Hollywood’s A-list were out in full force last night (March 2) celebrating the 97th annual Academy Awards. This morning, Anora is dominating headlines after winning best picture, as well as best director for Sean Baker and best actress for Dazed cover star Mikey Madison.
As per usual, the red carpet was lined with haute couture gowns, but it was a crushed velvet number that stole our hearts. Septugeneration Italian actress Isabella Rossellini, wore a Dolce & Gabbana dress in blue velvet, paying tribute to her close friend David Lynch who died earlier this year. The pair first met in the mid-80s, when Rossellini landed her breakthrough role in Lynch’s Blue Velvet. After the film premiered in 1986 they even dated for several years until 1991, during which time Rossellini also starred in Wild at Heart (1990).
Following the news of the director’s death in January this year, Rossellini shared a message on Instagram reading: “I loved him so much.” Attending the Oscars in Hollywood yesterday evening, she honoured him once again by wearing a dress made from material that shares a name with the reason they met, and what is now known as one of the greatest films of all time. In Blue Velvet, Rossellini stars as tortured nightclub singer Dorothy Vallens, who appears onstage singing the lyrics “she wore blue velvet”. Later in the film, she wears a dress made from near identical fabric to the one she wore last night.
The Dolce gown was paired with Bvlgari high jewellery as well as earrings originally worn by her mother, actress Ingrid Bergman, in the film Viaggio in Italia, directed by her father Roberto Rossellini. Bergman wore the earrings a second time when she received the Oscar for her role in Murder on the Orient Express at the 1979 Academy Awards. Like her mother, Rossellini was also nominated in the best supporting actress category, marking her Oscar nominee debut for her role as Sister Agnes in Conclave.
Upon being nominated, Rossellini wrote on Instagram: “I wish my parents were alive to celebrate with me this great honor. And also today with this joy in my mind can’t help lingering in the beyond to David Lynch.” While paying sartorial tribute to her loved ones, the actress was reunited with Blue Velvet co-star Laura Dern. Isabella Rossellini may not have won the Oscar, but she did win the red carpet.