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For journalist and co-founder of Milk Makeup, Zanna Roberts Rassi, there were too many good looks on the 2026 Oscars red carpet to count. “So many standout looks for me,” Roberts Rassi said.
One of Roberts Rassi’s favorites was Sentimental Value star Renate Reinsve’s red Louis Vuitton dress. “It’s a fashion girl's dress,” Roberts Rassi said. “When you saw it just wrap around her body, this one piece of red fabric, I'm inspired.”
Article continues belowOn the latest episode of The Who What Wear Podcast, Roberts Rassi breaks down some of her favorite fashion and beauty looks from the night, which designer made the biggest impact this awards season, and more. To read excerpts from their conversation, scroll below.
I want to talk about some of the looks. What were some of the standout looks for you?
So many standout looks for me. Some of my favorites without doubt last night, let's start with Renate [Reinsve.] What a smoke show. Literally, my pulse raised when I saw this amazing Louis Vuitton red dress.
Karla Welch actually told me that morning she was like, “Xana, it’s the simplest thing you’re ever gonna see.” It’s a fashion girl's dress. When you saw it just wrap around her body, this one piece of red fabric, I'm inspired. It wasn’t a classic Oscars look, but for me, it was by far one of the best dressed.
Emma Stone. That’s the dress I want to be buried in, I think. Or if I ever got married again (not that I’m planning on it, dear husband), it will be the one.
It shimmered in just the right way. It looks so casual and effortless, but there was literally, I don’t know, 600 hours of work that went into that beautiful little cat sleeve.
The other one that I got excited about was Teyana Taylor, who I feel like has had the most fun for this awards season.
She has had this incredible run, and we’ve seen her do absolutely everything. She has been fashion’s overachiever. She was what Coleman Domingo was to us last season. She’s just gone at it, won every fashion battle, one fashion battle after another.
Last night was the perfect combination of all of the events. It was kind of tame for Teyana [Taylor]. I suppose it was Teyana [Taylor] doing Oscars. The Chanel number, the black-and-white beading, and then the feathers.
You are also the co-founder of Milk Makeup, so we have to talk about beauty, too. Was there anything that you really loved last night?
There was a couple of very Milk Makeup–esque skin moments. We’re all about less is more, less, but better. Your skin, but better. That glassy skin we saw quite a lot of. Emma Stone. She just looked like she had the whole Hydro Grip family on. She had that beautiful, glassy skin with that blurry lip.
Then you have Zoe Saldaña, who was another kind of Milk Makeup girlie with just that glassy skin, no-makeup makeup.
As you look back on this award season, what are some of the biggest trends that you notice, whether it’s silhouettes or colors or accessories or anything really?
I’d say overall silhouettes are sculptural. There’s a lot more sculptural. We’re seeing a lot more architecture. Red carpets have been leaning into these more powerful shapes and these dramatic silhouettes, rather than the safe gowns you mentioned before. Less of the mermaid, more of these cool shapes.
Louis Vuitton have led the charge with that with these futuristic shapes. You see Chase [Infiniti], you see Teyana Taylor. It’s been incredible.
I’m wondering if there was a designer, a brand, or a house that made the biggest impact, in your opinion, for this red carpet season? And who do you think is just warming up?
Zac Posen is just warming up. I think the fact that he hit this red carpet season so hard with some of the youngest stars in Hollywood.
Matthieu Blazy, of course. Chanel was so well represented and so fun to see in this new iteration. I mean the colors. We’ve never seen that kind of color. We’ve never seen this clover green that Rose [Bryne] wore, the orange that Teyana [Taylor] wore. It’s really exciting to see.
People run towards the house to dress for a red carpet event. Louis Vuitton, I mean, Nicolas [Ghesquière], you can’t go wrong. Just the futurism, the architecture, these incredible silhouettes, and they’re just unique.
We don’t see enough of them on carpets, and I’m just really excited to see more of it in the future.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.