The Golden Globes red carpet has been home to many iconic fashion moments, but this year’s pre-award show promenade was be fueled by one mantra: don’t stand out, stand up.
Black dresses ruled the red carpet at Sunday’s Golden Globes in a show of solidarity for the mission of anti-sexual harassment group Time’s Up.
The organization, which was made itself known officially this week, formed after allegations against former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein came to light in a story by The New York Times in October.
Director Ava DuVernay, producer Kathleen Kennedy and dozens of celebrities, including America Ferrera, Emma Stone and Constance Wu, laid out the mission of Time’s Up in an open letter on Monday.
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Time’s Up is advocating for legislation to curtail workplace harassment across industries and seeking gender parity at various entertainment companies.
In addition to raising nearly $15 million for a legal defense fund, the group has encouraged people to wear black to the Globes in a show of support and to raise awareness.
With red carpets often dominated by talk of dresses, hair and jewels, with this effort, the Time’s Up is steering the conversation toward its agenda.
“It’s bigger than a best dressed list,” Karla Welch, a Los Angeles-based stylist of 13 years, told CNN via email.
Welch, who is among the industry’s most acclaimed stylists, has clients who have included Sarah Paulson, Tracee Ellis Ross and Amy Poehler. She first heard about the effort back in December and “instantly thought” it was “going to be powerful and amazing.”
“This movement is incredibly well organized,” said Welch. “All of my clients were aware through their own network.”
Some men are expected to take part, too.
Back in December, stylists Ilaria Urbinati confirmed in an Instagram post that her male clients would be “standing in solidarity with women on this wearing-all-black movement to protest against gender inequality.”
Urbinati’s clients include Tom Hiddleston, Armie Hammer and Dwayne Johnson.
‘This is not a competition, this is a sisterhood’
Welch said it hasn’t been a particularly difficult challenge to find appropriate options for her clients because “every showroom and designer has been incredible.”
Incredible, too, she said, has been taking part in “something so unifying.”
“Honestly, for this, it wouldn’t be an option to not wear black,” Welch said. “I can’t imagine working [with] an actor who wouldn’t want to support this.”
Celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch agrees, saying straying from black would be an “incredible faux pas,” even if it was done as a result of simple unawareness of the effort.
“This is not a competition, this is a sisterhood,” he said. “We want everyone to know this is what we’re doing.”
Most important, however, is emphasizing why it’s all taking place, according to actress Connie Britton.
“What we really need to do now is get to the grassroots and get to every day women who have been dealing with these issues and have to sit alone with it and don’t have the resources to empower themselves,” she told CNN. “For me, my hope is that we really get to a place with this movement where it’s not just about Hollywood.”
