Why this year's BAFTAs dress code was a little different

(Image credit: WireImage)

The BAFTAs 2022 red carpet was a glorious one, after being almost non existent the past couple of years for obvious reasons.

Celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Rebel Wilson and Emma Watson descended on the Royal Albert Hall in London to celebrate the finest talent in film.

They dressed up to the nines in designer gowns by the likes of Saint Laurent, Dior and Valentino, and while it may not have been obvious at first glance, they seemed to be following a specific dress code.

I'm not referring to last year's sustainability dress code, where guests were asked to wear sustainable gowns, or hire or rewear one they already own.

No, this year's red carpet was more sombre than usual, with reports saying A-listers were asked to tone things down due to the war in Ukraine.

Gaga, Emma Watson, Daisy Ridley and Millie Bobby Brown were just a few actors and singers who wore all black on the red carpet, presumably as a mark of respect.

Others such as Millie Mackintosh wore ribbons in the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: 'Several senior showbiz agents have advised stars to dress respectably, amid fears attention-grabbing dresses and suits would appear distasteful in light of the Ukraine conflict. The last thing they want is something like Lady Gaga's infamous meat dress or anything too controversial.'

Of course, this didn't stop others from wearing pops of colours - this is a film red carpet after all. Daisy Ridley wore a blue sequin dress, while Simone Ashley looked amazing in a neon pink Valentino suit, and West Side Story star Ariana DeBose stunned in a yellow gown.

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.