How Kathryn Gallagher Modernized Old Hollywood Glamour for the Tony Awards

The occasion may have been to celebrate the best of Broadway, but for Sunday night's Tony Awards, Kathryn Gallagher's red carpet moment was all Hollywood. First, her date: dad Peter Gallagher, the prolific actor with an extensive list of credits on film and TV, from Steven Soderbergh's 1989 indie Sex, Lies, and Videotape to the more recent Grace and Frankie on Netflix. Then there was her look: a custom red-hot Derek Lam 10 Crosby gown featuring a thigh-high slit, coupled with side-swept Veronica Lake curls.

When she found out she would be attending the Tonys—as a nominee in the Best Featured Actress in a Musical category for her role as Bella Fox in Jagged Little Pill—Gallagher and her stylist Sarah Slutsky quickly got to work daydreaming the perfect ensemble. Old Hollywood emerged as a strong inspiration point. "There's a glamour shot of my grandmother above my sofa from when she was in her twenties and I always stare at it in awe. I really wanted to do something that referenced that," Gallagher says. Also on the mood board: the storied history of Broadway and the Tony Awards. "Every time I walk into a theater I'm struck by such nostalgia," she says. "I wanted to embody that." But lest it all become just a little too sentimental, Gallagher and Slutsky contemplated the future, too.

"After a long hiatus of uncertainty, we discussed the duality of honoring the event and the reopening of the theaters, as well as what we hope the new and modern era of Broadway will look like," Slutsky says. "We chatted about icons of the past—and how we create a new legacy."

As for partnering with Derek Lam to conjure up the sartorial expression of modern Old Hollywood glam, the choice was a no-brainer. The designer was one of the first to support the actress when Jagged Little Pill first opened. In fact, she wore one of his gowns to the 2019 CFDA Awards, just four days before previews for the musical began. "It felt very full circle to get to do this together," Gallagher says.

Based on Slutsky's preliminary inspiration sketches, the team at Derek Lam 10 Crosby crafted a thoroughly modern red gown that, through 2 fittings, was completely sculpted to Gallagher's body. "This was important because we really wanted to honor and celebrate the female form," Slutsky says. Adds Gallagher: "I have always been anxious about wearing anything form fitting but I wanted to show up not feeling like I was hiding any part of myself. That was new for me." And clearly, so very worth it.

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