DUBAI: Hollywood’s top stars hit the Oscars red carpet at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday night, with a handful of attendees dressed in creations by Arab designers while others sported pins calling for a ceasefire amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Canadian “Never Have I Ever” star Maitreyi Ramakeishnan opted for a Spring/Summer 2024 ready-to-wear look by Lebanon’s Zuhair Murad in a monochrome color palette.  Meanwhile, Marvel star Danai Gurira showed off a coral gown from the same collection at the Vanity Fair After-Party, complete with matching semi-sheer opera gloves.

Content creator Ashley Yi attended the Academy Awards in an all-white gown by Saudi label Waad Aloqaili boasting a ruffled wraparound which she playfully posed with on the red carpet. For her part, US model Molly Sims chose a pink Georges Chakra dress from the Lebanese designer’s Spring/Summer 2024 Couture line.

The event is often a moment for political activism, and this year the conflict in Gaza was not far from the minds of some A-listers on the red carpet.

Several nominees, including Oscar-winning singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell, wore red Artists4Ceasefire pins in support of “an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.” US Egyptian star Ramy Youssef and US filmmaker Ava DuVernay also wore the red pins while “Anatomy of a Fall” stars Swann Arlaud and Milo Machado-Graner wore pins bearing the Palestinian flag.

When it came to fashion, German actress Sandra Hueller, a best actress nominee for “Anatomy of a Fall” and the star of “The Zone of Interest,” was ready for her Oscars close-up in a stunning black Schiaparelli gown with a wide sculptural neckline.

Colman Domingo — a best actor nominee for “Rustin” and one of the definite style stars of this awards season — looked sharp in a double-breasted Louis Vuitton tuxedo with slightly flared trousers, ornate silver buttons and lots of jewelry, including a stunning brooch in his bowtie.

“High School Musical” actress Vanessa Hudgens made a big statement with her black long-sleeved body-con gown — it showcased her baby bump as she announced her pregnancy with baseball player husband Cole Tucker.

Meanwhile, Dubai-based US movie star Lindsay Lohan made a strong comeback to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, along with her Kuwaiti husband Bader Shammas. The “mean Girls’ star wore a shimmering Balenciaga gown to mark her first appearance at the party since 2006.

One of the best ways to ensure attention on the Oscars red carpet is to dress a bit like the golden statuette — metallics are a timeless sure bet.

Anya Taylor-Joy, who presented an award, took that to heart and stunned in a silvery strapless Dior gown with plenty of sequins and sparkle.

America Ferrera, a nominee for best supporting actress for her turn in “Barbie,” combined two hot red carpet trends with her form-fitting sleeveless Versace dress that was both metallic and pink.

Presenters Cynthia Erivo, a two-time Oscar nominee, and pop star Ariana Grande — who will soon star in a two-part film adaptation of the popular Broadway musical 'Wicked' — brought their Oz energy to the Academy Awards stage. Grande channeled her inner Glinda in a strapless pink cloud of a gown with voluminous sleeves from Giambattista Valli Haute Couture.

Erivo meanwhile struck a very Elphaba chord in a dark green leather Louis Vuitton gown with a plunging neckline and ruffles down the back.