Halle Berry Reflects on Her Iconic 2002 Oscars Gown Now on Display at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
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Halle Berry's 2002 Oscars gown is taking center stage in a new way.
On Thursday, the actress and director, 56, revealed that the Elie Saab gown she donned at the film awards show over twenty years ago has found a new home at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
The design features a mesh bodice adorned with cascading floral appliqués as well as a silky asymmetrical skirt.
While the piece certainly depicts the runway trends of the time, it's also a symbol of Hollywood history. That year, Berry took home the trophy for Best Actress for her performance in Monster's Ball. Not only did it mark the star's first Oscar win, the achievement made her the first Black actress to win an award in that category.
During her emotional acceptance speech, Berry thanked iconic Black women in film.
"This moment is so much bigger than me. This moment is for Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diahann Carroll. It's for the women that stand beside me, Jada Pinkett, Angela Bassett, Vivica Fox. And it's for every nameless, faceless woman of color that now has a chance because this door tonight now has been opened."
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Frederick M. Brown/Getty Frederick M. Brown/Getty
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In an Instagram post including a snapshot of the dress in its exhibit, Berry thanked the museum for honoring her and the designer piece in such a way.
"Not only will this historic @eliesaabworld gown remain in the expert care of the museum's curators and conservators, but it will also be accessible to generations of people for whom the dress also holds meaning and forever be a reminder that all things are possible. Thank you @academymuseum!" she wrote.
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Over the years, Berry's curated a roster of jaw-dropping red carpet looks.
At the 2022 Critics Choice Awards, the Moonfall actress proved that pants can pack a powerful red carpet punch as she rocked a black bow-accented velvet blazer and a sexy cutout corset with wide-leg trousers. She even stepped out with a bleached razor pixie cut that could've been straight out of an X-Men film.
She also used the 2021 Oscars as an opportunity to experiment with a blunt bob and baby bangs, which she teamed with a strapless mauve ball gown with a sweetheart neckline and large bow wrapped around the bodice.
