The red carpet was turned a majestic shade of purple for Sunday night’s 71st Primetime Emmy Awards. And celebrities arriving for the show embraced the color change with a rather regal approach to eveningwear that turned heads and lit up social media.
The evening’s entrances saw an unusual amount of gold, with “Russian Doll” star Natasha Lyonne and “Veep” actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus among the most eye-catching. There was also an abundance of shimmery metallics, exemplified by Isla Fisher, Chrissy Metz and Patricia Clarkson, among others.
Fairytale dresses – complete with flowing chiffon and layers of tulle – were also out in number, from actress Brittany Snow in J. Mendel to singer Halsey’s strapless pink gown.
Actress Laverne Cox showed that you can look like a princess and make a statement at the same time. The “Orange is the New Black” star paired a multi-tier tulle dress with a rainbow-colored clutch bearing the words “Oct. 8, Title VII Supreme Court” – a reference to an upcoming Supreme Court case that will decide whether current federal employment laws on gender discrimination also apply to transgender people.
The change of carpet color also gave attendees a chance to play with shades of red and pink they might otherwise avoid. Mandy Moore in a stunning creation by designer Brandon Maxwell, Sandra Oh and Vera Farmiga were among those to do so with aplomb.
With “Game of Thrones” leading nominations on the night, the series’ stars were among some of the night’s most talked-about. In particular, Emilia Clarke wowed in a plunging Valentino number. But none could match Gwendoline Christie for theatrics – the outstanding supporting actress nominee turned up in flowing robes that wouldn’t have looked out of place on the show’s medieval-inspired set.
Her on-screen love interest, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, was one of a number of men to embrace gold, with the Danish actor arriving in a dashing suave honeycomb-patterned jacket. Elsewhere, the men found plenty of ways to disrupt tradition, from the understated (see Sterling K. Brown’s suit in maroon and Mahershala Ali’s in forest green) to the bold (see Steven Canals’ floor-length tux sleeves and RuPaul’s silky pink patterned suit).
Of course, no 2019 red carpet would be complete without Billy Porter, who has consistently made headlines with his bold choices and elaborate entrances. This time around he opted for a wide-legged, silver-pinstripe Michael Kors suit, which he paired with a statement hat by milliner Stephen Jones.
Scroll through the gallery above for some of the night’s best fashion.
