At the 2017 Academy Awards, Valentino designed Ruth Negga’s red gown with a blue ACLU ribbon.
Negga wore a long-sleeved scarlet Valentino gown with a high neckline and a small blue ribbon supporting the American Civil Liberties Union. The restrained color contrast made the ribbon visible without overwhelming the couture design.
The outfit attracted attention because it combined classic red-carpet styling with an explicit political message. Negga was nominated for Best Actress for Loving, and the ACLU ribbon campaign was supported by several attendees at the ceremony.
The 89th Academy Awards were held on February 26, 2017. Moonlight won Best Picture after the well-known presentation error in which La La Land was initially announced. Negga’s gown is sometimes misidentified as Dior because other prominent red gowns at awards ceremonies have come from that house, but this particular dress was Valentino.