The Carolyn Bessette Kennedy minimalism craze hit the Oscars red carpet... kind of

It was the moment many Love Story fans had been waiting for: Actress Sarah Pidgeon finally wore Calvin Klein on the red carpet. Pidgeon has been on a whirlwind press tour and a fashion month spent sitting front row at major shows like Prada and Chanel, but this was the first time we saw her in the brand so closely associated with the character she’s currently playing on television.

From right: Renate Reinsve in Louis Vuitton, Paloma Elsesser in Conner Ives, Eva Victor in Loewe

Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, of course, had close ties to Calvin Klein, having worked at the brand while building a close friendship with the designer. Millions of people on the Internet have spent the last several weeks dissecting every one of Pidgeon’s Calvin Klein-adjacent looks, hunting down dupes and vintage pieces that channel Bessette Kennedy’s sharp, minimalist style. And last night at the Vanity Fair Oscar’s party, Pidgeon wore what felt like an homage to her character: a silver sequin and crystal column gown with thin straps and foldover detailing at the front.

The gown was subtle and yet full of effortless glamour; her hair and makeup were left beautifully natural, too. Pidgeon embodied the idea that minimalist fashion, especially on such a starry red carpet, can be powerful. And she wasn’t the only one who chose to go more streamlined last night. On the red carpet at the awards ceremony, Emma Stone was radiant in a very simple yet exquisitely cut white gown by Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton, the cap sleeves and low back adding a seductive yet sweet edge.

Chloe Fineman in Kallmeyer, Vicky Krieps in Bottega Veneta

Zoe Saldana wore a simple black lace-and-satin slip from Saint Laurent, while Renate Reinsve went for minimalist looks for both the main Oscars event and the Vanity Fair Oscars party (respectively, a sharp red strapless look and a sheer black bodycon gown, both from Louis Vuitton).

Actress Vicky Krieps went for a fuzzy strapless black Bottega Veneta dress, followed by a cool white tux and matching cap from Bottega Veneta’s Louise Trotter, while Chloe Fineman wore a textured gold gown custom designed by Daniella Kallmeyer—the new-age, New York–based master of minimalist fashion. Also at the after party, Bella Hadid was radiant in Prada’s white two-piece skirt and scarf tank, while actress Chase Infiniti donned a very '90s-esque navy beaded slip dress.

From right: Chase Infiniti in Louis Vuitton, Lila Moss in Fendi, Laura Harrier in Gucci

There will surely be a lot of online chatter today about Pidgeon’s Calvin Klein moment, as well as what Bessette Kennedy might have worn to the Oscars. Slip dress sales may spike. But while there was certainly an air of that '90s-era minimalism everyone’s been flipped out about for the last month, the difference here was that these women made the idea feel like it’s of the moment. Modern minimalism, as seen on the fall 2026 runways this season at Jil Sander, Tom Ford, and Gucci, adds a touch of something extra, be it an off-kilter silhouette, a soft texture or embellishment, a decidedly sensual vibe, or a deeper idea. There is nothing plain or straightforward about minimalism right now, and last night, Hollywood’s coolest stars showed us exactly how to pull it off—no CBK cosplay needed.