Cate Blanchett Gives Red Carpet Cutouts the Cold Shoulder

There’s a small class of stars who can reliably deliver artisanal, elegant, and surprising looks on the red carpet time and time again. Chief among them is Cate Blanchett, who continued that stylish streak with a glamorous take on cutout dressing at this year’s Olivier Awards.

Blanchett, who was nominated as best actress for her turn in The Seagull, sparkled at the Royal Albert Hall, where she arrived in a dark Lanvin gown. The floor-length piece, hailing from the brand’s fall 2026 collection by Peter Copping, featured a slit skirt and sleeves with a halter-neck bodice. The silhouette distinctly brought the “cold shoulder” trend of the ’90s and mid-2010s to mind, though its silky texture and sharp lines gave the look an updated formal fit for 2026.

The dress’s waistline, divided into diamond-shaped latticework cutouts, was its biggest statement. While the technique has potential to distract from a garment’s design and structure, her piece had the opposite effect. The cutouts’ smaller size made them seamlessly complement the dress’s shoulder openings, while rows of black crystals added a glamorous elegance that’s signature to both Lanvin and Blanchett.

Stylist Elizabeth Stewart paired Blanchett’s Lanvin dress with matching crystal-trimmed mules, as well as small Louis Vuitton diamond earrings shaped like the house’s staple floral monogram. The resulting effect was geometrically sharp, cleverly combining each piece’s structure and use of negative space. Dark monochrome dressing has been a constant on this year’s red carpets, but Blanchett proved there’s always a loophole—or cutout—to make the most simple formalwear trends intriguing and intricate.

Though Blanchett didn’t leave with a trophy from the Olivier Awards, her look undeniably won the red carpet. Here’s looking ahead to her next outing—and whatever fashion surprises she has in store.