Lady Gaga and pregnant Rihanna among stars in elegant black at the 2023 Oscars

Black proved a failsafe choice for the 2023 Oscars.

Celebrities experimented with different styles and silhouettes, sticking to a gothic black colour scheme.

Singer Lady Gaga is performing her Oscar-nominated song Hold My Hand from Top Gun: Maverick at the ceremony, and she wore an outfit straight from the Versace runway.

Model Gigi Hadid originally wore this statement gown to close the show last Thursday. The dramatic gown had a drop waist, see-through sleeves and visible boning on the bodice.

Rihanna is also set to perform her Oscar-nominated song at the ceremony (Lift Me Up from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), and was a late arrival on the red carpet in a suitably sensational outfit.

The Barbadian singer wore a skintight Alaia dress with a leather skirt and bodice, and see-through turtleneck underneath hugging her growing baby bump.

Flower appliques has emerged as a strong trend on the Oscars carpet. Actress Nicole Kidman wore a black gown with 3D floral detailing by Armani Prive, with a daring leg slit and asymmetric sleeve.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever actress Danai Gurira chose a classic ballgown silhouette for her Oscars outfit, with her hair piled on top of her hair for height and drama.

Fleabag actress and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge amped up the sex appeal in her Dolce & Gabbana outfit: a strapless black gown with a lace corset bodice, paired with bright red lipstick.

Wearing an elegant Louis Vuitton outfit, director Ava DuVernay gave her black velvet gloved gown some interest with a silver sequinned wrap and train.

American actress Jenny Slate wore a simple black strapless gown to really let her statement necklace shine.

She wore a one-of-a-kind collar-style necklace of an emerald surrounded by white diamonds by Gismondi, which the brand says took over 300 hours of handiwork to complete.

Top Gun: Maverick actress Jennifer Connelly wore an all-black Louis Vuitton gown with a glittering accent at the collar. She had slicked back hair and smokey make-up to top off the look.