Ariana DeBose Embraces Her Distinctiveness In Customized Valentino Pantsuit At Oscars 2022

Ariana DeBose brought feminine and masculine elements to the Oscars’ red carpet with her untraditional attire. The actress gave her stylists, Zadrian Smith and Sarah Edmiston, clear instructions on what she wanted to wear on the big night.

“She said, ‘I don’t want to be a princess; I want to be a queen,'” Smith said in a statement.

“I firmly believe that for an event like the Oscars, you have to show up 100 percent firmly and authentically you,” said the West Side Story actress. “The look that I’m wearing and the designer is a reflection of that; it shows me as myself in every way. It’s bold and it’s a choice that maybe you don’t typically see at the Oscars. It celebrates femininity and masculinity in the same breath. For me, it was the choice because when you see it and you get chills, you just know.”

DeBose wore a red hot Valentino pantsuit featuring a scalloped bra top, pleated wide-leg pants and a flowing cape hanging off her shoulders. The movie star added a dazzling diamond choker around her neck to enrich the whole get-up.

The actress was honored during the ceremony as she received the Best Supporting Actress award for her role of Anita in West Side Story, carrying on the legacy of Hollywood veteran Rita Moreno, who took home the Oscar for the role of Anita back in 1962. DeBose also made history with her victory by being the first Afro Latina and openly queer actor to receive an Oscar.