The Silent Runway: Navigating Red Carpet Fashion in Post-Strike Hollywood
By Fashion Editor Lucrecia Luna Smee
The red carpet, a hallowed runway where Hollywood fashion reigns supreme, has been a beacon of glamour for years. It has fashion enthusiasts worldwide perched on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting snapshots of their favourite stars, immortalised in the glitz and glamour of awards season. Yet, a seismic shift occurred when the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) called for strikes, bringing the dazzling red carpets to an unexpected standstill.
SAG-AFTRA and the WGA both went on strike in the summer of last year, news that shook the world. They were picketing for fairer and liveable pay, respectable residuals for past work and better working conditions among many many other things. One of the conditions for the SAG members was they could not partake in any promotional material or events of their upcoming projects for the duration of the strike. This meant no interviews, no premieres, no photoshoots, no social media posts, and no red-carpet appearances. Stylists everywhere were forced to keep looks prepped months ahead for different A-list clients firmly on their racks or returned to the fashion houses they had pulled from.
The WGA began their strike in early May, ending in September, and SAG followed suit in early July, and saw their strike through till November. Many non-union and international performers also acted in solidarity and joined the picket—and were limited to the same restrictions. This meant thousands of celebrities (SAG-AFTRA has over 160,000 members) were no longer appearing in the public eye for any sort of event that could even be considered promotional without an explicit pardon from Guild directors (independent studios A24 and Neon both received waivers from the SAG-AFTRA as they agreed to abide by every single request being made, so actors for their projects were welcome to promote as normal). So, with these restrictions on union members what happened to red carpet events? To the glamourous shots and best dressed lists? Well, mainly, it simply meant there weren’t any—or at the very least there were much fewer. Some went ahead without union stars, or stars that simply aren’t involved in this specific strain of entertainment—but many of the Hollywood heavyweights in fashion could not be seen. In a very notable and now notorious example, Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy along with their Oppenheimer co-stars quite literally abandoned the carpet at the film’s premier on the day the strike was called.
For stylists, makeup, and hair stylists and many other ‘glam squad’ professionals this was bad news, akin to another pandemic. There were racks on racks of looks prepared for clients that now would possibly never be seen and or at best could be thought of as dated and out of season by the time they see the limelight. As fashion trends and expectations evolved, they were at a standstill. Elizabeth Stewart, dresser to stars such as Jessica Chastain, Julia Roberts and Viola Davis told Vogue.com, ‘I was in the midst of preparing for clients who were scheduled to be at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals… My clients weren’t working, so I wasn’t working. But it was a pivotal moment for our industry, and extremely important that my clients take part.’ The solidarity between industry people was staunch but came with its financial losses for many.
The SAG-AFTRA strike ended up lasting a grand total of 118 days—which meant over five months of unpaid work for stylists, glam squads, and the stars that they dress. ‘The summer was terrible, because it was suddenly dead, but I had no idea how long it would last,’ says Ilaria Urbinati to Vogue.com, stylist to leading Hollywood gents Barry Keoghan and Dwayne Johnson. Karla Welch, known for styling America Ferrera, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Greta Gerwig, also commented on the precariousness of the period: ‘It was a real waiting game on when to prep, when to not prep.’ As a result, many stylists focused on other sources of income, such as working alongside fashion brands.
Now we look to the recent red carpets to see how I believe the atmosphere has changed. There, in my opinion, has been a boom in celebrity effort and now we are seeing celebrities and stylists alike make the most of their opportunity to shine. As a case study, let's have a look at the recent Emmy Awards (which are technically the delayed 2023 Emmy’s) and some of my favourite looks to have graced its red…grey carpet.
Jessica Chastain in custom Gucci, jewellery by Neza.
Chastain stunned in this fringed gown, the chartreuse colour is a bold choice - dangerous against fair skin, I have learned the hard way - and if compared to her past jewel toned and pastel red carpet signatures, it's a bold departure that paid off massively in her favour.
Photo from Neilson Barnard - Getty Images
Ayo Edebiri in Dior Couture and Brilliant Earth Jewellery.
Ireland’s own Ayo Edebiri gave us classic beauty in this meticulously tailored Dior dress. A structured but simple look was effective in drawing the eye and even though it shared a colour with the carpet’s backdrop—Ayo kept all the focus. The actress took home the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and blessed the stage (and Cork, with the shoutout) while accepting.
Photo from Gilbert Flores - Getty Images
Ariana DeBose in custom Brunello Cucinelli with an Omega watch and De Beers jewellery.
One of my favourite looks of the night, DeBose lit up the carpet as the light hit her bedazzled blazer. An example of oversized done correctly, the blazer gives her structure and shape, adding a sophistication to the look and a ‘here for business’ feel. The long-trained silk skirt added an element of high-glamour to the look that gives a harmony to it all. In my mind, queen of the power suit, this was a great look for Debose.
Just like Angela Bassett, she did the thing.
Hannah Waddingham In custom Marchesa with Nina shoes and Marchesa jewellery.
My #1 Look of the night, Hannah Waddingham and stylist James Yardley wanted everyone to know exactly who she is - that girl!
The pale green against her skin, the beading on the dress, the fit, and the tulle train all combine to make one thing: PERFECTION!
As beautiful as she is talented, Waddingham is always a favourite of mine on the red carpet.
Photo from Max Mumby - Getty Images
So many celebrities showed up and showed out to the Emmys and the show is truly back on when it comes to the red carpet.
The strike was an unexpected silent storm through Hollywood’s fashion landscape, and many are unaware of its effect on the industry. It forced the industry to adapt and prompted stylists to redefine their roles beyond the red carpet. As the Hollywood fashion realm inches towards normalcy, the resilience of the glam squads serves as a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who navigate the unseen runways of post-strike Hollywood. Remember, you’re nothing without a good stylist—even if that stylist is you.
