The red carpet has become a symbol of beauty, prestige, and glory, but when did it all begin and why does it continue to be a standard welcoming of prominent figures and our favorite stars. The reason dates back thousands of years and the journey up to now is one that trails for many generations to come.
Like much of culture has been introduced by the arts, such as literature, music, painting, and dance, the red carpet is believed to have made its debut in the greek play Agamemnon (458BC.). In the story, a floor of crimson embroideries- Fancy description for carpet- is laid for the king to trail on his return to his kingdom. The twist, not to flash cameras and shout praise but to symbolize the path of death he trails. Not the type of trailblazer we want to be or admire. The color red has a history of adorning kings, and other figures of authority, according to CNN since the renaissance.
The crimson carpets were laid once more, but this time to pave the way for carriages and to direct people onto trains where they would enjoy a fine time without, hopefully, death. The red carpet tradition is recorded to have standardized during the beginning of the 18th century, and because only prime ticket holders would have access the experience, it soon grew in popularity, and an aura of sophistication and luxury came to stay, and grow as we have seen, today.
Not surprising that the first official debut of a red carpet walk at an entertainment event occurred in the roaring twenties, specifically October 18, 1922. The cinema was the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood Blvd. and is also recognized as screening the first-ever Hollywood film premiere, which is the cult classic, Robin Hood starring Douglas Fairbanks by Allan Dwan. The theater is still open for business and is one of hollywood’s most prized landmarks.
The theater had hosted two Oscar’s, also known as the Academy Awards, that celebrates everything cinema, before but the red carpet was not seen until the 1966 Oscar’s, which was the first to be projected in full color. And under the feet of the biggest film stars and directors, was the crimson carpet we can’t seem to get enough of.
Today the red carpet has lost its particularity. By no means does this equal a loss in charm. It’s still, after all this time, a must-have in any popular event. With “loss of particularity” what’s said is that the carpet has been democratized, and shared with other events that do not involve the theater and isn’t anymore exclusive to film stars. The red carpet is a symbol of the entertainment culture; it mandates a type of clothing, attitude, behavior and brings about an assembly of people- fans, reporters that requires a strict code of preparation and fun.
Well, now technically anyone can walk a red carpet, but if we’re talking about the red carpet, you should have the title actor, director, producer, investor, or other of the wonderful workers who have a direct connection with the film or event. But, don’t despair if you don’t currently wear any of these hats, since many figures by an invitation stride with pride as guests. Therefore, befriend your favorite celeb or stream live and share in on the fun in the comfort of your home.
Today, no award show or event is complete without a ranking of the red carpet looks. The red carpet has become a ceremony where the actors are interviewed, photographed, and also speak out or announce something of interest and importance to them. You can think of it as a cocktail party before the real party gets started. The red carpet, especially these days, has gained almost about the same popularity as the main event. With networks like E! covering all the red carpet looks and interviews, the tradition is just going to get bigger.
The red carpet has also served as a catwalk for top-notch designers to exhibit their latest design. The best example of this, moving away from the film industry, is the Met Gala. The Met Gala is one of the most coveted red carpet events, after the Oscars and arguably the MTV Music Awards. The red carpet’s meaning and purpose have become such a phenomenon that even a blue or other colored carpet will be talked as a red carpet moment.
To really get the gists of the freedom of self-expression perpetuated at the red carpet here are some iconic moments by some of the most recognized Hollywood figures: In the premiere of Notting Hill in 1999, Hollywood’s pretty woman, Julia Robert’s raised her arms to freedom, nature, and an unshaven underarm with pride and beauty. In the 2010’s MTV Video Music Awards, Lady Gaga went all red with an unapologetic and probably unhygienic fierce look with a complete meat suit, accompanied by a meat hat, purse, and shoes; one thing is for sure, she had the most matched outfit.
Following show stopper looks, Pose’s Billy Porter certainly posed for his red carpet moment at the 2019 Oscar’s with a fitted tuxedo jacket followed by a full-bodied skirt. The rockstar and film star Jared Leto really put his heart, soul, and head to his look at last year’s Met Gala red carpet in a red dress, and to finish the look, a perfect wax replica of his head; which seemed to appear and meet more stars than the full-body Leto did. And, to finish off these wild looks, Lil Naz brought the Wild West with a hot pink cowboy Versace suit.
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