Cate Blanchett Has Been Ruling the Red Carpet for Two Decades
When great style meets great talent—that’s how we’d describe the intersection of Cate Blanchett’s acting and red carpet career. The Australian actress is just as much a Hollywood mainstay as she is a fashion figure. Of course, that’s a great pairing, considering Blanchett is seemingly always hitting the award show circuit with a movie in contention, showing off exciting looks almost every time she attends a red carpet. While the actress loves black, she has found a way, over the years, to make the color anything but boring, by choosing looks with impeccable tailoring, an unexpected back, or beautiful embellishments. And that’s not to say she’s afraid of color. Blanchett loves to make a statement in bright hues, and some of her best red carpet moments have been thanks to lilac, yellow, and blue, among many other colors both on and off the rainbow.
The result is an archive of incredible red carpet looks, and Blanchett is not letting those go to waste. Over the past few years, the actress has started to recycle some of her best pieces, sometimes styling them in a whole new way, sometimes wearing them just as she did the first time. It’s proof that not every event calls for a new look, and sometimes, a dress is so great, it deserves to be worn twice. So, don’t be surprised if you see some repeats as you check out Blanchett’s best red carpet moments over the past two decades.
Blanchett rounded out the awards season in a look from Louis Vuitton, created from an archival top and a skirt cut from sustainable silk.
Fittingly, Blanchett’s mint green Valentino suit for the Green Carpet Awards was created with a mix of deadstock and archival material from the brand’s atelier.
This is the second time we’ve seen Blanchett in this short-sleeved, double-breasted Alexandre Vaulthier fall/winter 2022 haute couture jacket. She originally wore it in 2022 for a screening of TÁR with a pair of black, wide leg pants.
It’s rare these days to see Blanchett in a new look, but for the Writers Guild Awards, the actress opted for a light pink, turtleneck column dress from Sportmax pre-fall 2023.
For the Film Independent Spirit Awards, Blanchett pulled out this cape sleeve, asymmetric black stripe satin suit with blue piping from Loewe’s fall/winter 2018 collection, which she originally wore in Cannes back in 2018.
This dress might not look familiar, but it has a whole lot of history. Remember the black lace Armani Privé gown Blanchett wore to the Golden Globes in 2014? Well, it was transformed in order to add a lace element to this sequin-covered Armani dress nine years later.
Blanchett added a large black belt to this Givenchy spring 2018 haute couture dress when she rewore it in 2023. The actress originally showed it off during the Blackkklansman premiere at Cannes in 2018.
Structured sleeves and a Louis Vuitton pearl necklace were added to this Maison Margiela couture gown to update it for a rewear at the BAFTAs.
The actress embraced her character, Lydia Tár, when she attended the Oscars nominees luncheon in a butter yellow three-piece suit from Lanvin.
If this Alexander McQueen fall 2019 suit looks familiar, it’s because Blanchett also wore it for the premiere of Where’d You Go, Bernadette in 2019.
After wearing this pink lurex velvet Alexandre Vauthier haute couture top with a matching column skirt to the TÁR premiere in London, Blanchett went on to pair it with black vinyl trousers for an event at the Berlin Film Festival about a month later.
It’s hard to forget this Alexander McQueen spring 2020 dress, but that didn’t bother Blanchett when she rewore it to the Governors Awards in 2022.
Blanchett wore an Alexander McQueen spring/summer 2023 featuring a photorealistic eye and three-dimensional lashes to the premiere for Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio at the BFI London Film Festival.
Blanchett looked extremely chic in this Proenza Schouler spring 2023 trouser and top set, with dramatic ruffled sleeves at the 60th New York Film Festival.
This Schiaparelli haute couture look with a corset literally bursting with flowers may be one of Blanchett’s best to date.
Blanchett went for a more sultry look at the 28th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, opting for a black, low-cut Armani Privé gown.
Stepping out of her comfort zone a little bit color-wise, Blanchett attended the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards in a butter yellow Mary Katrantzou spring 2020 with a pleated skirt and shoulders that expanded like a fan around her arms and back.
Blanchett looked like Cinderella in this ethereal Armani Privé dress at the 2019 Fashion Awards.
The tailoring of this Alexander McQueen fall 2019 would have been enough to sell us on the look, but the royal blue satin sleeves with rosette shoulders really takes it to another level.
Blanchett showed off rare brunette locks while wearing a Christopher Kane spring 2019 dress at the British Academy Film Awards in 2019.
The actress went for a more casual look at the world premiere of The House With The Clock In Its Walls, wearing a kelly green Gucci resort 2019 dress with a ruffled neckline and a red Gucci belt.
No one else pulls off a suit quite like Blanchett. Case in point: this gorgeous Missoni fall 2018 number she world to the world premiere of Ocean’s 8 back in 2018.
Blanchett was hard to miss at the Thor: Ragnarok premiere in this yellow sequin Gucci spring 2018 dress.
Wearing an aquamarine Armani Privé dress covered in floral appliques, Blanchett attended the 88th annual Academy Awards
It’s hard to pick the best part of this Alexander Mcqueen dress, the gorgeous, embroidered floral top, or the haunting skirt comprised of black feathers.
Blanchett wore a ‘20s style Givenchy dress with fringe falling to the floor to the 73rd annual Golden Globe Awards in 2016.
Clearly, Blanchett likes a dramatic sleeve. She wore this Esteban Cortazar spring 2016 dress to the premiere of Carol in 2015, and it closely resembles the Proenza Schouler set she wore to the New York Film Festival seven years later.
This beautiful, printed Giles fall 2015 dress was basically made for the Cannes red carpet.
The simple silhouette for this Maison Margiela couture by John Galliano dress was the perfect backdrop for Blanchett’s turquoise bib necklace from Tiffancy & Co.
When in doubt, Blanchett’s go-to over the years has always been a floral Armani Privé gown.
The Grecian silhouette of this Givenchy spring 2014 dress was modernized by the inclusion of sequins on the collar and draped bodice.
Blanchett wore this Armani Privé fall 2013 couture black lace dress to the 71st annual Golden Globe Awards in 2014.
This Christian Dior fall 2013 couture dress was a fun departure for the actress.
Blanchett attended the Schiaparelli And Prada: Impossible Conversations Met Gala in a black, ostrich feather-covered dress from Alexander McQueen’s fall 2012 collection.
Many would argue that this lilac Givenchy spring 2011 couture dress is one of Blanchett’s best looks of all time.
Blanchett’s love affair with suits is nothing new, as proven by this Armani Privé spring 2010 organza set.
The actress showed off her baby bump in a purple, empire waist Dries Van Noten gown.
Blanchett wore a strapless, floral Balenciaga dress to the 14th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2008.
Wearing a fringe, Balenciaga dress, Blanchett attended the Poiret: King of Fashion Met Gala in 2017.
Blanchet wore a silver, one-shoulder Armani Privé dress to the 2007 Oscars.
Wearing a black lace, off-the-shoulder Alexander McQueen dress with a high-low hem, Blanchett attended the 64th annual Golden Globe Awards in 2007.
Blanchett proved gold is her color in this Ralph Lauren dress at the Babel premiere
The actress wore a yellow Valentino dress with a matching burgundy belt and clutch to the 2005 Oscars.
The fit of this one-shoulder periwinkle Jean Paul Gaultier gown is absolute perfection.
Blanchett looked very glamorous while showing off her baby bump at the 2004 Golden Globes in a scarlet red Donna Karan dress.
Wearing a bohemian style Valentino spring 2003 gown, Blanchett attended the 60th annual Golden Globes.
The chains hanging down the extremely low-cut back of Blanchett’s Jean Paul Gaultier gown made it a real showstopper.
Apparently, Blanchett used to love a backless dress, as you can see from this floral John Galliano number from the 1999 Oscars.
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