For Zoe Saldaña, the 2023 Oscars provided an opportunity to join the sustainability conversation and implement practices into her life — starting with the top red carpet.
Susie Amis Cameron RCGD Global Ambassador, the Academy’s Official Sustainability Partner and Award Presenter, Avatar: The Waterway star accessorized a Fall 2022 Fendi Couture mesh and lace-paneled slip-gown with vintage Cartier jewelry.
“I love the idea of loving beautiful pieces with a story. For me, there’s beauty in the doable and the simple,” says Saldana. The Hollywood ReporterGleaming 18K white gold and diamond pendant ear clips and cultured pearl and diamond statement ring. (Her Pluie de Cartier Arabesque necklace is inspired by wine.)
Saldaña carried a Tyler Ellis Lee Puchette envelope clutch.
Petra Flannery
Saldaña also carried a Tyler Ellis Lee Puchette envelope clutch made by indigenous and mostly female artisans at a family-owned factory in Italy. The bag is made from PFC-free satin and ethical leather. “What I find really relatable is that sustainability inspires us to ask a few more questions, to look a little deeper, and to go beyond the aesthetic,” she added.
Fabelmans‘ Chloe East and kind of co-star Bailey Bass joins Saldana as an ambassador this year.
“Everyone has a different message,” says RCGD Global CEO Samata Pattinson, who wrote the Oscars’ Sustainable Red Carpet Fashion Guide. East wanted to resonate with her Gen Z audience, “in a way that’s relatable and doesn’t sound judgmental,” Pattinson explained. For a sweetheart neckline and drop-waist dress, Monique Lhuillier used leftover fabric from an archive dress and combined sustainability-sourced and TENCEL Luxe into a back bow-flower.
“Zac Posen basically came out of retirement,” says Pattinson, to customize Bass’s Old Hollywood-referenced lantern-sleeve dress. “It was a biodegradable TENCEL fabric in creamy ivory: a non-toxic, clean and safe color. We wanted simple and clean fashion with her. Bass also wore a green dress to the previous red carpet gala in emerald green vintage Posen.”
The trio joins active-minded A-listers like Cate Blanchett, who have been championing the recycling and wearables approach all awards season. As an Oscar finale, Warehouse The star dazzled in Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton confection, created from an archival layered capelet top and a dress cut from sustainable silk. Instead of rocking a new look at the 95th Academy Awards, vintage-clad stars Vanessa Hudgens, Winnie Harlow and Rooney Mara wore dresses from the Alexander McQueen archive.
“When millions of people are watching, it gives you an opportunity to give them something interesting, without judging them. [but] “It’s just to engage them and get them interested,” Saldaña says. “The ceremony is a celebration, so why can’t that also be a celebration of sustainable design? To me this is interesting and complicated. it’s good.”
Zoe Saldana
Petra Flannery