happened in real time, giving us a glimpse of what formal events might look like in the future. Attendees were required to wear face coverings at every moment, which posed a logistical challenge on the red carpet.
Some actors went above and beyond, fashioning custom face masks out of the same fabric as their suits and gowns. While posing for photos, they would hold the mask by its handles, as though it were an elegant wristlet or a small clutch. Others dangled it over an ear like a very large piece of jewelry. Tilda Swinton, in a very Tilda Swinton move, commissioned Björk’s creative director to make her not one but two carnival masks out of gold, which she proudly carried like a torch.
Scrolling through these photos, it’s amazing to see how quickly people, especially those with means, can adapt. Such earnest attempts to keep the glamour and fantasy of the red carpet alive are both inspiring and, in a twisted way, amusing, because no one is quite able to pull it off. . No matter how hard celebrities try to disguise them as pristine, good-looking objects, they will always be a reminder of our messy, vulnerable humanity.