“I feel it’s my favorite gown I’ve ever worn,” gushes Carey Mulligan over the cellphone from LA, two days forward of the Oscars. She’s speaking concerning the archival Balenciaga robe, relationship again to 1951, that the French trend home has recreated for the 96th Academy Awards, the place she’s nominated for Greatest Actress for her highly effective efficiency as Felicia Montealegre Bernstein–actor and spouse of conductor Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper)–in Maestro.
The strapless robe, which is cinched in on the waist and contains a dramatic white tulle practice, is an ideal alternative for Mulligan, whose understatedly elegant type has made her probably the greatest dressed on the pink carpet this awards season. “It’s probably the most unbelievable form and so basic, however feels actually trendy,” she says of the gown. “It simply feels wonderful to put on, and never constrictive; I’m not going to be sitting there holding my breath for 3 hours.”
In addition to being aligned with the British actor’s private type, the unique gown additionally occurs to be from the exact same yr that Felicia and Leonard received married – making it a becoming tribute to the outstanding lady she performs on display screen. “Andrew Mukamal, my stylist, discovered this reference and confirmed it to [Balenciaga]. We had been simply so thrilled they wished to do it,” Mulligan explains, including that that is the primary time that Balenciaga had remade a glance from its archives for the pink carpet. The actor additionally wore classic recreations from Schiaparelli and Dior on the Golden Globes and BAFTAs respectively, describing it as “such a privilege” to work with these manufacturers to convey the designs again to life.
For Oscars night time, Mulligan is including to the sense of Outdated Hollywood glamour with black opera gloves and Boucheron jewels, whereas on the wonder entrance, she is popping to trusted hairstylist Jenny Cho and make-up artist Nina Park, who will create a pared-back look utilizing Lancôme merchandise. “[They make me] really feel simply so like myself, however the very best model of myself who has been labored on by professionals for hours,” the actor says of her glam crew.
After lately telling British Vogue that occurring the pink carpet is like getting into Physician Who’s Tardis (“Most days I’m simply me… After which each every so often I step right into a magic cellphone field, and –whoosh–I come out the opposite facet in a designer robe and there are lights flashing in every single place”), the actor finds awards ceremonies “extra enjoyable [than] nerve-wracking” these days, as a result of “this a part of job is such a distinct world.”
Living proof: Mulligan can be arriving on the Dolby Theatre in a “huge social gathering van” with all her buddies (“I’m going to be standing in order that the gown doesn’t get creased”). On the playlist? “Solely the hits, nothing cool,” she says.
It’ll be a really totally different expertise to Mulligan’s final Oscars look in 2021, the primary one after the Covid-19 pandemic started, when solely her husband, Marcus Mumford, was allowed to accompany her on the pink carpet. “[He] was answerable for every little thing: he had to ensure the gown was laid out properly; he was texting my hair and make-up crew. He was extremely pressured,” she laughs.
After the ceremony, Mulligan will change right into a yet-to-be-decided after-party look, in order that she will be able to “sit and eat, and never fear about getting ketchup on myself,” and keep away from anybody spilling wine on that stunning white practice (“I might homicide them!” she jokes.) And after that? “I’m formally unemployed as of 11 March, so I’ll fly house and return to the varsity run for some time,” the actor replies. “It’s going to be very nice to bunker down and revel in a little bit of downtime.”
