Deepika Padukone at the 2023 Oscars: Gown and Introduction

Deepika Padukone made her Oscars debut at the 95th Academy Awards in March 2023, as a presenter. She introduced the performance of "Naatu Naatu" from RRR, which went on to win Best Original Song. Her black Louis Vuitton gown and Cartier jewellery were the style story of the night, and her introduction was the moment for Indian audiences.

The introduction

The Hindu says Padukone was on hand at the Oscars on Sunday to introduce the performance of the best original song nominee, "Naatu Naatu", which later won. In presenting it, she noted its anti-colonialist themes, and also called it "a total banger".

The song was performed by the playback singers Kaala Bhairava and Rahul Sipligunj with a squad of high-energy dancers. The paper adds that her first film was the Kannada-language Aishwarya and that she had served on the jury at the 75th Cannes Film Festival the previous May. It also notes she had walked out the FIFA World Cup trophy at the final in Qatar and had most recently starred in Pathaan, which earned 5.9 million dollars in North America in its first weekend.

A presenter's debut

Vogue India says it was her first time walking the carpet, which it described as champagne-coloured, and that she was the third Indian actor chosen to present at the ceremony. The Indian Express lists fellow presenters including Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Riz Ahmed, Glenn Close, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors.

The gown

Vogue India says she chose two brands she trusts, Louis Vuitton and Cartier, both of which she represents as an ambassador. The Indian Express calls Louis Vuitton the label of which she is the global brand ambassador. The gown was a black off-the-shoulder velvet piece with a mermaid silhouette, according to Vogue India, who also published the original sketch.

The Indian Express describes a plunging neckline, full-length sleeves, a fitted corseted bodice and a flared pleated skirt. Both outlets mention gloves, which the Indian Express calls black opera gloves.

Jewellery and beauty

The jewellery was a Cartier necklace with a pear-shaped yellow diamond at the centre, with a matching diamond bracelet and ring worn over the gloves. Vogue India says the makeup took its mood from old Hollywood glamour, with an Audrey Hepburn-style cat wing, contoured cheekbones and matte pink lips. The Indian Express reports a centre-parted messy bun, winged eyeliner and nude pink lips.

The tattoo

Both outlets noticed a new tattoo reading "82°E", the name of her skincare and wellness brand. The Indian Express calls the brand newly launched, which fits the November 2022 launch reported elsewhere. We have not seen Padukone explain the tattoo on the record, so we do not say why she chose it.

Why it mattered beyond fashion

The Hindu's account puts the focus on the song and the Indian film industry's moment at the Academy Awards. Vogue India argued that having an Indian actor introduce the song was a smart move to avoid mispronunciations. That is the magazine's opinion, not a statement from the Academy.

What we could not confirm

We could not verify the exact fabric of the gown, since the Indian Express and Vogue India describe it differently, velvet in one case and not specified in the other. Ages reported for her differ between outlets. We did not find an official statement from Louis Vuitton about the design. The Pathaan figure is The Hindu's.

Sources

*Cover photo: Laura Lee Dooley, Wikimedia Commons, *[*https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deepika_Padukone_%282014%29.jpg*](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Deepika_Padukone_%282014%29.jpg)* (CC BY 2.0).*