Last night’s Emmys was a whirlwind of Andy Samberg skits, historic wins and Game of Thrones dominance, but what really stood out were the designer dresses pulled straight from the runway. The Emmys’ red carpet has a bit of a reputation for being too safe (read: boring) when it comes to fashion, but this year celebrities stepped up their game. Gowns from under-the-radar designers like Bouchra Jarrar, Ermanno Scervino, Delpozo, Bibhu Mohapatra, Romona Keveza and Lorena Sarbu were all over the red carpet. Kerry Washington wore a Marc Jacobs gown that was literally just presented at the NYFW show on Thursday and even Lady Gaga was done up in a Brandon Maxwell runway dress from his Fashion Week debut.
The only thing that kept this from being a successful night? The heat. As gorgeous as all these ladies looked, there was no mistaking that sweaty sheen, limp hair and migrating makeup on our favorite A-listers. Reportedly it was upwards of 100 degrees on the red carpet. Most likely in an attempt to keep cool, bare shoulders, slim straps, cutouts and high slits were popular last night. Even actress Allison Janney, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy winner, told reporters, “Let’s just say it: We’re both really hot. It’s just a cruel joke to make us get dressed up and walk down like this. On the plus side, I think I’ve lost a couple pounds. It’s Bikram Emmys.”