Will Jones
Maren Tschinkel
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Oscars looks do not end at the ceremony. At the 34th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party, the carpet became its own stage, filled with high-gloss glamour, sharp tailoring, and a handful of looks strong enough to rival the spectacle inside. Held on March 15, the evening raised $10.6 million toward ending AIDS, giving the usual awards-season glamour a deeper sense of purpose. With Lola Young performing and a guest list built for the cameras, the night delivered exactly what this party has become known for: fashion with enough confidence to linger after the flashbulbs fade.
A Carpet Built on Drama
Left: Dua Lipa. Right: Kate Beckinsale.
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Some red carpets reward subtlety. Elton John’s viewing party has always made room for drama. Dua Lipa understood that immediately. She arrived with Callum Turner in a custom Gucci gown in electric sapphire blue, cut with a plunging cowl neckline and a sleek body-skimming line that moved easily under the lights. Metallic silver strappy heels and Bulgari jewelry, including a Serpenti necklace, pushed the look further into full star mode, while her loose waves and bronzed makeup kept the styling from feeling overworked.
Kate Beckinsale took the same appetite for spectacle in a different direction. Her Georges Chakra Couture gown from the Spring/Summer 2026 collection came with ornate embellishment, dramatic volume, and the kind of high-impact finish that has long made her one of the more reliable red-carpet maximalists. She paired it with “The Maris” earrings from Alok Lodha High Jewellery, and with her updo and styling by Gorge Villalpando, the whole effect leaned unapologetically into couture theater.
Together, those two looks helped define the top register of the night. Dua Lipa brought electric glamour and clean modern polish. Beckinsale brought flourish, sweep, and a stronger dose of old-school red-carpet drama. Between them, the party found its boldest visual notes.
Polish and Precision
Maren Tschinkel
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Where Lipa and Beckinsale worked at full volume, German model Maren Tschinkel offered something more controlled. That difference helped her stand out. Maren appeared in a Roberto Cavalli by Fausto Puglisi gold-plated blush chiffon crêpon gown from the house’s Spring/Summer 2026 “Gold Obsession” collection, a look that carried shine and softness. She completed it with Damiani Mimosa earrings, Rene Caovilla shoes, and a Blumera bag, with styling by Pablo Patané and hair and makeup by Pablo Macias.
The strongest looks are not always the loudest ones, and Maren’s worked because it held its ground without straining for attention. Placed naturally among the more dramatic fashion moments of the night, her look gave the carpet a more refined rhythm and made the broader mix feel sharper.
Lana Condor moved in a similar direction, though with a lighter mood. Her draped white Alberta Ferretti halter gown delivered one of the evening’s cleanest fashion moments, relying on soft lines and quiet elegance rather than spectacle. That sense of restraint gave the night some needed balance.
The Guests Who Gave the Night Range
Elton John and Dua Lipa
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A strong fashion story needs contrast, and Keke Palmer supplied it. She arrived in vintage Yves Saint Laurent, built around a sculpted corset, black trousers, and a black beret, choosing edge over expected glamour. Jewelry from Spinelli Kilcollin and Isabel Delgado brought in the right amount of shine, while styling by Molly Dickson kept the whole look crisp and self-possessed. On a carpet full of sweeping silhouettes, Palmer’s sharper line gave the fashion conversation another register entirely.
The hosts helped frame that contrast. No fashion story from Elton John’s own viewing party would feel complete without Elton John himself, and his appearance in Valentino brought the kind of theatrical elegance that has long been part of his public image. David Furnish offered a more understated complement in custom Valentino Haute Couture by Alessandro Michele, giving the pair a sense of visual harmony. Together, they brought balance to the carpet and reinforced the evening’s blend of glamour, celebration, and purpose.
Callum Turner played a quieter role, but an important one. Standing beside Dua Lipa in a classic black double-breasted suit, he gave her high-voltage Gucci moment a calm, tailored counterbalance. That restraint worked in his favor and rounded out the broader picture of the evening. What made this carpet memorable was not one single look, but the interplay between them: Dua Lipa’s flash, Maren Tschinkel’s polish, Kate Beckinsale’s drama, Keke Palmer’s edge, Lana Condor’s softness, and the host pair’s signature formality. That mix is what made the fashion feel complete.