Stars are like the rest of us. They make mistakes with their wardrobe; They experiment with personal expression and sometimes send a message through what they wear.
But unlike us, they do it on a global stage: the red carpet.
And in 2022, celebrities made sure there was no shortage of viral fashion moments.
Dress codes were ripped and skin aplenty exposed, as evidenced by Lily James’ shiny, toned legs in her bronze Versace gown at the Emmys — not to mention the hodgepodge of panties that flashed throughout the year (yes, Jennifer Lawrence and Dakota Johnson, we mean you). But it was above all the sheer class that drew admiration in 2022.
Lily James stunned in a bronze Versace gown at the 2022 Emmy Awards following her role as Pamela Anderson in Pam & Tommy
Jenna Coleman wore a statement one-shoulder floral dress with a large black bow on the strap to attend the launch dinner for A Magazine
Simone Ashley donned a bright purple plunging mini dress for a BAFTAs atfer party
Laura Carmichael attended the British Fashion Awards 2022 in a black velvet dress with cut out details
It was all thanks to British stylist Rebecca Corbin-Murray (pictured). Baring the flesh is a big theme among her tribe
Take Elizabeth Debicki’s classic black haute couture Dior dress that she wore to the Season 5 premiere of The Crown. Elegance personified that drew as much attention as the more eye-catching looks of others.
How do celebrities decide on their personal style formula? Often they don’t — but an increasingly influential group of celebrity stylists do. Every A-lister worth their salt has a stylist, who in turn has the world’s best designers on speed dial.
In the past year in particular, stylists have been attracting their own celebrity stalwarts. And once you know who’s behind each red carpet look, you can start figuring out which celebrities belong to each stylist’s tribe.
Take Florence Pugh, whose sheer fuchsia gown worn to Valentino’s haute couture fall/winter show in Rome caused a media storm and a defiant response from Pugh: “All because of two cute nipples.”
That was all thanks to British stylist Rebecca Corbin-Murray. Baring the flesh is a big theme in their tribe, as evidenced by both Pugh and Lily James.
Inspirational, empowering, and feminine, her Britpack of celebrities — which also include Laura Carmichael, Jenna Coleman, and Gabriella Wilde — tends to favor ruffles. Often her looks have a nod to a 1950s silhouette, with a bare midriff and cropped top.
Cate Blanchett looked glamorous on the red carpet at the Tár premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in a black velvet jumpsuit with ornate floral trimmings
Julia Roberts wowed in a pink plunging dress at the Los Angeles premiere of Ticket to Paradise
Jessica Chastain wore a mermaid-inspired green dress with ruffle details to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party
Viola Davis looked chic in a lime green suit at Kering’s Women in Motion dinner during the Cannes Film Festival
A-list superstylist Elizabeth Stewart, pictured in California, is known for classic, tailored looks
Perhaps Cate Blanchett, looking like a gorgeous offering of flowers at the Venice Film Festival, made you smile this year.
Styled by A-list superstylist Elizabeth Stewart – who also dresses Julia Roberts and Jessica Chastain – Blanchett stunned in a black velvet corset by Schiaparelli embroidered with a mass of gorgeous, multicolored, hand-painted flowers.
The outfit had the classic tailored look that Stewart is known for but with a playful, chic, colorful twist.
You’ve almost certainly seen a group of Hollywood queens who look cool and classy but never seem like they’re trying too hard: Sienna Miller, Rachel Weisz, Sophie Turner, Dakota Johnson. How do you do that? It’s thanks to Kate Young, another A-list stylist whose vibe is sleek but edgy and, yes, sometimes panty-flashing — because Young was Dakota Johnson’s sizzling Gucci number at last year’s Met Gala and Jennifer Lawrence’s first post-baby appearance oversaw I Wear Sheer Haute Couture by Dior.
Young also dresses Margot Robbie, who she used at the Governors Ball after the Oscars in a fabulous cutaway slinky green number by Bottega Veneta.
Dakota Johnson stunned in a sheer black Gucci jumpsuit at the 2022 Met Gala
Jennifer Lawrence was a vision of elegance in a sheer black dress at the Causeway premiere during the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival
Margot Robbie made a stunning entrance in a green satin dress at the 13th Annual Governors Awards at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles
Sienna Miller wore a strapless black mini dress with gold buttons to the world premiere of Anatomy of a Scandal
It’s up to Kate Young (pictured), another A-list stylist whose vibe is sleek but edgy and, yes, panty-flashing at times
The fresh twist on classic chic that Euphoria star Zendaya wore to the Oscars, and which I adored, was credited to her stylist—or “image architect,” as he’s fondly called—Law Roach. He also dresses Emma Watson, Ariana Grande and Kerry Washington, who also shimmer in sparkles and cleavage backs.
In 2022, however, it wasn’t all left field. Alongside the chic look of The Crown’s Elizabeth Debicki, actress Julia Garner drew admiration with her covetable Prada mini. Both work with London-based American stylist Elizabeth Saltzman, whose other clients include Gwyneth Paltrow and Jodie Comer.
Thanks to their stylists, celebrities have become models presenting the latest trends. The red carpet is no longer just about promoting a movie or an event — it’s effectively a full-fledged runway show, and a lucrative one at that.
Because this exquisite tailoring and these attention-grabbing statements are big business. The stylists help film studios show how popular and bankable their stars are – and attract the attention of major fashion and beauty brands by waving lucrative deals.
Elizabeth Debicki was the picture of sophistication at the season five premiere of The Crown in a classic black haute couture dress by Dior
Julia Garner drew admiration in a mini dress by Prada on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Jodie Comer wore a classic plunging tuxedo-inspired dress to the BAFTA Television Awards at London’s Royal Festival Hall
London-based American stylist Elizabeth Saltzman (pictured) also works with Gwyneth Paltrow
The stylist/star relationship has evolved into a collaboration that can be extremely rewarding for everyone involved. And it wasn’t just women – Harry Styles, for example, who is styled by Britain’s Harry Lambert – who outshone all of his competitors at the Venice Film Festival with big collars, oddly knotted ties and head-to-toe Gucci.
Of course, much of this change reflects the growing influence of social media. In the age of Instagram, how superstylists work with celebrity clients has become far more important. Not only the clothes of the stars count – because they are no longer just mannequins for the big fashion houses.
Today it’s much more about what the clothes they wear say about them as individuals. About her “appearance”. And as a former Vogue editor, I enjoy that, for example. I think the best thing about the red carpet of 2022 was the surge of individuality.
The younger stars were at the forefront, of course, but more established names were also starting to follow the trend. Would Cate Blanchett have been so playful with this top full of blossoms if she hadn’t discovered the playfulness of the younger generation?
There will no doubt be more rule violations this year. Inspired by Harry Styles’ feather boas, for example, and Rihanna’s fearless approach to tearing up the rules of maternity wear, I predict we’ll see others defy red carpet tradition.
Whether it was bare butt or creating a cornucopia of color, 2022 was jam-packed with entertainment. So by the time 2023 hits that, it’ll have its work cut out.