Jurnee Smollett's Emmy Awards dress had previously only existed in miniature form.
Jurnee Smollett
The 'Lovecraft Country' actress - who was nominated for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series award but lost out to 'The Crown' star Olivia Colman - walked the red carpet on Sunday (19.09.21) wearing a strapless gown from Dior Haute Couture, which was previously seen in designer Maria Grazia Chiuri's Fall 2020 short film, which was presented in lieu of a catwalk show because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Jurnee's stylist, Alexandra Mandelkorn, told The Hollywood Reporter: “What’s really cool about this collection from Dior is that it never had its moment on a runway or red carpet because it came out at the height of the pandemic.
"Because the whole collection was made in miniature, only a few of the dresses were made in human size, which makes it all the more special that this design also can have its red-carpet moment.”
It was important to the 34-year-old star to wear haute couture to the event as part of her and her stylist's longterm fashion "strategy".
Alexandra said: "We started talking as soon as she was nominated — not only Jurnee and myself, but with other members of her team as well.
"Everything is a bit of a strategy, and we wanted to think big-picture about where we wanted to take her fashion career and who she is in the fashion world in this moment. With all that in mind, it definitely had to be haute couture.”
The stylist has been working with Jurnee for a year and she's enjoyed the way her client's style has changed in the last 12 months.
She said: “Previously Jurnee had stuck to a lot of feminine, typical dressing, but we’ve been having a lot of fun exploring different sides of her personality.
"We’ve done a lot more suiting, but kept it sexy and edgy, and there’s also been this element of 1990s Angelina Jolie, a bit of a Tomb Raider influence and women who kick ass onscreen. Jurnee does that both onscreen and off, so we wanted to represent that in her style more.”
And the Dior gown gave Jurnee another fresh look.
Her stylist said: "It’s softer than some of the looks we’ve done for Jurnee before. I love giving clients range; it can get a little one-note if they’re always in the same type of look. This gown is just really beautiful, an incredible silk gauze in a really cool texture that almost looks like a muslin.
"It gives a bit of a princess vibe, but there’s also this fringe that adds a bit of edge and texture. I also love that it emphasizes both Jurnee’s tiny waist and her shoulders and clavicles, while the color really pops against her skin tone. It compliments her in every way.”
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