The first red carpet event in Hollywood was held in 1922 at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles to promote “Robin Hood,” starring Douglas Fairbanks. Since then, the tradition of rolling out a crimson carpet for stars to show their glamorous outfits has evolved into a business embraced by the fashion industry. Over the years, many designers and fashion labels have partnered with A-list actors to promote their creations, from Bob Mackie to Alaïa.
For Melissa Rivers, former co-host of E!’s “Fashion Police,” red carpets peaked in the early 2000s when stars weren’t paid to wear designer gowns at events. “It’s become the world’s largest ad, the world’s largest fashion show,” she told WWD. Rivers credits Zendaya as one of the only stars still making the red carpet fun. “You’ve seen her in 1000 different looks and she owns them,” she added.
For Rivers, a good red carpet look is about “someone owning what they’re wearing.” “I don’t mean owning like literally owning meaning. They are wearing the dress; the dress is not wearing them.”
Here, WWD takes a closer look at red-carpet fashion moments from some of the most popular events in Hollywood, including the Oscars, Grammy Awards, Golden Globes, Emmys and more. See below.
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Oscars 1954
Image Credit: NBCUniversal via Getty Images Audrey Hepburn in a white floral Givenchy dress.
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Oscars 1956
Image Credit: Getty Images Grace Kelly in Edith Head dress and publicist Morgan Hudgins.
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Oscars 1969
Image Credit: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Barbra Streisand at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in Los Angeles, wearing a sheer Scaasi trouser suit. She won her first Oscar as Best Actress that year for “Funny Girl.”
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Oscars 1970
Image Credit: Getty Images Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton on the red carpet at the 1970 Academy Awards, when Taylor sported an eye-catching diamond necklace.
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Oscars 1978
Image Credit: Disney General Entertainment Con Farrah Fawcett in Stephen Burrow dress.
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Met Gala 1982
Image Credit: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Raquel Welch in snakeskin print dress by Thierry Mugler with Andre Weinfeld.
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Grammy Awards 1983
Image Credit: WireImage Grace Jones in Issey Miyake.
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Met Gala 1985
Image Credit: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Bob Mackie and Cher wearing one of his creations.
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Oscars 1988
Image Credit: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Cher wearing Bob Mackie on the red carpet. She won her Oscar for “Moonstruck” that year.
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Grammy Awards 1988
Image Credit: Getty Images Whitney Houston in black embroidered dress.
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Oscars 1991
Image Credit: Pierre-Gilles Vidoli/WWD Madonna and Michael Jackson attend Swifty Lazar’s after party for the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, 1991.
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Oscars 1989
Image Credit: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Demi Moore in biker shorts and a Renaissance-inspired dress.
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Oscars 1995
Image Credit: Ron Galella Collection via Getty Elizabeth Hurley during the 67th Annual Academy Awards, wearing a Versace dress, that later became known as “the dress.”
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Oscars 1997
Image Credit: WireImage Nicole Kidman in a green dress by John Galliano with Tom Cruise.
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Oscars 1998
Image Credit: FilmMagic, Inc Sharon Stone in Gap and Vera Wang with Phil Bronstein.
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Emmy Awards 1999
Image Credit: Getty Images Jennifer Aniston in vintage Dior.
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Oscars 1999
Image Credit: Getty Images Gwyneth Paltrow in Ralph Lauren dress.
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Grammy Awards 2000
Image Credit: Getty Images Jennifer Lopez in plunging Versace.
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Met Gala 2001
Image Credit: Getty Images Hillary Clinton in a leopard-print dress.
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Oscars 2001
Image Credit: Donato Sardello/WWD Bjork in the swan dress by Marjan Pejoski.
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Arrivals At The 58th Annual Golden Globes Awards
Image Credit: Getty Images 384517 02: Actress Sarah Jessica Parker arrives at the 58th annual Golden Globes January 21, 2001 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA. (Photo by Newsmakers)
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Oscars 2002
Image Credit: Getty Images Halle Berry wearing Elie Saab for the 74th Annual Academy Awards March 24, 2002, at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles.
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Oscars 2003
Image Credit: Getty Images Jennifer Lopez in green Valentino dress with Ben Affleck.
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Latin Grammy Awards 2004
Image Credit: Getty Images Jessica Simpson in Dior by John Galliano tulle dress and Christian Louboutin pumps.
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Oscars 2004
Image Credit: Getty Images Angelina Jolie in Marc Bouwer dress.
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Emmy Awards 2004
Image Credit: Getty Images Jennifer Aniston in Chanel.
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Oscars 2004
Image Credit: Getty Images Charlize Theron in sparkling Gucci dress.
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Oscars 2005
Image Credit: Getty Images Gisele Bundchen in John Galliano.
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Oscars 2005
Image Credit: Getty Images Penelope Cruz in a light yellow Oscar De la Renta gown.
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Golden Globes 2005
Image Credit: Getty Images Eva Longoria in Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress.
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Grammy Awards 2006
Image Credit: Getty Images Gavin Rossdale with Gwen Stefani in a self-designed one-shoulder, animal-print gown with a beaded empire waist
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Met Gala 2006
Image Credit: Getty Images Sarah Jessica Parker in Alexander McQueen.
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Oscars 2006
Image Credit: Getty Images Reese Witherspoon in a 1957 Christian Dior dress.
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Oscars 2007
Image Credit: Getty Images Nicole Kidman in a red Balenciaga dress.
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Oscars 2007
Image Credit: Getty Images Anne Hathaway in a lace Valentino dress.
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Oscars 2008
Image Credit: Getty Images Jessica Alba in Marchesa.
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Met Gala 2008
Image Credit: Getty Images Gisele Bundchen in Versace.
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Golden Globes 2009
Image Credit: NBCUniversal via Getty Images Marc Anthony with Jennifer Lopez in Marchesa.
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Emmy Awards 2009
Image Credit: Getty Images Kim Kardashian in Ina Soltani.
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Grammy Awards 2010
Image Credit: Getty Images Lady Gaga in Armani Privé.
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Oscars 2011
Image Credit: Getty Images Jennifer Lawrence in red Calvin Klein Collection dress.
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Oscars 2012
Image Credit: Getty Images Angelina Jolie wearing her viral high-slit dress from Versace.
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Emmy Awards 2012
Image Credit: Getty Images Lucy Liu in Versace.
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Oscars 2013
Image Credit: Getty Images Anne Hathaway in a satin Prada dress.
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Grammy Awards 2014
Image Credit: Getty Images Beyonce in Michael Costello dress.
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Golden Globes 2014
Image Credit: Getty Images Sofia Vergara in Zac Posen dress.
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Met Gala 2015
Image Credit: Getty Images Rihanna in Guo Pei.
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Oscars 2015
Image Credit: Getty Images Lady Gaga in Alaïa dress.
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Oscars 2015
Image Credit: Getty Images Zendaya in a white off-the-shoulder Vivienne Westwood gown.
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Grammy Awards 2016
Image Credit: Getty Images for NARAS Lady Gaga in Marc Jacobs.
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Golden Globes After Party 2017
Image Credit: Getty Images Viola Davis in one-shoulder Michael Kors Collection dress with Julius Tennon.
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Oscars 2017
Image Credit: Getty Images Emma Stone in Givenchy.
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Met Gala 2017
Image Credit: Theo Wargo Katy Perry in John Galliano.
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Golden Globes 2018
Image Credit: Getty Images for Moet & Chandon Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain joined the actresses supporting the #MeToo Movement in black dresses.
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Met Gala 2019
Image Credit: Getty Images for The Met Museum/ Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell gown.
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Grammy Awards 2019
Image Credit: Getty Images for The Recording A Cardi B in Mugler Couture’s fall 1995 collection.
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Grammy Awards 2020
Image Credit: Getty Images for The Recording A Billie Eilish in Gucci.
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Oscars 2020
Image Credit: Getty Images Janelle Monáe in Ralph Lauren and Billy Porter in Giles Deacon.
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“No Time to Die” Premiere 2021
Image Credit: Getty Images Kate Middleton in Jenny Packham dress.
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SAG Awards 2022
Image Credit: Getty Images for WarnerMedia Selena Gomez in an Oscar de la Renta gown with Bulgari diamonds.
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Oscars 2022
Image Credit: Getty Images Zendaya in Valentino.
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Met Gala 2022
Image Credit: Getty Images Kim Kardashian wearing a Jean-Louis dress from Marilyn Monroe’s collection.
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Oscars 2023
Image Credit: Getty Images Tems in Lever Couture.
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Grammy Awards 2023
Image Credit: Getty Images for The Recording A Taylor Swift in Roberto Cavalli.
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Grammy Awards – Red Carpet
Image Credit: Getty Images for The Recording A Doja Cat in Atelier Versace.
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Oscars 2023
Image Credit: Getty Images Rihanna in Alaïa.