The Oscars red carpet: sequins so as not to offend power

The red carpet at this year's Oscars passed without incident or surprises. Hollywood, once again, did its traditional job of turning a blind eye to the world's problems and allowing us to forget for a few hours that the planet is falling apart. A missed opportunity to use such a powerful platform to stir consciences or, at least, slightly unsettle the established order.

The outfits on display also seemed to ignore all the fractures of the present—social, migratory, gender-related—and opted for flawless spectacle. Glitter, sequins, and diamonds were used to emit a light so blinding that it was difficult to look directly at the world and see clearly. A blindness that, in fact, is exactly what the Academy wanted and what least bothers the Trump administration.

Women who look like women, but in their most saccharine version: corseted waists, vertiginous heels, fairytale volumes, and the air of a contemporary princess. However, it's undeniable that there have been some stunning outfits, like those worn by Demi Moore, Teyana Taylor, Barbie Ferreira, and Audrey Nuna. A spectacular display that, at the same time, made it clear there was no room for iconic and disruptive moments like the one Björk starred in with her famous swan dress (still unsurpassed today) at the 2001 Oscars ceremony.

And the men, discreet and impeccable as usual. Not even the nominee (and non-winner) Timothée Chalamet—who has accustomed us to bolder styles in terms of protocols and gender stereotypes—escaped the tailored suit, this time in white. A set of norms that seems especially consistent with the mockery he himself leveled at ballet and opera just a few days ago. In the end, more than a deconstructed man, Chalamet seems to have confirmed that he is a gentleman of the old school: one of those who dresses from the feet up.

If politics appeared during the gala, it did so mainly in the form of jokes, just as, in terms of fashion, any statement was reduced to a small lapel accessory. A minimal, almost ornamental presence, considering that we are living through one of the periods of greatest political and social tension in recent years. Perhaps that is why, more than a red carpet, the 2026 Oscars carpet seemed like a perfectly varnished surface: shiny enough to reflect Hollywood glamour, but too polished to reveal any cracks.