Doja Cat Celebrates ‘Feminine Power’ in Plunging Leopard-print Dress Inspired by Pierre Balmain’s 1953 Collection for Oscars 2025 Red Carpet

Renan Botelho

Sun, March 2, 2025 at 11:26 PM UTC

2 min read

Doja Cat made her Oscars red carpet debut in a custom Balmain gown with a leopard print, strapless silhouette, and plunging sweetheart neckline.
The dress was designed by Balmain’s creative director Olivier Rousteing, inspired by a leopard-print dress created by Pierre Balmain in 1953, and crafted by 46 artisans for more than 5,600 hours with micro-sized gold glass tubes.
Doja Cat’s first Oscars appearance will include a special performance with Raye and Lisa celebrating cinema and promoting their single, “Born Again,” at the 97th Academy Awards hosted by Conan O’Brien in Los Angeles.

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Doja Cat made her Oscars red carpet debut on Sunday, bringing wild flair to the 2025 Academy Awards . The singer wore a custom Balmain gown with a leopard print throughout, a strapless silhouette and a plunging sweetheart neckline.

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Cat's dress was designed by Balmain's creative director Olivier Rousteing, who was inspired by a leopard-print dress created by Pierre Balmain in 1953.

Doja Cat at the 97th Oscars held at the Dolby Theatre on March 2, 2025 in Hollywood, California. — Doja Cat at the 2025 Oscars .

"It was so special for me to work with Doja on this look celebrating feminine power. The feline-inspired gown takes inspiration from the storied Balmain archive while seamlessly tying into the latest pre-fall collection," Rousteing said in a statement.

The dress was crafted by 46 artisans for more than 5,600 hours. It features a handmade pattern with micro-sized gold glass tubes. Cat paired it with a matching skinny scarf, Amina Muaddi shoes and Messika jewelry.

Brett Alan styled the singer for the occasion. Alan, who also works with Tate McRae, has previously dressed her in designs by Vetements, Versace, The Row and Chrome Hearts. Cat's hair was styled by Jared Henderson, also known as JStayReady.

This is Doja Cat's first Oscars appearance. The singer is set to join Raye and Lisa in a special performance celebrating cinema. The trio is also promoting their single, "Born Again."

The 97th Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, takes place on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Conan O'Brien is hosting the ceremony, honoring the best in cinema from the past year. Notable presenters include Halle Berry, Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, Oprah Winfrey, Cillian Murphy, Emma Stone and more.