Not Sequins, Not Silk—This Unexpected Oscars Red-Carpet Trend Came Straight from the Runways

Aside from the Met Gala, the Oscars is the biggest night in the calendar for red carpet fashion fans. Along with the rest of the world, Who What Wear editors eagerly gather around our laptops waiting to see who won what, but equally as important, who wore what. We had our predictions—Elle Fanning in something ethereal, Anne Hathaway in something slinky and directional, Gwyneth Paltrow in something minimalist and sleek; but this year we were treated to some truly stand out looks that even we didn't see coming.

Some of our favourites? Kate Hudson in Armani Privé, Jessie Buckley's two-tone custom Chanel, and Mia Goth's romantic, ruffled Dior (almost a nod to her turn in Best Picture nominated Frankenstein), but what really caught our eye was the abundance of one unexpected trend in particular—feathers.

No, they may not be new to the red carpet, and in fact the 2026 Golden Globes was all about ruffling feathers as Charli XCX wore black ostrich feathers, Odessa Zi'on opted for a black Dolce and Gabanna feather stole, and Selena Gomez sported a velvet column gown blooming with a bust of white ‘flowers’ made from feathers. But as the latter proved, Matthieu Blazy's Chanel was the inspiration behind many of awards season's best looks, and feathers just so happen to be the key component.

Let's start with the newly crowned queen of the red carpet, Teyana Taylor. Before slipping into a simple white gown for the afterparty, her Chanel ceremony look tops the best dressed list for the jaw dropping use of thousands of tiny black and white feathers to create a tiered skirt and train. Or, perhaps you preferred Nicole Kidman's nude column gown, comprising of a feathered corset and simple slip skirt that descended into a feathered hem. Either way, both were custom creations by Blazy who really deserved the award for most looks on the red carpet, hands down.

And we cannot, of course, discuss feathers on the Oscars' red carpet without mentioning Demi Moore. In one of the most memorable looks of the night, Moore's custom Gucci was a reminder that the Oscars is all about dresses that will go down in fashion history. Styled by Brad Goreski and finished with Boucheron jewellery, her ombré green gown was an abundance of black and green feathers that were almost peacock iridescent. Could these looks be a sure sign that the red carpet is moving away for understated minimalism? Should we all be invested in feathered pieces for evening wear? And just how many feathers were left strewn around the venue? Important questions to keep in mind for the next big awards shows: the Television BAFTAs, the TONYs and finally the Emmys in July.

More of the Feather Trend at the 2026 Oscars

Demi Moore and Nicole Kidman wear Gucci and Chanel feather gowns respectively at the 2026 Oscars.

Maya Rudolph wears a black feathered embellished gown at the 2026 Oscars.

Vicky Krieps wears a Bottega Veneta halterneck feather gown to the 2026 Oscars.