You can always rely on Cate Blanchett to push the style agenda – she’s never been afraid of the more adventurous or eccentric red carpet looks that others may shy away from. The Oscar-nominated actress and her long-time stylist Elizabeth Stewart lead the way on the red carpet when it comes to theatrical, high fashion styling, and this awards season in particular, they have also been demonstrating how you can make red carpet choices more sustainable.
Last night was no different: Blanchett attended the Green Carpet Fashion Awards in Hollywood wearing a custom Valentino haute couture suit, which was made from a mix of deadstock and archival fabric from the atelier. The actor paired the mint green slouchy trouser suit – which featured striking black lapels on blazer – with a tonal shirt and black court shoes. However it’s the small details that give the look its quirky edge, with Blanchett wearing a giant pink bow on her left hip and the accessory of the AW23 shows: a formal black tie.
Ties might make you think of Avril Lavigne in her “Sk8er Boi” era, however they were one of the key accessory trends from this fashion month. At Alexander McQueen, Valentino and Dior they were an important styling note in the collection, with ties either tucked neatly under outerwear or left loose to hang over the waistband of trousers. It was one of the more divisive trends to emerge from the AW23 season, so there’s no surprise that Blanchett is the first celebrity to try it on the red carpet.
It makes sense, also, that Blanchett was one of the co-chairs of the Green Carpet Fashion Awards this year, given her conscious approach to the red carpet. At the SAG Awards this year for example, she wore an Armani Privé gown that featured repurposed lace on the neckline from a dress she wore in 2014 and 2018. The Green Carpet Fashion Awards celebrates those who are pushing for cultural change in fashion and film and celebrates those making sustainable fashion choices on a global stage.
“Fashion can and should be a lifeline,” Livia Firth, founder of the awards, said. “Sustainability solutions are intersectional solutions and we all need to come together and forge strong paths with human and ecological justice centre stage. The GCFA will showcase just that – the level of commitment and focus we all need to mirror, pulling together two powerful, interconnected industries to step up for collective transformation.”
On the runway:
Ties were a key accessory in the AW23 collections, particularly seen at Alexander McQueen, Dior and Valentino. The one thing they all had in common is that they all used a classic, black tie.
