Feathers took flight on the red carpet at the 98th Academy Awards, where celebrities embraced airy embellishments reminiscent of Old Hollywood glamour.
One of the presenters of the night, Nicole Kidman wore a strapless, column-style gown designed by Matthieu Blazy for Chanel with a soft band of pale blush feathers that formed a peplum-like layer. Below, the skirt continued in a nude-toned fabric with feather appliqués that became more prominent toward the hem. The actress, who was styled by Jason Bolden, wasn’t the only A-lister embracing the trend on Sunday’s red carpet.
Nicole Kidman
JC Olivera/WWD
Highlighting Demna’s era as the artistic director of Gucci, Demi Moore wore a custom gown he designed, featuring a plume of long black feathers at the bodice that transitioned to glossy green feathers at the cinched waist. The structured feather placement created a look reminiscent of exotic birds.
Demi Moore
Lexie Moreland
Keeping up with the feathery theme was Teyana Taylor. The star of “One Battle After Another” wore a black sequined dress by Chanel, with a sheer bodice that transitioned into dense featherwork at the hem, forming a fitted mermaid-style skirt.
Teyana Taylor
Lexie Moreland/WWD
Wearing a custom Dior white dress, Priyanka Chopra Jonas also joined the trend, with her gown featuring soft white feathers and scattered beadwork along the hem.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Lexie Moreland/WWD
Feathers have been fluttering down the Oscars red carpet since the beginning of the award ceremony. The embellishments are among the signature elements of what’s now known as Old Hollywood style, which draws inspiration from the theatrical costumes of classic 1930s films.
Over the decades, designers like Bob Mackie have used plumes as architectural elements rather than mere decoration, as seen in Cher’s 1986 appearance at the awards ceremony. In 2001, feathers crossed from glamorous to camp with Björk’s infamous swan dress by Marjan Pejoski, which wrapped a white-feathered “bird” around her neck and trailed down into a tulle‑and‑plume skirt.
Cher in Bob Mackie at the 1986 Oscars.
Bettmann Archive
The 2026 Academy Awards honor the best films of 2025 from “One Battle After Another” to “Hamnet” and more. Hosted by Conan O’Brien, who returns for a second consecutive year as master of ceremonies, the awards show takes place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. “Sinners” leads the night’s nominations, with a record-setting 16 nods including Best Picture. The 2026 Oscars air Sunday night at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and Hulu.