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From Emma Stone to Priyanka Chopra, white gowns dominate Oscars 2026 red carpet
A calming palette of ivory, pearl-toned ensembles emerged as one of the evening’s most elegant style statements at Hollywood’s biggest night
- PUBLISHED: Mon 16 Mar 2026, 12:36 PM UPDATED: Mon 16 Mar 2026, 12:42 PM
Well, Pantone’s 2026 Colour of the Year wasn’t just on moodboards this awards season. With luminous, milky whites and soft, pearly neutrals dominating the 2026 Oscars red carpet, the night felt like a living, breathing take on the year’s 'Cloud Dancer' palette: calm and restorative.
Against a backdrop of jet‑black tuxedos and scarlet carpet, the women in white turned minimalism into a megawatt statement, swapping loud colour for subtle sheen, sculpted silhouettes and intricate texture.
Emma Stone
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Emma Stone set the tone in a shimmering white Louis Vuitton gown that looked like liquid light poured over the body.
Cut with an empire waist, cap sleeves and a modestly framed neckline, the front was clean and classic, while the dramatically low, open back delivered the drama.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Making her return to the Oscars stage after a decade, Priyanka Chopra Jonas once again turned to white, throwing it back to her memorable 2016 appearance.
This time, however, the actor chose a more architectural take on the shade, stepping out in a custom strapless gown by Dior, proving the shade can be as commanding as any primary colour.
Nicole Kidman
Though not the classic white, Nicole Kidman brought Pantone’s soft palette into blush territory in a feathered, ombré Chanel gown that moved from cream at the bodice to a rosy pink at the hem.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow, an Oscars‑style veteran, also chose to go ivory this awards season. Her custom silk gown came in a soft, candlelit shade of white, anchored by a strapless neckline.
Paired with yellow‑diamond jewellery, the look showed how a “safe” colour can still deliver a surprise element.
Elle Fanning
At the more romantic end of the spectrum, Elle Fanning transformed white into full‑on fairy‑tale fantasy.
Fanning’s strapless ballgown in layered white tulle, detailed with metallic petals, definitely felt like a Grace Kelly reference filtered through a more contemporary couture lens.
Mia Goth
Mia Goth offered one of the night’s most off‑beat white moments in a sleeveless gown dotted with florals and finished with a high‑low hem.
It had the ease of a slip dress and the silhouette of a garden party oufit, showing that white doesn’t have to always be "polished" to make a statement.
Not just women
Timothée Chalamet, meanwhile, made a strong case for all‑white tailoring on the men’s side.
The actor arrived in a head‑to‑toe white Givenchy look – with a sharp blazer, matching shirt and tie, slim trousers and white boots – turning what could've easily been read as 'minimalist' into a fashion moment that echoed the night’s obsession with light, luminous tones.
Why white felt so right in 2026
The surge of white on this year’s Oscars red carpet hardly felt accidental. Fashion, much like the cultural moment it reflects, has off-late been leaning towards palettes that feel calm yet confident and white, in all its nuanced shades, captures that mood perfectly.
