Oscars 2017: Meryl Streep Gives Chanel The Cold Shoulder In Elie Saab Gown

Meryl Streep’s Oscars dress hit headlines before she even made an entrance at the 89th Academy Awards.

In the days leading up to the ceremony on Sunday 26 February, Streep became embroiled in a heated exchange with Karl Lagerfeld, over her reasons for choosing not to wear a Chanel gown on the red carpet.

Her choice of a jewel blue off-the-shoulder Elie Saab couture gown speaks for itself.

Some designers pay stars to wear their dresses, but not Chanel. Lagerfeld claimed Streep was due to wear a dress from the fashion house, but he said she cancelled on the grounds that Chanel don’t pay out. 

He was cited in WWD as saying in typical Lagerfeld fashion: “A genius actress, but cheapness also, no?”

A Chanel spokesperson later clarified that although they had been in discussions to dress Streep, she had never committed, and Streep struck back accusing Lagerfeld of “defaming” her.

“Karl Lagerfeld, a prominent designer, defamed me, my stylist, and the illustrious designer whose dress I chose to wear, in an important industry publication,” Streep said in a statement issued to PEOPLE.

“I do not take this lightly, and Mr Lagerfeld’s generic ‘statement’ of regret for this ‘controversy’ was not an apology.”

Lagerfeld then responded in a statement issued to The Cut: After an informal conversation, I misunderstood that Ms Streep may have chosen another designer due to remuneration, which Ms Streep’s team has confirmed is not the case.

“I regret this controversy and wish Ms Streep well with her 20th Academy Award nomination.”

Streep is an experienced hand at the Oscars red carpet, having been nominated 20 times and won three times. This year, she’s up for best actress for Florence Foster Jenkins.