It’s Hollywood’s biggest night: the 95th Academy Awards are here. In addition to presumably no slap this year, the Oscars have introduced a few changes to their usual way of doing things. The most noticeable of all the changes might just be the fact that all the stars are not walking on the usual red carpet during the pre-show; instead, they are walking on a floor of white, beige, or as some are calling it, the champagne carpet.
So, why is the carpet champagne this year, and why did they decide to shed the signature red? Let’s take a look at the Oscars, and why they made this momentous decision.
Why have the Oscars ditched the red carpet?
There does not seem to be a practical reason that the red carpet has been scraped off of the floor after decades of use. Instead, the Associated Press has reported that the color was changed based on a decision by two creative consultants, Raúl Àvila, the creative director for the Met Gala, and Lisa Love from Vogue. The carpet is also covered this year, which was most likely to cover the stars from any rain but also to change the carpet’s appearance for an evening event.
Nobody likes change, so people didn’t take the lack of a red carpet very well. One user pointed out that some of the outfits stars wore on the carpet might have been designed for red, and that they looked washed out with the champagne carpet in the background. They tweeted “I feel like ppl were styled assuming it would be a red carpet bc this ‘champagne’ carpet is washing a lot of the paler dresses out #Oscars”.
Even though some people are complaining about the change, the stars don’t seem to be phased at all. Of course, that didn’t stop Jimmy Kimmel from getting in a jibe at the carpet’s expense, jokingly saying, “I think the decision to go with a champagne carpet over a red carpet shows how confident we are that no blood will be shed,” referring to last year’s incident where Will Smith slapped Chris Rock.
The slap has actually changed some things for the ceremony this year. Earlier in the year it was reported that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO, Bill Kramer had put together a “crisis team” to ensure that something like the slap didn’t happen this year.
You have to wonder what color the carpet will be next year. Here’s hoping for Vantablack.