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As the Emmys prepare to roll out the first virtual red carpet on Sunday night, nominees and presenters are reinventing what it means to dress for a grand awards show from the comfort of their own living rooms, with or without the help of a famous stylist.
“Come as you are, but make an effort!” was the dress code outlined in a letter from the show’s host, Jimmy Kimmel, and the executive producers immediately after this year’s nominations, and one that stylists like Chloe Hartstein, who is dressing “Glow” star Betty Gilpin, they have been taken seriously.
“It feels good to be in a creative space again,” says Hartstein, who began discussing options with his client as soon as the nominations were announced earlier this summer.
“We’re being super open about it, and I think everyone feels in a certain way, excited to get dressed again, I think, just because we’ve all been in hoodies and T-shirts for the last six months.” adds Hartstein, whose conversations about Emmy looks with Gilpin, who is nominated for best supporting actress in a comedy series, ranged from the political to the glamorous. Over time, they got a Zoom-appropriate waist-up look that’s “casual and attention-grabbing,” he says.
Jill Lincoln and Jordan Johnson, the styling team behind Rachel Brosnahan, once again nominated for her role in Amazon Prime’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” also took the opportunity to think outside of the box with their client, who was highlighted last year. carpet with an asymmetric navy blue sequin dress from Eli Saab Haute Couture.
“We have a lot of fun with this because every year, it’s like the same hat, trying to reinvent the wheel. This year we have to be really fun with him, ”Johnson explains of Brosnahan’s loungewear-inspired look, a theme other nominees are expected to embrace as well. “We also go a little more playful with the jewelry, and there is also a philanthropic element,” says Lincoln.
“We’ve had a lot of requests from stylists across the board for dressing,” agrees designer Morgan Lane, whose eponymous luxury nightwear brand is loved by the likes of Laura Dern, Harry Styles and the Kardashians, and who envisions the new Emmys dress code for having a lasting impact on red carpet fashion. “I think the shift toward accepting luxury loungewear as an option outside of the pandemic is inevitable, as our style has become increasingly casual over the years,” adds Lane, noting that her brand you are experiencing the biggest ecommerce sales ever had for this time of year.
Meanwhile, unlike in years past, when working with a stylist for awards shows was standard practice, many nominees choose to dress themselves. “Of the nine nominee guys that I work with fairly regularly, only two of them, and one of them is new, they want to make some adjustments,” says stylist Michael Fisher, who works with nominees Nicholas Braun, and Ramy Youssef, a new customer. “A lot of the actors want to take it easy, maybe not so seriously. Everyone has different levels of what they are comfortable with and what they want to deal with right now. I think a lot of guys just said, I can wear this from my closet.
“We don’t have to make an adjustment, we don’t have to risk anyone being exposed to COVID. It’s very different from a regular awards season. “
Braun, who earned his first Emmy nomination for his supporting actor role in HBO’s “Succession,” settled on a more traditional tux (“with a fun twist,” says Fisher), while Youssef, who will approach ceremony from her backyard, “I wanted to go more casual, something more authentic than it is,” notes the New York-based stylist.
But regardless of the dress code, it’s a long-awaited win for brands seeking opportunities to collaborate with stylists and talent after a pandemic-induced red carpet drought. “As soon as the nominations came out, I got emails from brands saying, ‘We’re here to help you, we’re open,’ says Fisher. Hartstein adds: “Brands are happy to support us and happy to support talent because that’s how they work, no matter what the situation in the world.”
And there is also a silver lining for stylists and talent. “Nobody has to go on a diet. You don’t have to worry about the zippers breaking, ”Lincoln jokes.
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