The 2019 Oscars brought a lot of fashion that people can’t stop talking about, but the heaviest gown of the night might just belong to Glenn Close. The actress, nominated for best actress in “The Wife,” told Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet that her gold gown weighed 42 pounds, though, according to the designer’s website, the dress weighed 50 pounds.
In an interview with The Cut, Close admitted that the gown “intimidated” her, but that she didn’t do anything ahead of time to prepare to wear it.
“It’s probably going to kill me,” she told The Cut.
Carolina Herrera’s website shared an in-depth look at Close’s gown, which they said was the “most intricate piece the House has ever created.”
Each of the 3 million (though on the red carpet, Close said it was 4 million) custom glass bugle beads were individually stitched into the gown in India, and it required 40 artisans to create. The gown was then flown to New York on two separate flights.
The gown was inspired by Close’s personal style and even her dog got in on the process of dressing her for the Oscars.
“Glenn’s affinity for suits and structured pieces led the design process, with the vision to translate similar qualities of strength into a gown,” wrote Herrera’s site. “She loved the idea of attending the Oscars dressed in ‘Oscars gold,’ as did her dog Pip who playfully scampered around during fittings.”
Melissa McCarthy had a memorable look at the 2019 Oscars wearing a pantsuit with a cape similar to that of Close’s. The two were pictured side-by-side on the red carpet.
Although Close was nominated for her seventh Oscar this year — this time for best actress in “The Wife” — she lost to Olivia Colman for her role in “The Favourite.”
