BAFTAs 2024 Red Carpet: No More Salmon, Please

I love salmon. In the oven with a little lemon and rosemary? Yum! In a sushi roll with some crunch and spicy mayo? Incredible. But as a garment that’s supposed to make me look good and feel confident? Hard pass. Sunday night was the 77th British Academy Film Awards (or BAFTAs) and the red carpet featured not one, not two, but at least three salmon (or salmon-adjacent) gowns. Look, I think all colors have their place in the world. But salmon should remain exclusively within the domain of fish. It’s a color that didn’t feel like putting in any effort. It’s the color of the group project that did nothing but still got an A+. It’s a color that looked at their to-do list and took a nap instead. It’s a color that says “Can I go home now?” And that, my friends, is not a color that should be awarded with gowns—especially gowns adorning such magical women. I’m sorry if this is controversial. In non-salmon pink news from Sunday night, Oppenheimer and Poor Things swept again. Emma Stone picking up another Best Actress trophy. There was nothing for Barbie or Maestro. Prince William came without Kate—who is great on a red carpet but is presumably still recovering. And of course, there were lots of looks. Please enjoy them—especially the ones without any salmon.

Margot Robbie in Armani Privé

This is a little too Regina George’s Spring Fling dress in Mean Girls (2004).

Carey Mulligan in Dior Haute Couture

This is very basic but I do find it stunning. It’d be perfect with like, one little piece of flair—a brooch, a feather, a random diamond. Just something snazzy!

Naomi Campbell in Chanel Haute Couture

The hot fairy-witch gown/cape/shroud of my damn dreams.

Florence Pugh in Harris Reed

I really love how her necklace looks like a dagger that’s been embedded in her chest in order to be grabbed at a moment’s notice. That is an accessory I’d be very interested in spending money on.

Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton

Our first salmon-offender of the night! Much like the color salmon (is it orange? Pink??), this dress appears unsure of what it wants to be. That said, it does look like something Stone’s character in Poor Things would wear and I always appreciate a true risk on the red carpet. 8/10 for risk, 0/10 for color, and also 0/10 for that giant shoulder cloud.

Dua Lipa in Valentino

This feels different for Dua? That’s all.

Ayo Edebiri in Bottega Veneta

Our second salmon-offender! The feather-y cape is cool, but I really can’t figure out why any designer anywhere ever would make a dress in this color. There are millions of colors in the world! There are so many colors. Salmon never had to be one in the first place.

Daisy Edgar-Jones in Gucci

I’m pretty obsessed with this. It’s hot, looks comfortable, and has pockets. What more could you ask for out of an outfit?

Taylor Russell in Loewe

My jaw dropped.

Cate Blanchett in Louis Vuitton

Love a tasteful breast-outlining accessory. Not sure about all these shoulder design elements at the BAFTAs, but Cate Blanchett really does get a pass on anything.

Emma Corrin in Miu Miu

Incredible. Interesting. Exciting. Funky.

Fantasia Barrino in Benchellal Haute Couture

That is the smile of someone who knows they recently delivered one of the best Grammy performances of all time. And that is also is exactly the kind of gown that should be worn by someone who recently delivered one of the best Grammy performances of all time.

Emerald Fennell wears Armani Privé

Kind of a hot, slinky vampiress. (Free idea for your next film, Emerald.)

Emily Blunt in Elie Saab Haute Couture

A chainlink dress, weird waist cutouts, quasi-nudity and gaping hippie sleeves? You can only choose one. MAYBE two.

Phoebe Dynevor in Louis Vuitton

This is pretty—but it’s also giving 24-year-old bride on a budget whose Pinterest dress board was just Sofia Richie.

Alison Oliver in Loewe

Taylor Russell’s gorgeous feather swan dress was also by Loewe and…I would not be happy if I got stuck with this half-hearted silver tinsel dress. But maybe that’s just me!

Colman Domingo in Boss

Colman continues to be one of the best dressed people to walk a red carpet this season and I couldn’t be happier for him. Just slick and stylish AF.

Lily Collins in Tamara Ralph Couture

I’m not really here for the puffy-sleeve trend but I do love the metallic roses adorning her chest region. This dress is way out of Emily Cooper’s league.

Andrew Scott in Berluti and Paul Mescal in Gucci

Wow! Two-thirds of the “Tortured Man Club” group chat! Would love an update on the third…

Da'vine Joy Randolphin in Robert Wun

And here we have the third victim of a salmon-colored frock—although the cut of the dress is absolutely majestic. She looks phenomenal! Again, I ask, with all the colors in the world, why would anyone choose salmon?

Greta Gerwig in Erdem

I actually think this is my favorite thing she’s worn all awards season. Nice!