Oscars 2017: Meryl Streep Ends Chanel Controversy, Wears Elie Saab to Academy Awards

One of the most anticipated fashion moments of the 2017 Oscars was what Meryl Streep would wear—though, perhaps, not for the reasons that you’d assume.

The Academy Awards legend had the fashion industry guessing which designer she would finally align herself with for this year’s show after Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld said in an interview with Women’s Wear Daily that Streep had demanded to be paid to wear the gown on the red carpet. ““A genius actress, but cheapness also, no?”

The story, as it turns out, was product of an apparent misunderstanding, which triggered a blistering response from the actress, who attended the awards ceremony to be honored for her record-breaking, 20th Academy Awards nomination. “I do not take this lightly, and Mr. Lagerfeld’s generic ‘statement’ of regret for this ‘controversy’ was not an apology. He lied, they printed the lie, and I am still waiting,” Streep said in a statement.

She also said that in running the story, Lagerfeld and WWD had defamed “the illustrious designer whose dress I chose to wear.”

In the end, that designer was Elie Saab, the Lebanese, Paris-based couturier whose designs have become a fixture on the red carpet, especially at the Oscars—Halle Berry won her Academy Award in one of his designs. Streep arrived on the red carpet of the Dolby Theatre in an elaborately beaded, off-the-shoulder satin gown that she wore over matching pants and heels. Streep completing the look with a pair of drop earrings and a voluminous blow-out, proving that her best possible riposte to the dress non-scandal was to look spectacular when she made her entrance.

Streep didn’t comment on her decision to wear Saab on the red carpet, as she skipped TV interviews. But by the time she made her appearance, Chanel had issued a statement apologizing for the hubbub on behalf of Lagerfeld. “After an informal conversation, I misunderstood that Ms Streep may have chosen another designer due to remuneration, which Ms Streep’s team has confirmed is not the case. I regret this controversy and wish Ms Streep well with her 20th Academy Award nomination,” the statement read.

On that note, you can consider this feud that none of us ever wanted between a design legend and a Hollywood icon officially over.

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