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Is There Room on the Oscars Red Carpet for Emerging Designers?

A red carpet presence builds legitimacy, awareness and credibility — but as luxury giants spend big and independent designers watch their budgets closely in a challenging market, many are reworking their approaches to celebrity dressing.

Lady Gaga wears a dress by designer Samuel Lewis on the red carpet. — Lady Gaga wears a dress by designer Samuel Lewis on the red carpet. (Getty Images)

By

Joan Kennedy

28 February 2025

BoF PROFESSIONAL

Within a few years of its 2017 launch, New York-based ready-to-wear brand Markarian became a red carpet regular, its sparkling dresses were routinely seen on A-listers like Laura Dern, Kerry Washington and Blake Lively. At the time, red carpet was the cornerstone of the brand’s publicity strategy.

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Further Reading

Have We Hit Peak Red Carpet?

Luxury brands aren’t cutting back exactly, but the days of spending ever more of the budget on custom dresses and celebrity ambassador contracts may be coming to an end.

Louis Vuitton’s Shifting Celebrity Strategy

The French leather goods giant has found success with a focused approach to celebrity dressing. Now, it’s broadening its strategy to TikTok stars and Bollywood actresses.

What Makes a Red Carpet Moment in 2024

The race to dress fashion’s biggest stars has gotten tighter — and brands are deploying fresh, social media-friendly tactics to generate buzz.

About the author

Joan Kennedy

Joan Kennedy is Correspondent at The Business of Fashion. She is based in New York and covers beauty and marketing.

In This Article

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