The Oscars may still be weeks away, but Ariana Grande is already deep in awards-season storytelling and this time, she’s borrowing from Hollywood’s most elegant archives. At the 2026 Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles, the Wicked star stepped onto the red carpet in a blush-pink gown that quietly echoed one of the most memorable looks in Oscars history: Diahann Carroll’s 1969 ensemble.
Grande’s custom Alberta Ferretti dress leaned fully into 1960s glamour, balancing softness with structure. The silhouette featured a modest scoop neckline, an empire waist, and a sheer cape detail that floated behind her as she moved. Designed in two layers, a blush pink base topped with a translucent overlay the look felt light, deliberate, and unmistakably old Hollywood. Swarovski jewels added just enough sparkle without disrupting the dress’s refined restraint.
At first glance, the gown fit neatly into Grande’s ongoing Glinda-inspired method dressing. But fashion history lovers knew there was more beneath the surface.
The look drew direct inspiration from the outfit Diahann Carroll wore while presenting at the 1969 Academy Awards, a pink gown paired with a flowing cape embellished with silver pailettes. While Carroll’s version, believed to be designed by Irene G., featured a plunging V-neckline, Grande’s interpretation opted for a higher neckline, trading overt drama for softness and elegance.
The reference felt especially intentional given that Grande was styled by Law Roach, whose red-carpet philosophy often centres fashion as cultural storytelling. Throughout the Wicked: For Good press tour, Roach and Grande have consistently tapped into fashion history, pulling archival Givenchy couture and designs by Gilbert Adrian the legendary costume designer behind The Wizard of Oz.
Carroll’s influence is also familiar territory for Roach. The stylist previously cited the trailblazing entertainer as inspiration for Zendaya’s 2025 Golden Globes look, further cementing Carroll’s place as a recurring muse in modern red-carpet dressing.
Grande herself has never shied away from referencing iconic awards-season moments. At the 2025 Academy Awards Nominees Dinner, she paid homage to Catherine Deneuve by wearing her vintage Saint Laurent dress from the 1993 Oscars, a move that reinforced her growing reputation as a student of fashion history, not just a wearer of gowns.
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