Bafta Awards 2024: The most theatrical, most powerful looks from the red carpet

At this year’s Baftas, the stars descended upon London in an assortment of dramatic looks that shouted: “I’m a serious actor!”

It’s winter in London, so anyone at the Baftas tends to look a little cold. At least in comparison to the awards shows held in the eternally sunny Tinseltown.

The British Academy Film and Television Arts Awards (Baftas) have a certain air about them that feels slightly more sophisticated, compared to other ceremonies during awards season. You won’t see Vanessa Redgrave posing for a slow-motion GlamBot and you certainly won’t see revered thespian Olivia Coleman posing with a bottle of sponsored Fiji water.

Adding to the formality of the awards this year, William, the Prince of Wales, who has also been president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts since 2010, was on hand to congratulate the night’s winners, wearing an elegant blue velvet blazer. His wife, the Princess of Wales, is still recovering from abdominal surgery last month.

For the occasion, several famous faces opted for dramatic, head-turning looks that helped define this particular red carpet as one with plenty of class. Surprisingly, we saw a common colour palette emerging that focused primarily on textural black, scarlet red, peach and cream.

Here are our standouts.

Colman Domingo

Nominated for his role as Bayrd Rustin in Rustin, Colman Domingo’s look was one of the best on the night. The custom Boss design is a fresh take on a classic tux — the ribbon tie and Moiré taffeta jacket are two surprisingly unconventional details that just work.

Fantasia Barrino

Nominated for her sterling performance in the updated version of The Color Purple, the actor and singer opts for the colour red with striking results, wearing a sculptural Benchellal haute couture gown with Tasaki jewels and a Tyler Ellis clutch. Black opera gloves give this dramatic look a sense of occasion befitting the Baftas.

Rosamund Pike

A perfectly styled look by one of my favourites, Leith Clark, Rosamund Pike’s Christian Dior and Boucheron jewellery combination exudes the kind of classic mid-century style that is maybe having some renaissance off the back of this year’s fashion series extravaganzas Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans (Neon), Cristóbal Balenciaga (Disney) and The New Look (AppleTV+).

Bradley Cooper

Earning three nominations for Best Director, Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Original Screenplay for his involvement in Maestro, Bradley Cooper’s custom Louis Vuitton double-breasted suit sums up the warm formalwear required at the Baftas. He paired the look with a Louis Vuitton Tambour watch and black dress shoes. I like the clean-cut simplicity here and how the trousers fall across his shoes.

I enjoyed Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s performance in The Holdovers, so it was great to see her winning Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mary Lamb. If you haven’t seen her endearing acceptance speech, you must. Wearing one of two gowns on the night, this custom Robert Wun gown is draped to perfection and styled beautifully by red-carpet power couple Wayman + Micah.

Emma Stone

Emma Stone won her category for Best Actress in Poor Things — I appreciate it when a little bit of who the actor has portrayed translates to their red-carpet choices. Bella Baxter would approve of this Louis Vuitton gown with its mega sleeve.

Sheila Atim

Winner of the 2023 Bafta Rising Star Award, the British actor and singer was dressed by Gucci this year, selecting a streamlined silver sequin gown. The liquid-like effect of this draping works particularly well under the spotlights.

Dominic Sessa

Another standout from The Holdovers, Dominic Sessa adds some bohemian elegance to this Saint Laurent tuxedo. The cut, the satin lapels, the layered silk shirt — everything is working well here. If you want to know more about this rising star’s connection with fashion, read more here.

Carey Mulligan

Working closely with stylist Andrew Mukamal, Carey Mulligan wears a strapless gown inspired by a 1951 vintage Dior gown with a Bulgari necklace. The simplicity of this gown, with its dramatic velvet train, is the perfect nod to the past.

Ayo Edebiri

Nominated for the Rising Star Award, Ayo Edebiri takes on the Baftas’ sense of decorum in one of the more classic old Hollywood looks she’s sported this awards circuit — but of course always with some twist. The not-quite-feather opera coat with a peachy gown is classic Bottega Veneta.

Paul Mescal

Nominated for Best Supporting Actor, Paul Mescal once again dons his red-carpet go-to Gucci, with this custom autumn/winter 2024 black wool suit with white intarsia on the lapel, matching shirt and black leather boots. As he’s proven time and again with his fashion choices, Mescal likes to think outside the box and challenge the traditions of dress codes with a contemporary attitude.

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