History of the red carpet to the unveiling outside the Dolby Theater ahead of Oscars Sunday

ByJoelle Garguilo

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Road to the Oscars: Looking back on the history of the red carpet

As the iconic Oscars red carpet is being rolled out outside the Dolby Theater, Joelle Garguilo looks back on the carpet's history.

HOLLYWOOD -- It's a sure sign that the Academy Awards are getting closer.

On Tuesday, the iconic red carpet was rolled out outside the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

The red carpet is where fashion and film collide and where fashion statements become fashion history.

Synonymous with style, the show before the show has millions tuning in to see who is wearing what.

"I think it's the most important fashion moment, it's the original runway," said Nigel Barker.

While the 97th annual Academy Awards will celebrate the greatest stories on screen, the crimson-colored carpet has a pretty good one too.

With roots far from Hollywood dating back to 458 B.C., the first written mention of it is in the ancient Greek play 'Agamemnon.'

"Historically, when you think about the red carpet, you know, it certainly dates back literally thousands of years. The ancient Greeks originally had it. The story of the red carpet comes from the fact that cochineal. It's a very expensive dye. They wanted to use the best dyes to make this very expensive carpet that only royalty, kings and queens, Caesars could walk on," Barker said.

For centuries, the Red Carpet remained exclusive to royalty and rulers.

In 1821, Presidents were added to the list thanks to James Monroe, the first to use a red carpet.

Then the turn of the 20th century, the age of luxury travel arrived and so did the term 'rolling out the red carpet.'

It didn't hit Hollywood until 1922 'Robin Hood' starring Douglas Fairbanks, the first film premiere to use a red carpet.

Back then it was the place for stars to be seen and sought out.

In the 90s Joan Rivers almost single-handedly revolutionized it with four words that changed everything, "who are you wearing?"

"Your mom revolutionized the red carpet," Entertainment reporter Joelle Garguilo says to Melissa Rivers. "Did she start 'Who are you wearing?'"

"Yes, it flew out of her mouth when she couldn't think of what to ask somebody. It just stuck," Rivers said.

Today, it's way more than a preview to the main event. It's a multimillion-dollar industry.

"When somebody nails it come Oscars night, what financial impact can that have?" Joelle asks.

"That kind of press, that kind of coverage and that kind of star bringing your gown alive can change your entire career path. Designers take these outfits and looks and they just cascade down and it isn't long before you see them on the high street in various other forms, maybe not that dress but those colors, patterns, and little details that you see," Barker said.

At the Oscars, the road to gold begins with red.