Stars Deliver Modern and Colorful Looks on Oscars Red Carpet

Maria Ekerhovel, from left, Elle Fanning, Joachim Trier, center, Eskil Vogt, Anders Danielsen Lie, Renate Reinsve, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas accept the award for interntional feature film for "Sentimental Value" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Maria Ekerhovel, from left, Elle Fanning, Joachim Trier, center, Eskil Vogt, Anders Danielsen Lie, Renate Reinsve, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas accept the award for interntional feature film for "Sentimental Value" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
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Stars Deliver Modern and Colorful Looks on Oscars Red Carpet

Maria Ekerhovel, from left, Elle Fanning, Joachim Trier, center, Eskil Vogt, Anders Danielsen Lie, Renate Reinsve, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas accept the award for interntional feature film for "Sentimental Value" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Maria Ekerhovel, from left, Elle Fanning, Joachim Trier, center, Eskil Vogt, Anders Danielsen Lie, Renate Reinsve, and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas accept the award for interntional feature film for "Sentimental Value" during the Oscars on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Pops of color dominated the Oscars red carpet as stars like Renate Reinsve to Chase Infiniti stunned in colorful gowns that put a modern twist on traditional Oscar’s red carpet dressing.

Reinsve radiated on the carpet in a bright red Louis Vuitton strapless dress with a high side slit and curved train. She paired the look with a red lip and her hair slicked back. For her first Academy Award ceremony, Infiniti opted for a pale lavender mermaid-style ruffle dress also by Louis Vuitton that she wore with a shimmering jeweled choker. The Hollywood darling has delivered strikingly stylish looks across award show season for her role in “One Battle After Another.”

For cinema’s biggest night, some stars marked their moment with designs that evoked old Hollywood glamour.

Rose Byrne arrived in a timeless custom black Dior gown embroidered with colorful beaded flowers. Actor Wunmi Mosaku of “Sinners” showcased classic elegance in an off-the-shoulder teal sequined Louis Vuitton dress while also showing off her baby bump.

Inspired by Grace Kelly's 1956 Oscar's dress, Jessie Buckley wore a color-blocked Chanel dress with a light pink skirt and lipstick-red shawl over her shoulders.

“This was a much more colorful carpet than past events throughout the awards season,” Halie LeSavage, Marie Claire’s senior fashion news editor, said. ”It feels like the nominees and the presenters are loosening up and really getting into a celebratory mood for the last big show of the season.”

In keeping with their colorful animated film, the cast of “KPop Demon Hunters” delivered a splash of eye-catching colors to the red carpet in their regal gowns.

Arden Cho chose Korean designer Miss Sohee with a structured black lace mermaid gown and an opulent vibrant green silk stole designed with an intricate nature scene. Co-star Ji-young Yoo posed in a two-toned blue Carolina Herrera ball gown with a romantic sweetheart-shaped neckline.

Cloud Dancers Balanced among all the colorful attire, the Pantone color of the year, Cloud Dancer, once again had its moment. Actors in off-white gowns glistened in front of the cream backdrop of the carpet. Emma Stone sparkled in her simple yet captivating opalescent paillette dress with its low back and scoop neckline, The Associated Press reported.

Elle Fanning added a romantic touch to the carpet in her white Givenchy by Sarah Burton dramatic ball gown adorned with wisteria flowers. Fanning accented her scene-stealing dress with a Cartier wisteria-shaped necklace from 1903.

Like Fanning, ELLE’s Beauty Director, Kathleen Hou said the red carpet stars sported polished and slicked back updos to draw the attention to their gowns.
Gwyneth Paltrow kept it minimalist and sexy with her Giorgio Armani Privé ivory silk strapless gown that revealed one long cut out down the sides of her dress.

Red carpet risk-taker Timothée Chalamet stayed on trend in an off-white Givenchy by Sarah Burton suit with matching white shirt, tie and shoes. He accessorized his looks with rings and sunglasses. Chalamet famously wore a butter yellow suit by the same designer last year.

“For his whole Oscars campaign, Timothée has really used fashion to tell a story, to promote his role in ‘Marty Supreme’,” Hine said. “All white suggests he’s at the end of the tour.”

Stars take flight with feathers Gowns on the carpet featured luxurious fabrics, textures and even feathers. Demi Moore emerged on the carpet in a whimsical, fully feathered, green-toned Gucci dress. Moore, who was not nominated for an Oscar, certainly stole the spotlight from her peers with her dramatic gown.

Actor Pedro Pascal integrated feathers in a more subtle way with a large, feathered brooch fastened to his custom Chanel look by Matthieu Blazy.

The latest designer to helm the French house has been the talk of the town with fashionistas lining up at Chanel stores to buy his collection.

Fashion trailblazer Teyana Taylor wore a fitted feathered white and black sheer dress on the carpet by Blazy.

“Teyana’s dress is also my front-runner for best dressed of the night because it took a lot of those Chanel codes that fashion fans really love and made them feel so fresh and so Teyana,” LeSavage said. “They’re a house that doesn’t do a lot of bodycon or sheer. It tapped into a whole bunch of different elements that felt very glamorous and very Oscars but also aligned with all of the risks that Teyana has been taking throughout her awards season run this year.”

In another take on feathers by Blazy, Nicole Kidman wore an off-white feathered gown with a corseted peplum bodice that was dipped into a cream color at the hem.

Men follow suit with tailoring While the women flaunted vivid colors on the carpet, the men subverted traditional codes of black-tie attire with their suiting.

Oscar night performer Shaboozey rarely disappoints on the carpet with his modern takes on black tie attire. The red-carpet style maven sported a Balenciaga tailcoat look with a vest and a pearl pocket chain and matching pearl earrings.

“Sinners” star Michael B Jordan brought out a golden pocket chain that accentuated his Louis Vuitton suit. His costar Miles Caton was one of the few male actors to add color to the carpet. Caton walked the carpet in an all-plum colored look from AMIRI with a matching plum jacket, tie and trousers.

“What we have been seeing in recent years is men embracing designer fashion spins on the traditional tuxedo, especially younger actors,” Samuel Hine, GQ’s global fashion correspondent said. “Their participation in the fashion world is an important part of the promotion of their personal brands.”

“Sinners” director Ryan Coogler and actor Jacob Elordi were some of the few Oscar attendees that donned the traditional black tie look of a bow tie.

Fashion made political Oscar attendees sometimes make more than fashion statements. Actors chose to make political statements on the carpet by calling for a ceasefire in Gaza with their ‘Artists4Ceasefire’ pins. The organization issued new pins with a design by Shepard Fairey that now feature a dove and a lotus flower wrapped with a barbed wire. Actor Charithra Chandran added the pin on the carpet to her lush, bright-green ball gown.

Saja Kilani of “The Voice of Hind Rajab” wore the pin with her chic black dress on the carpet.

“Our struggles are all connected, so is our liberation,” she told The Associated Press.

After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Javier Bardem said he wore a pin to protest the war. On Sunday he re-wore the pin, which read, “No a la Guerra” or “No to war” on the carpet. Onstage while presenting, Bardem spoke out against the current global turmoil, saying, “No to war and free Palestine.”



France Hits Shein with 22 Mn Euros in New Fines Over Consumer Violations

FILE PHOTO: Clothes from fast-fashion brand Shein hang at their office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, December 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Clothes from fast-fashion brand Shein hang at their office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, December 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo
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France Hits Shein with 22 Mn Euros in New Fines Over Consumer Violations

FILE PHOTO: Clothes from fast-fashion brand Shein hang at their office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, December 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Clothes from fast-fashion brand Shein hang at their office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, December 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo

French authorities said Wednesday that they had imposed two fines on Shein totaling more than 22 million euros ($25.5 million), citing problems with product traceability, environmental labelling and delivery times.

The new penalties bring the total fines imposed by France against the Asian fashion giant to more than 210 million euros, AFP reported.

The latest fines were imposed by the government's consumer protection agency DGCCRF following a wide-ranging investigation targeting several e-commerce platforms, primarily based outside Europe, including Shein.

The first fine of 5.77 million euros targets Infinite Style Ecommerce Co Ltd (ISEL), which handles sales for Shein.

The DGCCRF accuses Shein of failing to comply with a 14-day period required for consumers to be able to reconsider certain purchases.

The watchdog also accuses the company of omitting mandatory traceability information, such as the countries where its clothing is woven, dyed and manufactured, and of failing to disclose the presence of microplastics in its fabrics.

Microplastics, primarily found in polyester, are released into the water with every machine wash, posing a serious environmental threat.

In addition, the agency imposed a fine of 16.73 million euros on Shein's subsidiary ISSL (Infinite Styles Services Limited), accusing it of violations of consumer law.

Shein has been under fire since it established operations in France.

It is widely criticized by campaign groups and politicians for generating environmental pollution, practicing unfair competition, selling goods that fail to comply with basic regulations and imposing poor working conditions in its Chinese factories.


Zara Owner Inditex Defies Consumer Gloom with Strong Early Summer Sales

Women carry bags from Zara, flagship retail clothing brand of Spanish multinational clothing company Inditex, in the Gran Via of Bilbao, Spain, March 15, 2025. (Reuters)
Women carry bags from Zara, flagship retail clothing brand of Spanish multinational clothing company Inditex, in the Gran Via of Bilbao, Spain, March 15, 2025. (Reuters)
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Zara Owner Inditex Defies Consumer Gloom with Strong Early Summer Sales

Women carry bags from Zara, flagship retail clothing brand of Spanish multinational clothing company Inditex, in the Gran Via of Bilbao, Spain, March 15, 2025. (Reuters)
Women carry bags from Zara, flagship retail clothing brand of Spanish multinational clothing company Inditex, in the Gran Via of Bilbao, Spain, March 15, 2025. (Reuters)

Zara owner Inditex reported a strong start to summer trading on Wednesday as currency-adjusted sales grew 11.5% in May, handily beating analyst expectations, even as Iran war inflation worries dent consumer confidence.

Inditex shares gained 5% as the healthy sales growth reassured investors the fast fashion giant can weather the global turmoil and perhaps even benefit as some shoppers trade down from more expensive clothing brands.

Analysts had expected sales growth of 8% ‌for May, ‌the start of the company's second quarter. Inditex posted sales ‌of €8.75 billion ($10.17 ⁠billion) over its ⁠February-to-April first quarter, up 8.8% in currency-adjusted terms.

"This performance is even more noteworthy when considered against the backdrop of the wider macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges seen in recent months," Gorka Garcia-Tapia Yturriga, Inditex's investor relations director, said on a call with analysts.

Sales in the Middle East, where Inditex has stores operated by franchise partners, have been impacted, he added, without giving a specific figure.

IMPACT OF HIGH FUEL, TRANSPORTATION ⁠COSTS LIMITED SO FAR

Chief Financial Officer Andres Sanchez said ‌Inditex has rapidly adapted its supply chain to ‌ensure uninterrupted product flow to its stores globally, despite disruptions to air and sea freight ‌caused by the war, which broke out in late February.

"There is ‌a lag effect between the transportation of goods and the impact on cost of goods sold, which means that the impact of the higher transport cost and fuel prices in the first quarter has so far been limited," he said.

Inditex's profitability improved with ‌the first-quarter gross margin hitting 61.2% - up from 60.6% a year ago - in a sign the retailer has successfully protected ⁠profits despite higher raw ⁠material and freight costs.

The company, meanwhile, stuck to a full-year outlook issued in March of a stable gross margin, a 5% increase in store space, and €2.3 billion in capital expenditure.

Zara has invested in new, bigger stores and boosted marketing to draw in new customers while increasing prices.

And in May it launched a new clothing collection with Puerto Rican pop and reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny, who wore custom Zara outfits during his NFL Super Bowl halftime show in February.

The first quarter is typically Inditex's smallest in terms of sales and profits. But it has been closely watched, given the war's impact on consumer confidence. And investors have been bracing for signs of strain at the $190 billion company, which also owns smaller brands including Massimo Dutti, Oysho, Bershka, and Lefties.


Estee Lauder Still Open to Acquisitions After Failed Puig Talks, CEO Says

An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)
An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)
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Estee Lauder Still Open to Acquisitions After Failed Puig Talks, CEO Says

An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)
An Estee Lauder cosmetics counter is seen in Los Angeles, California, US, August 19, 2019. (Reuters)

An Estee ‌Lauder merger with Jean Paul Gaultier-owner Puig failed to go through because of the price tag, Stephane de La Faverie, President and CEO of the US cosmetics maker said on Tuesday, but added the company was still open to acquisitions if they made financial sense.

Estee Lauder and Puig ended ‌negotiations late ‌last month that would have ‌created ⁠a premium beauty ⁠giant better positioned to compete with industry leader L'Oreal.

Leaks, disagreements between the powerful controlling families, and demands, including from make-up magnate Charlotte Tilbury, led the talks to collapse, five ⁠people with direct knowledge of the ‌deal told ‌Reuters.

Speaking at a Deutsche Bank consumer conference ‌in Paris, de La Faverie said ‌it was a matter of price.

"If we cannot reach the growth and the profitability at the right price point, then ‌that is not an option. And this is why, obviously, ⁠this ⁠deal didn't go through, because it was not at the right price," he said, adding that the company would continue to look at opportunities.

The Clinique and M.A.C owner in May said it would cut 9,000 to 10,000 jobs globally as it accelerates its "Beauty Reimagined" strategy, aiming to save as much as $1.2 billion in annual costs.