Arab designers on the 2025 Golden Globes red carpet, from Ashi Studio to Elie Saab

Celebrities including Sofia Vergara, Sarah Paulson and Mindy Kaling turned to labels from Lebanon and Saudi Arabia this year

Sofia Vergara in an outfit by Lebanese designer Georges Chakra at the Golden Globes. AP

The night may have belonged to The Brutalist and Emilia Perez, but glamorous outfits by some of the Arab world's most renowned labels ruled the red carpet at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards.

Designers including Lebanon's Elie Saab and Georges Chakra, and Saudi's Ashi Studio dressed a bevy of Hollywood's most famous faces for the ceremony, which took place at the Beverly Hilton hotel in California on Sunday evening.

Colombian-American actress Sofia Vergara arrived in a mermaid gown by Georges Chakra. From the designer's autumn 2024 collection, the black dress is overlaid with a layer of sparkling tulle, giving off a vibe of discreet glitter. Vergara's look, which is fitted through the torso and hips before kicking out into a sensual mermaid tail skirt, is a go-to silhouette for the Modern Family star, who frequently wears this shape to show off her curves.

Sharon Stone also opted for Georges Chakra, choosing an archive spring/summer 2014 haute couture look. An intriguing construction, the dress – in a soft sea foam tone – is made of bands of double sequins and knotted at the shoulder and hip.

Since launching in Beirut in 1985, Chakra has consistently won plaudits for collections filled with deeply feminine and glamorous dresses, making him a favourite of stars such as Vergara, Stone, Zendaya and Demi Moore.

Elsewhere on the red carpet, American actress Sarah Paulson opted for Elie Saab to create a statement look for her turn as presenter.

Deceptively simple, the strapless black look – with a pretty sweetheart neckline – is trimmed with a trailing skirt of ostrich feathers, plus more around the neckline for a soft, flowing outline. Lebanese couturier Saab recently made waves for attracting a number of global superstars, from Celine Dion to Halle Berry, to a show in Riyadh celebrating his 45-year career.

Mohammed Ashi is another Arab designer making a mark on the global fashion circuit. Not one but two stars looked to the Saudi designer for their Golden Globes outfits.

Mindy Kaling arrived in a strapless column of rich golden sequins, a natural choice for an awards ceremony.

Also in gold was Kristen Bell, whose look was sculpted from lamé in a golden shade of champagne. Bell played into the severely corseted look with her hair slicked back and minimal jewellery.

Ashi made history in 2023 as the first designer from the GCC to be invited to join the prestigious Federation de la Haute Couture. A highly coveted grading, haute couture is a term that can only be bestowed by governing body Federation de la Haute Couture and being invited to join its ranks is considered the highest possible accolade for a fashion house.

Other standout looks

Elsewhere it was a night for vintage, with Anya Taylor-Joy wearing a baby pink Dior look straight out of the archives; Elle Fanning in a glorious vintage golden gown by Balmain; and Ariana Grande arriving in a vintage volume dress by Givenchy that has reportedly never been seen in public before. Even Cate Blanchette got in on the action by rewearing one of her Louis Vuitton dresses.

A number of statement colours were spotted on the red carpet, too. Both Morris Chestnut and Zendaya opted for burnt orange – him in head-to-toe by Greyscale and her in a glossy custom Louis Vuitton dress – while Emma Stone paired her brand-new Pixie haircut with a strapless Louis Vuitton gown in a vibrant tomato red.

Actor Jeremy Stone went for a velvet celadon-hued Loro Piana suit – with a matching bucket hat, while newly engaged Selena Gomez looked regal in Tiffany-blue custom Prada.

Naturally, this was also a night for shimmer. A number of gold looks aside, Felicity Jones arrived in a liquid silver look by Prada; Viola Davis wore a black sequin look by Gucci with a cape shot through with green, blue and deep reds; Moore opted for a strapless champagne silk gown by Armani Prive; and Angelina Jolie wore a beaded look by Alexander McQueen.