Marlee Matlin Made SAG Awards History in a Timelessly Elegant Look

Last night at the SAG Awards, the cast of CODA made history. The indie drama about a deaf family and their hearing daughter took home top honors, becoming the first film with a predominantly deaf cast to do so. That such a milestone is only occurring in 2022 illustrates how much further Hollywood needs to go in terms of inclusion. Still, for its star Marlee Matlin, the landmark moment is only the beginning. “Audiences have reacted so positively to CODA, Hollywood may finally understand how you can tell a good story that is an audience pleaser while being inclusive, authentic, and diverse,” Matlin shared pre-show. “I’m so proud of the entire cast and crew.” 

Given the significance of CODA’s nominations, Matlin wanted a SAG Awards look worthy of the occasion and enlisted Lafayette 148 creative director, Emily Smith, to create a dress that felt timeless. When brainstorming the first custom red carpet look created during her tenure (and the brand’s 25-year history), Smith sought to reflect the label’s ethos and Matlin’s charm. “This is an exciting moment for us [and] we wanted to create something uniquely special that would celebrate the brand’s history and aesthetic while reflecting the next chapter,” she says. “Marlee truly embodies the woman I design for. She’s beautiful inside and out, confident, strong, kind, and ever accomplishing. She is a woman who has a presence and an understanding of her style, reflecting her intelligence and strength. She is a fighter in the face of challenge, and that’s very inspiring.” 

Matlin, her CODA castmates Troy Kotsur, Daniel Durant, Emilia Jones, and Eugenio Derbez join director Sian Heder after their big win.

FREDERIC J. BROWN

Collaborating on the look allowed Smith to test drive new ideas. “The journey of this gown was a lot of fun creatively,” she says, comparing the experience to that of creating Lafayette’s ready-to-wear collections. “It’s just a different moment for the same woman [and] I want to support her every step of the way, including those special occasions when her success is rightfully recognized.” Eventually settling on a black and white tea-length dress embellished with embroidery, Smith found herself inspired by the delicately crafted details. “The expertise of the ateliers always inspires me,” says Smith, whose design was brought to life by a team of seamstresses in London. “The intricate hand-beading that was so skillfully done [as was] the incredible craft of their pattern cutting and draping.” Matlin was equally impressed. “[I wanted] classic chic with some fun details, and the dress Emily designed for me is exactly that,” she says. “[It’s] a classic off-the-shoulder silhouette, and the black and white color palette feels chic and retro.” 

Awards season is only beginning, but Matlin is ready for the main event. CODA’s nominations for Best Picture at the Academy Awards as well as Best Supporting Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay show how much change has happened since Matlin took home her Oscar for Children of a Lesser God in 1986. After becoming the first deaf actor ever to win an Oscar, Matlin wanted to ensure she wouldn’t be the last. “[The nominations] are a reaffirmation [of a promise] that I made to myself 35 years ago,” she says. “I was the first, but I would not be the only one ever to be nominated, nor would Children of a Lesser God be the only film with a leading Deaf actor to ever be nominated. It may have taken a while to get here, and I definitely know that next time it won’t be as long!”