As we all know by now Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o is a style maven; case in point – her head-turning lewks to industry events, editorial fashion on magazine covers, and especially during the awards seasons, her glam team comes correct!

For this year’s Oscars, Lupita made quite the entrance in a sequined gold fringe Prada dress embroidered with flowers. She paired the winning look with sparkly rare coloured diamonds from De Beers and a mesmerising African inspired updo by the brilliant Vernon François.

Her makeup was soft, pristine, and stunning, thanks to Nick Barose.

The real scene-stealer was her gorgeous, statuesque updo – as has become tradition, Lupita often makes bold beauty appearances at awards shows. Here’s how Vernon, her hairstylist dissected the inspiration and process behind Nyong’o’s look for the Oscars:

The overall look of this hairstyle is partly inspired by African figures in classical Greek art. It is a sisterlocks updo with a soft, graceful, glamorous feel influenced by what Lupita is wearing and the occasion. Movement is an important part of it, for synergy with the tassels on Lupita’s dress. The asymmetric hand-sculpted shape echoes the floral design in Lupita’s dress while elongating the neckline. This is a magnificent, statuesque, regal creation that captures the essence of the Oscars.

Credits

Styling: @micaela

Makeup: @nickbarose

Hair: @vernonfrancois

Outfit: @prada

Accessories: @debeers

Nail Artist: @deborahlippmann