Haute Couture: The defining moments on the red carpet

Natasha Gan

30 May 2015

updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:03

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Nicole Kidman in Christian Dior (John Galliano)
Back in 1997, Aussie actress Nicole Kidman, then Mrs. Cruise, wore the famous Christian Dior chartreuse column dress with intricate embroideries and a high slit. Designed by John Galliano, the dress marked the designer's debut into the fashion house and heralded a series of Haute Couture dresses on the red carpet.
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Cate Blanchett in Giles
Designer Giles Deacon revealed that his Fall 2015 gown Cate Blanchett wore to the 68th Cannes Film Festival took 15 metres of silk and five days of painstaking Haute Couture to realize. The designer also told Elle UK that he drew inspiration from the botanical garden, describing the dress as 'peaceful and quite romantic’ with 'a sinister aspect at certain times of light and night.' In other words, when Cate Blanchett appeared in the darkly romantic gown, sweeping red carpet with the dress' 30 cm-train, she was an exquisite vision.
Photo: SIPA
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Rihanna in Guo Pei
The other red carpet phenomena of the year (thus far) would be none other than Rihanna's regal yellow gown at the Met Gala. Believe it or not, the actress discovered the Haute Couture dress online! Dubbed the Magnificent Gold, the dress was handmade by one Chinese couturier, Guo Pei, and it took her two laborious years. The spotlight falls on the lavish floor-sweeping train, which Rihanna had trouble walking in. It features floral embroideries along the hemlines, and all around it. Perhaps after Riri's memorable appearance in Guo Pei, the designer can finally cement her name in the Western fashion scene as she brings the Chinese splendour into the limelight.
Photo: SIPA
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Halle Berry in Elie Saab
As one of the highest paid actresses of 2000, it wasn't an option for Halle Berry to dress less-than-impressive. She took a risk by wearing a burgundy mesh gown by Elie Saab, which showed and flattered her best parts. Her choice was risky, considering see-through wasn't the trend back then, but she fared well nonetheless. That night, at the 2002 Academy Awards, Berry won her first Oscar while Elie Saab achieved his couturier star status.

Nicole Kidman in Christian Dior (John Galliano)

Find out the stories behind these Haute Couture masterpieces, including Rihanna’s yellow gown at the MET Gala and Cate Blanchett’s dreamy Cannes dress.

As time goes by, fashion becomes increasingly glamorous and celeb styles all the more praise-worthy. In the mid of all this, what remains constant is the sartorial beauty of Haute Couture. Hand-sewn with painstaking attention to detail, from start to finish, couture works are laborious, yet gloriously exquisite.

One of the early instances of Haute Couture on the red carpet is Nicole Kidman and her chartreuse Christian Dior gown at the 1997 Oscars ceremony. The Australian actress heralded the trend for A-listers to wear haute couture gowns on prestigious entertainment events.

More recently, it was love at first sight between Cate Blanchett and the Giles gown she wore to the Cannes Film Festival . The actress had initially planned to wear Armani, but the hypnotizing prints, merry ruches, and the gown’s splendour in general were enough to captivate Blanchett and change her mind.

Meanwhile, Rihanna couldn’t have chosen a better event than this year’s Met Gala, themed “China: Through the Looking Glass”, to wear the 25-kg golden cape by Chinese couturier Guo Pei. Just like Blanchett, Rihanna fell in love with the majesty of the dress the first time she laid eyes on it… through the computer screen!

If you haven’t already, give our gallery a quick peek to see the four lavish dresses and their significance in Haute Couture’s defining moments.

Natasha Gan

Photo: SIPA

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Haute Couture: The defining moments on the red carpet

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