Anya Taylor-Joy graces the Oscars red carpet in a Dior Haute Couture masterpiece.

Dior ambassadors are distinguished by several hallmarks: classic beauty—think of figures like Jisoo, Charlize Theron, and Rachel Zegler—a prominent role in a Dior Beauty campaign, and the likelihood of receiving a lifetime supply of Lady Dior handbags. However, in the past year, a new trend has emerged among the faces of the house—the chance to wear a modern interpretation of the famed Dior Junon and Venus dresses. At the 96th annual Academy Awards on Sunday night, Anya Taylor-Joy became the latest to showcase a signature scaled dress from the luxury house.

Taylor-Joy, who was presenting that evening, graced the red carpet in a Dior Haute Couture gown featuring a strapless bodice adorned with silver beading and appliques, and a skirt crafted from similarly decorated fish-like scales. This technique pays homage to two of Christian Dior’s most renowned designs: the Junon and Venus dresses, which he introduced as part of his autumn/winter 1949/50 collection. Maria Grazia Chiuri has drawn inspiration from the Junon and Venus dresses before. Last May, Natalie Portman—another ambassador for the house—donned a version of the Junon at the premiere of “May December” at the Cannes Film Festival.

Portman’s dress closely resembled the original, whereas Grazia Chiuri took a more creative approach for Taylor-Joy’s design, which was specifically influenced by the Venus. While the original Junon dress is white with blue beading and the Venus is light pink, Grazia Chiuri introduced a gray and silver color scheme for Taylor-Joy’s gown, while also adjusting the silhouette to a slightly more streamlined skirt. Perhaps after the original and Portman’s recent rendition, the designer sought to add her own spin to avoid too many comparisons. Nevertheless, there’s no doubt as to the archival piece Grazia Chiuri had in mind while crafting Taylor-Joy’s dress.

Taylor-Joy wisely allowed the gown to take center stage on the Oscars red carpet, opting for a simple, straight hairstyle and accessorizing with Tiffany & Co. jewelry and a Jaeger-LeCoultre watch. Notably, she wore a necklace from Tiffany & Co.’s Blue Book 2023 collection, titled “Out of the Blue,” a campaign for which Taylor-Joy also served as the face. Speaking about her diamond necklace to Laverne Cox on the red carpet, the actress remarked, “I like that she’s spikey and I like that she moves. She makes me feel very much alive.