Golden Globes Fashion Played It Safe – but Thank God for That Crystal G-String

Farewell, peacocks. The Golden Globes served up safe fashion for scary times. My recap below. Plus, the swirl of pre-awards events last week included star-packed soirées hosted by Tiffany & Co., Gabriela Hearst and Chanel. Victoria Brynner chats about the upcoming auction of her mom’s stylish collection, featuring jewels from Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. And on the bright side, artist Norman Zammitt’s “A Degree of Light” opens this weekend.

Safe Fashion for Scary Times

Thank god for that crystal G-string!

Teyana Taylor’s Schiaparelli crystal, bow-tied, party-in-the-back gown offered a rare moment of daring during an otherwise staid Golden Globes red carpet parade.

There hasn’t been this much black on the red carpet since 2018, when stars wore it to show solidarity with the #MeToo movement. And while Sunday’s black gowns and tuxedos didn’t appear to carry an overtly political meaning, they read like safe fashion for scary times.

Perhaps it was an instance of Hollywood stepping back and acknowledging, as Nikki Glaser teased in her monologue, that the Golden Globes were not the most important thing going on in the world right now? Naaah.

Old Hollywood and Chanel

Longtime West Coast Vogue editor-turned-event consultant extraordinaire Lisa Love was hired to upgrade the Golden Globes red carpet experience, and the addition of a sweeping staircase as a set piece did add drama to photos — though I heard the stifling heat under the un–air-conditioned tent made the experience less than ideal.

Old Hollywood was a common refrain when it came to describing the prevailing trend, and Selena Gomez’s and Ayo Edebiri’s classic black Chanel gowns and vintage bob hairstyles certainly looked the part.

Chanel was making its first big awards show impression since creative director Matthieu Blazy took over last year, and it was a good one, if safe. But let’s not forget that the house’s namesake, Coco Chanel, was famous for creating the little black dress as a timeless uniform, so it was on-brand.

Icy Pales

If not black (Miley Cyrus’ sultry Gucci) or white (Emily Blunt’s white crepe Louis Vuitton gown with a one-shouldered cape), or black-and-white (Charli XCX in Saint Laurent satin crepe and feathers), there were several lovely icy pales.

Elle Fanning’s custom silver-and-lavender Gucci gown, featuring all-over dainty flower-petal and fringe embroidery, struck a sweet note, as did Kate Hudson’s dazzling Giorgio Armani Privé pale gray crystal-and-silk fringe bias-cut gown.

Tallying the Credits

Dior dressed eight guests, but not all of the looks seemed to bear new creative director Jonathan Anderson’s fingerprints. One exception was Jessie Buckley’s light blue silk dress with a modern, side-swept panel. (Loved the Dyeable-style matching shoes, too — can we please bring that back?) Buckley is Dior’s winner this season, in more ways than one.

Prada proved it’s still a major player in the dressing derby, outfitting 12 people, including Zoey Deutch in one of my favorites of the night: a white silk georgette plissé gown with a black beaded peplum that felt Art Deco with an edge.

The Outliers

It was interesting to see Vivienne Westwood pop up with such a high-profile placement on Ariana Grande. But judging from the lines I routinely see outside the West Hollywood store, there’s some money there, and brand momentum among Gen Z.

And while Givenchy had a big showing on red carpets at last weekend’s events, designer Sarah Burton had just one star for the Globes, Jennifer Lawrence, in a look that married flower vines with the evening’s only nearly-naked dress.

March of the Penguins

Gone were the red carpet peacocks of yore, with their ruffles, capes and pussy bows. Instead, men largely opted for classic black double-breasted tuxedos, albeit with subtle differences in silhouette and statement accessories. I loved the Boucheron diamond climbing ivy pins on Colman Domingo’s uncharacteristically conservative Valentino tuxedo, the cluster of brooches on the lapel of Patrick Schwarzenegger’s nipped-waist Dolce & Gabbana, and the Jacques Marie Mage sunglasses Jacob Elordi paired with his Bottega Veneta.

Setting a decidedly different tone was Timothée Chalamet, who let’s not forget was one of the original peacocks back in 2022 when he wore that Haider Ackermann halter top in Venice.

He looked to homegrown L.A. luxury brand Chrome Hearts for his cool, understated all-black suit, worn with Timberland boots. It was a little workwear, a little street, and all his own. Instead of signing another mega luxury brand contract, could he be prepping his own brand, or his own collaboration with Chrome Hearts? I wouldn’t be surprised.

Pre-Awards Social Swirl

Tiffany’s Family Affair

The Chateau Marmont was a hive of activity last week. On Friday, Tiffany & Co. hosted a dinner in Bungalow 1 to celebrate Amanda Seyfried and her Globes nomination for “The Testament of Ann Lee.”

It was a family affair, literally, with Seyfried’s husband, Thomas, her mom and adorable kids all in the mix, along with her stylist, Elizabeth Stewart.

Seyfried wore a simple strapless black dress by Khaite. And for once, the film’s director, Mona Fastvold, who is close friends with Khaite designer Cate Holstein, was not in Khaite. “It’s old Marc Jacobs,” Fastvold said. “Old Marc Jacobs is the best Marc Jacobs!” Seyfried shot back.

Seyfried was also rocking an incredible Tiffany HardWear chunky gold chain necklace, and as it turns out, Fastvold, who wore the bracelet version, is set to shoot the spring campaign for the luxury jeweler.

“I think everyone’s in black to show off the jewelry,” said Quinta Brunson, also in Khaite, showing off a graduated Tiffany HardWear necklace in gold and diamonds.

“I want to thank Tiffany for throwing this incredible celebration for my dear friend, my forever muse, Amanda Seyfried,” Fastvold said in her opening toast, grateful that the actress “trust-falls into her arms” when they work together. “This movie is bold and strange and challenging, just like Amanda. But it’s also freakin’ fun and exciting.” That’s a ringing endorsement.

A Pretty Women Soirée

Gabriela Hearst gathered Demi Moore, Beck, Marisa Tomei, Maria Sharapova, Lauren Wasser and more members of her collected family of artists, activists and fashion folk to her Beverly Wilshire boutique for mezcal margaritas Thursday night, before inviting everyone upstairs to the “Pretty Woman” Suite for a buffet dinner.

The occasion was a celebration of a limited edition book of frameable prints by photographer Nikolai von Bismarck of the San Francisco Ballet’s “Carmen.”

Hearst designed the costumes for what I described as a “female-first” retelling of the classic when I covered it in 2024. In Arielle Smith’s fabulous take on the story, Carmen is not a lusty tragic figure. She is the badass boss of her domestic sphere, and a survivor, clad in the designer’s bold, modern costumes in vibrant yellow, red and black.

Hearst is a badass herself, of course, and the joy of her parties is the mix. You never know who you are going to see, meet or talk to, but it is always interesting, and it always ends with dancing.

The Coco Crush

Chanel drew a starry crowd to the Chateau, including Sarah Pidgeon, Tessa Thompson, Keri Russell, Dakota Fanning and St. Vincent, for its own fine jewelry party Jan. 7.

It was a celebration of the Coco Crush collection inspired by Chanel’s iconic quilting motif, and the newly appointed Chanel fine jewelry ambassador Gracie Abrams. The night ended with a surprise performance from Grammy-nominated artist Lily Allen, who treated guests to songs from her newest album, “West End Girl.”  

An Auction of Timeless Style

An upcoming Sotheby’s auction titled “From Doris With Love” will offer hundreds of personal belongings from late tastemaker Doris Brynner — who was once married to Hollywood actor Yul Brynner, and later became Dior’s longtime head of home furnishings, and counted major screen legends among her friends.

The sale, curated by her daughter, L.A.-based Stardust Brands founder Victoria Brynner, recounts Doris Brynner’s life through the objects she collected and preserved, including couture fashion, jewelry, furnishings, art and personal memorabilia.

Following Brynner’s death in February 2025, Victoria spent months sorting a collection stored across her mother’s Paris apartment and a house near Lausanne, Switzerland. “The story to tell was one of her style and her taste and craftsmanship,” she told me, describing her mother’s strategy of buying and keeping pieces because they held meaning, reflected an art form and served as testimony to a particular time.

The auction includes multiple items with prominent Hollywood connections, including a bow brooch owned by Elizabeth Taylor, a friend of the Brynners. When Taylor was visiting the family in Switzerland, she asked Doris to bid on several items in a Geneva jewelry sale. Years afterward, when Victoria was living in L.A. and visiting Taylor with her mother for lunch, the group looked through Taylor’s jewelry. Doris often joked that if she could choose any piece to have for herself, she would pick the bow — and Taylor ultimately left it to her in her estate.

Another featured lot is a brooch connected to Audrey Hepburn, which was worn by the “Roman Holiday” star at a public appearance in the early 1960s. Victoria described the piece as emblematic of the period’s restrained approach to glamour: a minimalist look anchored by a single statement accessory. (Sounds like the Golden Globes dress code!) Other personal keepsakes include items linked to Frank Sinatra and a framed photo signed by Taylor and Richard Burton, underscoring the breadth of Doris Brynner’s social circle.

Her wardrobe forms another major section of the sale, including couture pieces from Balenciaga, Valentino and multiple eras of Dior. Victoria said her mother’s connection to Balenciaga was particularly deep and that she immediately recognized signature garments while cataloging the collection. One Balenciaga highlight is a black lace cocktail dress. Victoria said her mother was confident and direct about tailoring pieces to her preferences, recalling that a researcher noted a similar, longer Balenciaga dress held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “She would have had no qualms” about requesting a shorter hem, Victoria said.

The sale also reflects Doris Brynner’s long career at Dior, where she started working in October 1997, leading the furnishings and décor department with the same emphasis on artisanship and relationships that shaped her personal collection.

Additional lots include a gold woven Jean Schlumberger evening bag her father Yul bought for her mother, a set of Cartier London handbags with interchangeable gold chains, and a group of black Gucci suitcases ordered during a Rome trip in the 1960s.

Sotheby’s will exhibit the collection in Paris Jan. 23–26, with the live sale on Jan. 27 and an online sale running Jan. 19–27.

Seeing the Light

“A Degree of Light,” opening Jan. 17 at Karma gallery, makes a persuasive case for Norman Zammitt as one of Southern California’s most rigorous — and lyrical — explorers of light and perception, alongside greats like James Turrell and Larry Bell.

The exhibition brings together two defining bodies of work: the laminated acrylic pole sculptures of the late 1960s and early ’70s, and the striated “Band Paintings” that followed, tracing a lifelong pursuit of how light becomes color, and color becomes an almost spiritual experience.

Emerging alongside L.A.’s Finish Fetish and Light and Space movements, Zammitt had a fascination with new materials and technologies. His use of industrial acrylic, scavenged from sign shops and made into slender, totemic poles, was never about futurism for its own sake. Leaning against the wall of the gallery, these seven- to nine-foot works shimmer with internal color progressions — sometimes restrained, sometimes prismatic, and always eye-catching.

When Zammitt returned to painting in the 1970s, he brought the same precision to canvas. The “Band Paintings” unfold as horizons calculated using parabolas, logarithms, and early computer programs, evoking skies at dawn, dusk and everything in between. Exacting yet deeply poetic, the works reveal an artist committed not just to seeing light, but to understanding it.

Norman Zammitt, “A Degree of Light,” Jan. 17– Feb. 14, at Karma, 7351 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles. Opening reception Jan. 17, 6–8 p.m..

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