Lisa in Markgong, styled by Hathairat Permpoon

The 97th Oscars: Best Dressed

The best dressed from the 97th Oscars

Photos: @Sthanlee B. Mirador SIPA USA, Getty Entertainment @gettyentertainment, Greg Swales @gregswalesart, Pierresnaps @pierresnaps, Malik Daniels @mdanielsphoto, Ken Medilo @kenmedilophoto

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Daniel Anderson

Henry Wu

The 97th Academy Awards weren’t just a coronation of Hollywood’s finest—they were a testament to resilience, reinvention, and the enduring power of underdogs. Hosted by Conan the ceremony honored those who defied expectations, from independent filmmakers to first responders. In a moving tribute, the Academy recognized the brave men and women who battled the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, a reminder that heroism extends far beyond the screen.

Anora, a scrappy, luminous indie about the sex worker community, emerged triumphant with five wins, including Best Picture, Best Director for Sean Baker and Best Actress for Mikey Madison. Made for about $6 million, it became the kind of success story that fuels cinematic aspirations. Accepting the latter, Baker delivered an impassioned plea for the sanctity of the theatrical experience: “We are all here tonight because we love movies. Where did we fall in love with movies? At the movie theater. It’s a communal experience you simply don’t get at home.”

To Baker’s point, movies do feel like magic. Jon M. Chu’s Wicked left us spellbound. His grandiose vision unfolded in luscious otherworldly hues, its splendor only matched by the levitating and lasting performances of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Winning Best Costume Design and Best Production Design, Wicked’s every stitch and set was a showcase of sheer enchantment.

We swooned as Madison’s incandescent presence in Anora rendered us helpless, smitten and heartbroken. Each time “Greatest Day” swelled in the film, we irretrievably fell headlong into the story. Samantha Quan, in her Best Picture speech, distilled that message into something even more essential: “We made this with very little money, but all of our hearts… To all of the dreamers and young filmmakers: tell the stories you want to tell. Tell the stories that move you. I promise you, you will never regret it.”

Other powerful stories unfurled throughout the night, each highlighting film’s ability to propitiate understanding and spark change. No Other Land, the Israeli-Palestinian collective work, seized Best Documentary—a win imbued with urgency. Still without a U.S. distributor, its victory and impassioned call for peace underscored how storytelling can galvanize and educate, shaping a better tomorrow. Iranian directors Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani, after an eleventh-hour visa approval, barely arrived in Los Angeles in time to accept Best Animated Short for In the Shadow of the Cypress, their journey mirroring the determination etched into their work. And in a moment both historic and electric, BLACKPINK’s Lisa became the first K-pop idol to grace the Oscars stage, a nitid emblem of the industry’s global reach. It wasn’t just a night of glamorous victories, but of proof—proof that perseverance, passion, and audacity could break barriers. The dreamers had arrived, and they weren’t leaving quietly.

Check out the arrivals and best looks below.