Prada made Lupita Nyong’o’s blue gown for the 2014 Academy Awards.
Nyong’o wore the pale-blue Prada gown at the 86th Academy Awards on March 2, 2014, where she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for 12 Years a Slave. The dress featured a plunging neckline, a softly gathered skirt, and a color she associated with the sky and her childhood in Kenya.
The look became one of the most discussed outfits of that awards season because it combined a classic column shape with a striking, almost liquid blue tone. Nyong’o paired it with a Fred Leighton headband and jewelry, creating a polished appearance without overwhelming the gown.
A frequent confusion is mixing up Nyong’o’s Oscar dress with other major 2014 red-carpet looks, especially Cate Blanchett’s Armani Privé gown from the same ceremony. The two women both received extensive fashion coverage that night, but Nyong’o’s dress was Prada. The appearance also helped establish her as a major style figure soon after her breakthrough film role.