As far as inspiration for a winning Oscars red carpet look goes, the Roman goddess of love and beauty is right up there which is the story behind the shimmering, scalloped Dior Haute Couture creation worn by house ambassador Anya Taylor-Joy.
Speaking to red carpet correspondent Laverne Cox, Taylor-Joy, who is also presenting the award for best animated short this evening , said that the Dior gown “was inspired by Botticelli’s ‘Birth Of Venus'”. In a perfect world the iconic song was top of the play list while she was in the glam chair…
For those not familiar with the artwork, the painting depicts the Roman goddess Venus standing on a large scallop shell as she lands on the island of Cyprus. The crystal-encrusted dress takes inspiration from the iconic shell with a multitude individual scallops creating the skirt and the motif replicated in the bodice. If rumours are true, some 3500 hours of embroidery work went into the dress’ making.
Taylor-Joy, who has been riding a wave of intrigue after her surprise cameo in Dune 2 as Alia, the sinister unborn sister of Timothèe Chalamet’s Paul Atreides, continued the theme behind the dress’s inspiration with a loose, relaxed hair style reminiscent of Venus’ own long golden locks.
Completing the divine fantasy are platinum and yellow gold with diamonds necklace and a Jean Schlumberger by Tiffany ring and a diamond ring.
Despite its similarity to an equally famous gown worn by Natalie Portman at the May December premier in Cannes last year, this Dior creation has its own history. The original dress, called Venus, was first seen in the Maison’s fall/winter 1949–50 haute couture line.
