Rosamund Pike Is “Elspeth on Acid” at the Critics’ Choice Awards 2024

Words to describe during awards season 2024: elegant, spirited, alive. Words her stylist would use: Honest, true, Elspeth Catton. The moment Leith Clark saw , the film for which her client has received best supporting actress nominations, she knew Pike had to pay homage to the English aristo with an “utter horror of ugliness.” The catch? Clark had mere days to pull all the looks together.

The pair crossed paths 15 years ago at , but only started working together in a fashion capacity in December, when Clark was heading to Canada for Christmas and the fashion industry had shut up shop for the holidays. , who already had a relationship with Pike, was on board, but every other brand jumped to attention in January.

“I knew what I wanted and people were very responsive,” says Clark, who cut her teeth as a fashion assistant at British . “It came together in a beautiful way.” “Would Elspeth approve?” might have been the bar for each look, but The Vampire’s Wife, Molly Goddard, Simone Rocha, and Erdem dresses worn in La La Land so far encapsulate Pike as much as they do Elspeth.

“She’s an exceptional human being with such Britishness and eccentricity,” asserts Clark, who, along with Rosamund’s glam squad, wanted to honor that talent. Leith’s secret has been to allow the star a sense of fluidity, rather than being too prescriptive on the awards season trail. “Rosamund will write to me saying, how about this today?” explains Clark, who focuses on the synchronicity of the line up as a whole.

“Sometimes we have an idea of what a dress will look like, but actually the pictures come out and something else would be a great follow up. I care a lot about the color story and the narrative we’re creating.” The blooming Erdem gown Rosamund wore to the Governors Awards, which Leith describes as “Elspeth, the phoenix”, was the perfect successor to the black Dior lace confection that stole hearts at the .

dubbed it “Elspeth at the funeral,” which Clark says was “wonderful to have it received that way, but is never the point.” The only opinions that matter are those in the hotel suite (follow on Instagram to see the woman of the hour document what goes down). The latest chapter of their red carpet journey came at the Critics’ Choice Awards and is best described by Leith as “Elspeth on acid.” The Studio 54 esque blue sequin halter neck Rodarte gown was indeed a far cry away from the inky lace Dior couture that set the tone for these wild weeks in Hollywood.

The commitment to serving a look, however, remained the same. Despite the story that Pike was concealing her face behind a at the Globes because she had suffered a ski accident, the wounds had happily healed in time for her turn on the step and repeat. Rosamund and Leith had simply fallen in love with the lace headpiece that gave the world “a soft filter and made everything more beautiful”.

It felt integral to the dress and the romance at the heart of their storytelling. Clark, a consummate professional and loyal friend, has pledged to keep the “sacredness [of the other looks] sacred”, but there’s surely much joy to come from Pike who, like Catton, seems to be treating awards season like a “proper party.

No Henrys. Something actually fun.” A truly splendid idea..