Zoe Saldaña's 2025 Oscars Red Carpet Saint Laurent Dress Proves “Fashion Is Art”

Tonight at the 97th Academy Awards, Zoe Saldaña arrives not only as a presenter, but also as a Best Supporting Actress front-runner for her work in Emilia Pérez. Competing alongside other contenders like Monica Barbaro and Ariana Grande, Saldaña is in for a narrow race. But stepping on to the Oscars red carpet in a breathtaking Saint Laurent dress, she surged to the lead in the best-dressed race.

While posing outside of Hollywood's Dolby Theatre on the March 2 Oscars red carpet, Saldaña dazzled in a billowing burgundy dress that is truly a work of art. Her dress displayed a rhinestone-adorned mesh top stitched to tiered layers of sumptuous satin fabric. Her longtime stylist Petra Flannery paired the masterful look with sheer opera gloves, a pair of scintillating diamond earrings, and necklace to match.

Speaking to E!, Saldaña said the piece by Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello summed up her outlook on fashion. "To me, fashion is art." And this dress is certainly a masterpiece.

As for glam, the actress embraced radiance with glistening eyeshadow, powdery blush, and a swipe of pink lipgloss. She allowed her brunette strands to flow freely in the shape of beach waves.

Saldaña has made a total of seven Oscar appearances, with her most recent being in 2023. There, she wowed onlookers in a white Fendi couture slip gown styled by Flannery. Designed with a soft A-line silhouette, her brilliant dress showcased intricate panels of embroidered lace. The actress gave her look an elegant boost with shimmering Cartier jewels, a Tyler Ellis envelope clutch, and strappy flats.

To know Saldaña’s red carpet wardrobe is to understand that the star enjoys experimenting with textured fabrics. Just a few weeks ago on the SAG Awards red carpet, she wore a custom black Saint Laurent gown stitched with a ruffled crystal-adorned sleeve. Saldaña played up her shimmering look with diamond earrings and a bracelet to match.

Whether or not Saldaña takes home the gold tonight, it’s evident that she has already ranked high on the Oscars best-dressed list. With a salient sense of personal style, there’s no doubt that she’ll continue to set a slew of sartorial records.