Janelle Monae in Swarovski dress at the Oscars. Janelle Monae's Academy Awards dress featured 168,000 hand-embroidered Swarovski crystals and took 600 hours to make.
The ' Harriet' actress walked the red carpet at Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre on Sunday (09.02.20) wearing a custom metallic tulle mesh A-line gown with a draped hood and open back from Ralph Lauren and the gown had been so heavy, it required a team of four people to deliver the outfit to her dressing room.
The spectacular dress - which was teamed with crystal-lacquered silk lamé platform sandals and Forevermark jewellery - took 600 hours to make.
The 34-year-old singer-and-actress' preparation for the event began on Friday (07.02.20) when her hair stylist, Nikki Helms, visited her to wash her natural locks ahead of creating three looks for the red carpet, her performance during the ceremony and the Oscars afterparties.
Speaking to Vanity Fair on Friday, Nikki said: "Prepping is everything. So I'll be using my Maui Moisture shampoo and conditioner tonight. I'll also be using their hibiscus water detangler."
But at that point, the pair hadn't decided on how Janelle would be styled for the big night.
Nikki said: "I don't pre-think about the styles too much. Every moment is different, and every look is different. You don't want to plan for a look, and then at the last minute it changes, so you're stuck with a look for the other outfit.
"We think alike, it's so weird. We're always on the same page."
Hair preparation on Sunday for Janelle began with a blow dry using a GHD dryer, followed by the company's Platinum+ flat iron to smooth her locks.
Nikki said: "It's really good for her because she's natural in texture, and I don't want to jeopardize the integrity of her hair.
"She's always on the road and doing photo shoots everything to her hair, so it's really important that I use products and tools that enhance the way her hair is naturally, while also getting amazing looks for the red carpet."
