5 min readNew DelhiApr 4, 2022 07:30 PM IST
Beyond doubt, fashion has had a dry run through two years of the pandemic. In between, celebrities, too, have lost out on one of the key tools of their image projection. So it was expected that both the Oscars and Grammys, which have returned to their almost normal avatars, would set the grammar of a post-pandemic social calendar. What emerged though was individual expression, which was held back by a mask discipline of the last two years, and a playful indulgence after a prolonged period of denial.
In terms of colour themes, the conventional black and white ruled with a generous return of pink and other colours featuring as camera pops. Significantly, the black ensembles largely kept to the classical discipline with twists and turns that stayed within limits. Lady Gaga, who has been outrageously edgy in her public appearances so far, was elegance personified as she wrapped herself up in a black Armani gown with a bellowing white train and a Tiffany diamond wreath around her neck as the only embellishment.
Olivia Rodrigo, who snapped up three top honours, went for a contoured black Vivienne Westwood gown, complete with a choker and long gloves, apt for an old world night at the opera. But it was the pink highlights on her gown, which actually accented her form, and the choker that showed how even the young could carry off tradition with modernity and originality.
Dua Lipa went for a sheer, gold-shackled Versace bondage dress for a throwback effect but the leather-strapped bustier effect tapered out into a classical gown, softening the dominatrix look to that of an enchantress. Billie Eilish opted for a black suit jacket that was shaped like a cape to gel with her Vegas look of elaborate hair and square sunglasses. Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile revived the conventional black trousers, embellishing them with a crystal-embossed jacket.
But it took Lenny Kravitz to rescue the rockstar power of black all over again, driving home the point with a potent combination of silver mesh tank top, leather pants and knee-high black boots.
Double-nominee Saweetie daringly broke her hot pink number into two separate pieces with her blonde pixie cut and diamond choker breaking the monotony. Chrissy Teigen and St Vincent relied on the tried and the tested experiment, expressing themselves through pink ruffles.
The men who went bold with pink included Travis Barker, who turned up in a robe. Billy Porter donned a ruffled piece from Valentino’s Fall-Winter 2022 collection, setting in no uncertain terms the season’s colour regardless of gender and preferences.
Perhaps in keeping with the Vegas theme, there was a lot of bling and disco-era shimmer on display. Tiffany Haddish wrapped herself up in a golden Prada-sequinned dress with Lil Nas bringing back the studded and encrusted suits as a stage favourite. Giveon effortlessly reinterpreted a black tweed Chanel suit that added drama with pink buttons and layers of bling. But it took SZA to give full play to spring splendour with a corseted tulle piece done up with elaborate silk flowers and a gossamer trail.
Surprisingly, it was the younger cult heroes who stayed within the grammar. The hugely popular BTS members went for Louis Vuitton suits, traversing the spectrum between grey and black, while Justin Bieber donned an oversized suit, adding a dash of flair by wearing a pink beanie. Perhaps, they will revive classicism going forward.
Of course, there was an array of hats, hair colour and bright nails, the over the top yellow, orange and purple outfits, animal prints and spiked jumpsuits. But then what’s backstage without a bit of a costume drama? The adventurism was limited to sporadic colour bursts, bling and a retro pantomime vibe but in the end, it was more about individual expression and reclaiming the personal space than setting a trend.
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