Why Anne Hathaway didn't wear Valentino to the Oscars

ANNE HATHAWAY has explained why she opted to wear Prada over her expected choice of Valentino on this year’s Oscars red carpet - because another attendee was set to wear a very similar gown. The Les Misérables star - who went home with the Best Supporting Actress award on the night - issued an apology for “any disappointment caused”.

Confusion first arose when Maison Valentino released a statement only hours before the red carpet began, confirming that they were to be dressing the actress in a couture gown - as well as Jennifer Aniston and Sally Field. However, when Hathaway arrived at the Dolby Theatre, it quickly became apparent that she was wearing a pale pink Prada column dress. She told press: “I didn’t know what I was wearing until two hours ago. I tried on a lot of dresses, but at the end of the day, I loved the simplicity of it.”

Anne Hathaway in Prada column dress

An official statement was released last night by the 30-year-old’s publicist, Stephen Huvane, to clear the matter up.

“It came to my attention late Saturday night that there would be a dress worn to the Oscars that is remarkably similar to the Valentino I had intended to wear, and so I decided it was best for all involved to change my plans,” said Hathaway. “Though I love the dress I did wear, it was a difficult last-minute decision as I had so looked forward to wearing Valentino in honour of the deep and meaningful relationship I have enjoyed with the house and with Valentino himself. I deeply regret any disappointment caused.”

While it’s not been confirmed which Valentino dress she had originally planned to wear, according to online speculation it was the white lace Alexander McQueen dress of her fellow Les Miserables star, Amanda Seyfried, which she feared would look too similar. Hathaway has enjoyed a long relationship with Valentino - wearing a red gown by the house to the 2011 Oscars. The designer enjoyed a skiing holiday with the actress and her husband over New Year and also famously created her one-of-a-kind wedding dress, describing her as: “like my daughter”. 

Credit : British Vogue