Cate Blanchett Meets Japanese Royalty in a Slightly Twisted Power Suit

Cate Blanchett has long been red carpet royalty. But to receive a career-defining award from the Japanese Imperial Family, the Queen of Rewears took a decidedly simple sartorial approach.

On Wednesday in Tokyo, Blanchett was presented with Japan’s Praemium Imperiale prize, an award often described as the arts equivalant to the Nobel Prize. Accepting her honor from Japan’s Princess Hitachi, Blanchett kept it appropriately sharp and formal in a tailored black suit. Though, as with any Blanchett outfit, you can always expect a few high fashion flourishes. This time it was thanks to her jacket’s asymmetrical lapels: one standard, the other with an origami-like oversize fold that was highlighted by a white underlay. A thick black statement belt cinched in her waist and added a bit of hard edge. Blanchett is no stranger to a subversive suit, and here, her tailored ensemble exuded exacting Japanese minimalism.

A day earlier, for a press conference with the other laureates (who this year include sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, artist Jenny Holzer, and architect Daniel Libeskind), she put another spin on all-black suiting. Wearing a different blazer, she called on two well-loved wardrobe staples: a pair of skinny leather trousers and hot pink aviator glasses. For a photo-op after the conference, Blanchett swapped her slim-fitting pants for slouchy slacks, giving her workwear formula yet another refresh.

The renowned prize, established in 1988 by the Japan Art Association, honors global achievements in painting, sculpture, architecture, music, and theater/film. Over the decades, it has been awarded to icons in their respective fields, including late artist Yayoi Kusama, composer Steve Reich, and director Ang Lee. Blanchett was honored for her work in both theater and film, as well as her long record of humanitarian efforts.

Before receiving the award, the Australian actor spoke about the role that doubt plays in her artistic process. “As a woman, that doubt is often interpreted as a lack of confidence. It is not. That doubt is my artistic starting point,” she said. “It’s what allows me to hear. It allows me to see. It allows me to sense....In an uncertain world riddled with unthinking certainty, I believe doubt is vital to the creative process. It’s what starts the challenge, the questioning, the exploration.” That kind of seasoned confidence is probably also what allows her to pull together three distinctly chic looks from a selection of all-black basics.