From the Emmys last Septemeber to the 2021 Oscars, without the usual red carpets and stages, this awards season has been all about innovation and adaptation for Hollywood and its stylists. Here, Elizabeth Stewart, Wayman and Micah, and more share their thoughts on creating awards show fashion from afar with L'OFFICIEL.

Hollywood's biggest celebrations found new ways to f&ecirc;te its talented community this year. From the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/emmy-awards-2020-see-all-the-nominees" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emmys'</a> hybrid ceremony to the completely <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/best-dressed-celebs-at-the-2021-golden-globe-awards">virtual Golden Globes</a>, these major productions found themselves thrust into unchartered territory&mdash;like many other areas of life over the past 12 months. Also thrown into the mix were the dedicated glam teams who ensure that the stars are groomed, manicured, and, most importantly, dressed, to perfection for each event. Thanks to Hollywood's top stylists, the expected elgance and awe of awards season fashion didn't miss a beat, even with virtual red carpets and Zoom awards substituting the normal programming.
From video chatting for fittings to setting up photoshoots in celebrities' backyards, the scope of stylists' work took on new dimensions which they've continued adapting and evolving, all leading up to the biggest night in Hollywood. With the 2021 Academy Awards just days away, L'OFFICIEL speaks with the notable stylists responsible for the best awards season fashion thus far about how their perspectives has changed over the past year, the shifts they've seen in Hollywood's attitude towards fashion, and what type of looks we might see on Oscars night.

Stylist to Oscar-nominated stars including Viola Davis (<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/taylour-paige-ma-raineys-black-bottom-netflix-chadwick-boseman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ma Rainey's Black Bottom</a>) and Amanda Seyfried (<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/mank-trish-summerville-amanda-seyfried-costume-design" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mank</a>), in addition to other favorites like Cate Blanchett and Gal Gadot, Elizabeth Stewart has made at-home awards just as glamorous as the real-deal. "Contrary to what you might think, we have felt more like dressing up," Stewart says of working with her clients this awards season. "It&rsquo;s a wonderful escape and it&rsquo;s particularly important to support the fashion industry, which has been so hard hit with the pandemic."
For Stewart's stars, elegance is always a given, as are bold details. This year, color, print, and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/black-designers-fashion-history-virgil-abloh-telfar-clemens" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supporting Black designers</a> have been a main feature for Davis' virtual awards looks, like her custom La Vie by Claude Kameni Golden Globes gown or the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CM8cQuRFFLR/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">abstract floral Duro Olowu</a> ensemble for the NAACP Awards. Meanwhile, Seyfried has opted for textural touches, as seen on her flower-detailed Oscar de la Renta look at the Globes and the crystal-embellished Miu Miu top for the Critics Choice Awards. As a stylist, Stewart's approach to maximizing the sartorial impact of these looks has taken on new considerations. "Either we just dress the top half in 'Zoom style'&mdash;strong shoulders and color&mdash;or we create a full fashion moment around it and take our own red carpet photos," she shares.

Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald

Wayman Bannerman and Micah McDonald are the styling duo behind <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/kiki-layne-coming-2-america-actress-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">L'OFFICIEL star KiKi Layne</a>, Tessa Thompson, and, Regina King. The latter has been a leading lady on the awards circuit this year, not only for her multi-nominated feature film directorial debut for One Night in Miami..., but her stunning fashion choices, too. From a striking <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/schiaparelli-fashion-regina-king-dress-emmys-charity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cobalt blue, jewel-studded Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown</a> for the Emmy Awards to a custom, glittering Louis Vuitton by Nicolas Ghesqui&egrave;re dress for the Golden Globes, the actress and director has used each virtual red carpet to make a statement. And Wayman and Micah have been right beside her for each moment, acting as creative directors as much as stylists to orchestrate the big fashion reveal. "Instagram has become the new red carpet which is great for us because we have full creative control," the duo says. "We&rsquo;ve greatly enjoyed working with our creative counterparts in hair, makeup, and photography to ensure everything is in alignment."
Although this awards season has "definitely been different" and posed some challenges in the beginning, the stylists say that they feel like they've mastered the process and even think that it will "feel odd going back to in-person carpets again." Gearing up for the Oscars, Wayman and Micah have been able to put their focus on preparing for the main event&mdash;a benefit of the <a href="https://www.lofficielsingapore.com/Culture/oscars-2021-postponed-due-to-pandemic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">postponed ceremony</a> and less-packed events calendar than previous years. While all details of King's look are (understandably) top-secret, we can only expect to see another show-stopping look.

It feels like everyone&rsquo;s personal style has really come out with this award season, since people are at home and want to feel like themselves. Our favorite looks have been those that have really had fun with it, not taking it all too seriously, and that&rsquo;s the perspective we hope to stick with going forward. &mdash;Wayman and Micah

Getting to dress the real-life Moira Rose, stylist Andrew Gelwicks has been tasked with juxtaposing Catherine O'Hara's inimitable on-screen fashion with her own personal style for her many awards show appearances (and acceptance speeches) this year. The <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/who-made-us-laugh-this-year-tiktok-benny-drama" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Schitt's Creek</a>&nbsp;actress has become a fashion icon thanks to her character's closet full of couture, and her own wardrobe has been just as impressive.&nbsp;Decked out in custom Vera Wang and Cartier jewels for the Golden Globes and a tuxedo-inspired Thom Browne look with Chopard for the Screen Actors Guild Awards, O'Hara and Gelwicks have collaborated on standout style moments that were created for these current times. "The in-person interaction with my clients are some of my favorite moments of this job, which we weren't able to have this year," Gelwicks says. "But we were able to experiment with fashion and trends that we wouldn't necessarily have been able to get away with on a traditional red carpet."&nbsp;

Whether it's a virtual red carpet or a traditional in-person one, the goal is always the same:&nbsp;to wow. &mdash;Andrew Gelwicks

"Everyone had to accept that we have very little control of the elements&mdash;shipping delays, budget constraints, wardrobe malfunctions&mdash;but we rarely do in a normal year, so we rejiggered something else we really had no control over with lockdowns and quarantine," styling team Jill Lincoln and Jordan Johnson share. With clients including <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/jennifer-garner-best-roles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Garner</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/best-dressed-celebrities-bafta-2021-winners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anna Kendrick</a>, and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/rachel-brosnahan-marvelous-mrs-maisel-costumes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rachel Brosnahan</a>, they've maneuvered the logistical challenges the pandemic has brought on and mastered virtual fittings. Their first pandemic awards project was outfitting the <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/marvelous-mrs-maisel-trailer-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marvelous Mrs. Maisel</a> actress for the Emmys, where she celebrated her nomination for Best Actress at home in custom pajamas by New York-based designer Christy Rilling. For these virtual moments, the styling duo says that it's been even more of a team effort, with "everyone doing their part to support the work done around them," including husbands snapping at-home red carpet photos.
While Jill and Jordan are now back to nearly-normal programming, dressing an undisclosed presenter for this year's Oscars, the pair have gained a new perspective on their work.&nbsp;
"Our long running inside joke to each other is that we do God's work, but this year has given new meaning to who actually does God's work," the stylists reflect. "It feels pretty universal among our clients as well that we recognize our role, which is to give people some much needed levity, entertainment, and aspiration for good days ahead. We are looking forward to getting our clients dressed to the nines as much as the people at home are looking forward to seeing the final product, but we can only hope the next time a hem is uneven or a shoe isn't the perfect shade we will be armed with the clarity that none of it really matters in the grand scheme. We all just need to do our best, fix what we can and be very, very grateful."

Like others in her field, Micaela Erlanger, stylist to Lupita Nyong'o and This is Us'&nbsp;Susan Kelechi Watson, has learned to embrace the change of scenery for red carpets gone digital this year. "What makes awards season special is getting to see the glamour and the fashion, and while this might not be happening on a red carpet and it might be happening on a seamless in someone's backyard or in their living room, it has been creatively fulfilling to allow these looks to come to life in a different environment," Erlanger says. Without the stream of celebrities meandering through media outlets on the carpet and the unavoidable "Who are you wearing?" question on live TV, it's up to the celebrities and their teams to keep it exciting for fans. As Erlanger points out, this has made social media the main source for these pre-show rituals: "With Instagram, the behind-the-scenes has become something that fans, brands, and the people involved really look forward to. We all enjoy that sneak-peek, fly-on-the-wall access at what goes into the making of a look."
In anticipation for the Oscars, the stylist says that we can expect wardrobe choices that reflect our current times, whether that means celebrities opting for a high-fashion form of comfort dressing or choosing to let the clothes do the talking altogether. "<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Looking back to the other awards shows this year, we saw such a range from fancy pajamas to political statements to full-blown couture, so anything is possible."

Hollywood's Top Stylists on Virtual Red Carpets & the New Normal This Awards Season

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