Why is Oscars 2023 red carpet champagne this year?

Oscars 2023 is just around the corner and there is plenty of excitement surrounding the event. After an exciting but controversial event last year, this year's ceremony will be held on March 12, 2023, at Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles.

One of the things that will be drastically different this year will be the red carpet. The famous carpet and the color are synonymous with glamor and fame.

This year, however, the Oscars have opted to use a champagne-colored carpet instead of the red one. This trend began a good decade ago when various big ceremonies slowly started to opt for other colors as well.

Lisa Love, who was a red carpet creative consultant for the Oscars for the first time this year and is also a creative contributor for the Met Gala, explained the decision, saying:

"The sienna-color tent and champagne-colored carpet was inspired by watching the sunset on a white-sand beach at the ‘golden hour’ with a glass of champagne in hand, evoking calm and peacefulness."

Another reason for this change is the clashing color scheme that vibrant red often offers.

---

Why did the Oscars opt for a champagne-colored carpet? A detailed look at the reasoning

While it will be almost impossible to say "Champagne carpet" out loud without evoking a few chuckles, it seems this year's color scheme is inspired by the decoration and the theme of the event.

Jimmy Kimmel, who is returning to host the Oscars yet again after appearing in the same role twice before, commented on this in his signature comic style, saying:

"People have been asking, 'Is there going to be any trouble this year? Is there going to be any violence this year?' And we certainly hope not,..But if there is, I think the decision to go with a champagne carpet rather than a red carpet shows how confident we are that no blood will be shed."

Kimmel further added:

"This is the kind of thing you only see in Hollywood and every model home in America,...I've never really done play-by-play for carpeting before."

According to PEOPLE, the Academy also decided to cover the carpet entirely to add an evening-like feeling to arrivals, which begin mid-afternoon in L.A. The carpet is also expected to protect attendees from potentially bad weather.

Another reason to use the color at Oscars 2023 is to match the mood of the event, which starts in the early hours but is targeted to be a night event. Lisa Love spoke about this to The Hollywood Reporter, saying:

"[Academy CEO Bill Kramer] basically said that we need to turn this event from a day event into the night,...That's always been something that the Oscars has had a problem with ever since it's started because it begins so early in the day with the sunshine and the heat...But everybody's dressed up for a night event and they are there at 4 o'clock."

This new decision to change the color may be able to uplift the event significantly and may also be a visual treat, given the glamorous outfits that one might expect to witness on the carpet.

This is also the first time that the color of the carpet at the Academy Awards has changed since 1961.

---

Catch the Oscars live on the ABC channel.