While it seems John Galliano was the designer of the evening (followed by a tie between Alexander McQueen and Jonathan Anderson, perhaps), Isabelle Huppert opted to go in a different direction, and instead honored her own ancestry with her look. Huppert is the great-great-granddaughter of Marthe Bertrand, who founded the fashion house Callot Sœurs with her three sisters, Marie, Régina, and Joséphine in 1895. A historic house, Callot Sœurs was specifically placed into the spotlight for the “Sleeping Beauties” exhibition, as the show closes with a wedding dress from the brand, designed for socialite Natalie Potter in 1931. Huppert asked Demna to recreate this dress for Balenciaga, to honor her heritage. “I think that of all the participants, I’m probably the one with the most obvious and, above all, the most personal connection,” she said, according to Vogue. “Since I’ll be wearing a dress revisited by Demna, obviously for Balenciaga, but a dress that was created by my great-grandmothers.”
Actually a top and skirt, the piece featured a four-meter-long train that completely covered the stairs when the actress reached the top, making for one of the most dramatic moments of the night.