people we work with, because we help define their image and help build context within the world,” says Karla Welch, a Los Angeles-based stylist whose 20-year career has seen her work with Olivia Wilde, Gal Gadot and Hailey and Justin Bieber, both on and off the red carpet. Increasingly, stylists are called upon to dress their clients in everyday life as well as for events, and their direction has become a part of an overall “vision” for celebrity style. “When you have a client who lets you just go for it, you can really help steer the direction of their image outside their work,” says Welch. “It’s a mega business of dress and jewellery deals, but also how you’re seen out in the world.”

Welch has a gritty approach to red-carpet style: she’s put actor Sarah Paulson in dramatic two-pieces by Bottega Veneta and Louis Vuitton, Tracee Ellis Ross in a voluminous white suit by New York designer Willy Chavarria, and Irish actor Eve Hewson in Simone Rocha. She balks at some of the traditional conventions of celebrity styling, especially those arrangements where stars are contracted only to wear specific labels. “It’s fucking boring!” she says. “When brands align so exclusively with the talent, I think it’s such a disservice to everybody in the game. I don’t want to see the same designer on one girl the entire time.” 

A handful of stylists have completely upturned the conventions of how male stars dress

The most celebrated stylists today play with convention. For the press tour of Barbie, the Greta Gerwig-directed phenomenon, stylist Andrew Mukamal dressed Margot Robbie in a rotation of custom and vintage looks that played on incarnations of Barbie’s past, including a pale-pink corseted Vivienne Westwood gown, a swirly, retro-printed Pucci minidress and an embellished pink Moschino outfit with matching pillbox hat.

Law Roach is another stylist who has reshaped the way we think about celebrity dressing, expertly navigating Zendaya’s Louis Vuitton exclusive with custom and archival looks, while also dressing her in more outré outfits from Balmain or Collina Strada. Also Jahleel Weaver, Rihanna’s stylist since 2014, who, along with Mel Ottenberg, has helped to cement the musician as one of the red carpet’s edgiest dressers with looks that meld sportswear and high fashion – an aesthetic that has proliferated globally – celebrate more avant-garde designers and establish a new mode of pregnancy dressing.

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The most dramatic shift, however, has occurred in the arena of men’s red-carpet looks, where a handful of stylists have completely upturned the conventions of how modern film stars dress. Stylist Julie Ragolia made a splash earlier this year by putting Pedro Pascal in shorts and a long red coat by Valentino for the Met Gala and sheer knits for press junkets, while Ilaria Urbinati has made waves by dressing Donald Glover and Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan in bright-coloured tailoring and statement knitwear. London-based stylist Harry Lambert is another major figure, responsible for bringing androgynous flair to black-tie dressing through his work with Harry Styles and the actors Josh O’Connor and Eddie Redmayne. Such big statement looks have had a considerable influence: see also the appearance of Cillian Murphy, styled by Rose Forde, at the London premiere of Oppenheimer earlier this year in a transparent shirt by Saint Laurent.  

“Dressing celebrities for red carpets is more than a style statement – it’s a strategic and powerful tool that allows brands to resonate with the contemporary consumer,” says Alison Bringé, CMO of Launchmetrics, a software and data analytics company that quantifies the media impact of events for brands. “It ignites conversations, elevates awareness and leaves a lasting imprint on the cultural landscape.” This year’s Academy Awards generated $658.6mn in media-impact value, according to Launchmetrics, while Cannes Film Festival – which spans nearly two weeks in May – generated $1.3bn. 

Which is perhaps why red-carpet “moments” have usurped traditional avenues such as magazine covers or campaigns as the most valuable exposure. “For the brands, celebrity styling is now how they get their press, more so than a fashion week or a campaign,” says Kate Stirling, senior vice-president and co-head of WME Fashion Representation, a creative talent agency that represents many of the world’s top stylists. “A moment for these brands on the red carpet, or athletes doing a tunnel walk, can translate more into sales than a lot of the campaign work.”

But even this is in a state of flux, with many brands prioritising a candid picture on Instagram or a short clip on TikTok over a highly orchestrated look at an event. “Some of the biggest brands in the world right now would rather just get someone walking down the street or have someone post a selfie,” says Welch. “Some of the biggest influencers aren’t actors who are going to win an Oscar, they’re K-pop stars. So, of course we love the fantasy of [the red carpet]; I just don’t think that’s where all the importance is any more.” 

That doesn’t impact the sheer size or value of the celebrity styling industry, though, which is more expansive and lucrative than ever. “There are way more celebrity stylists today,” says Stirling, “and that plays into the popularity of celebrities and these moments on social media.” 

Kate Foley, who worked in magazines and buying before entering the world of celebrity styling in 2019, agrees that it’s highly competitive and complex compared with other aspects of the fashion industry. Together with her creative partner Alexandra Cronan she styles Mia Goth and Maisie Williams and has worked with Alexa Demie and Taylour Paige. “We started our company because we felt like we could have an interesting take on [celebrity styling],” says Foley, “that it doesn’t have to be traditional. We don’t really care about the boundaries and how things have been done historically.” The pair source a lot of vintage – they recently put Mia Goth in an archival John Galliano lace dress – as well as outfits that play with the proportions of the female form. 

Considering the impact of celebrity styling – analytics platform WeArisma puts the total media value of the industry in 2023 at $781mn – its chief agents sit as one of, if not the, most powerful players in fashion today. But while there’s a lot of money to be made, on the other side of the coin there are those smaller names trying to navigate what stylist Michael Miller calls a “Wild West” of poor pay and temperamental working conditions. The London-based stylist, who has worked with Jared Leto and Alfie Allen, co-founded the recently formed Celebrity Stylists Union in the hope of establishing “fair” minimum rates, transparency and deals that will encourage more long-standing relationships with clients. A similar group, Stylists United, is attempting to form in the United States. 

It’s a lot of weight for an industry that essentially trades in exposure. And all eyes are on the next awards season run, where actors and brands will be hoping to make up for lost time – and money. Given that some of the favourites for nominations are already among some of today’s more interesting dressers, and that there’s more at stake than ever, the red carpet is set to be a spectacle.