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A red carpet is traditionally used to mark the route taken by heads of state on ceremonial and formal occasions, and has in recent decades been extended to use by VIPs and celebrities at formal events.

History

The earliest known reference to walking a red carpet in literature is in the play Agamemnon by Aeschylus, written in 458 BC. When the title character returns from Troy, he is greeted by his wife Clytemnestra who offers him a red path to walk upon:

Now, dearest husband, come, step from your chariot.
But do not set to earth, my lord, the conquering foot
That trod down Troy. Servants, do as you have been bidden;
Make haste, carpet his way with crimson tapestries,
Spread silk before your master’s feet; Justice herself
Shall lead him to a home he never hoped to see.

Agamemnon, knowing that only gods walk on such luxury, responds with trepidation:

I count it dangerous, being mortal, to set foot
On rich embroidered silks. I would be reverenced
As man, not god. The praise of fame rings clear without
These frills and fancy foot-rugs;

Renaissance paintings often show rugs and carpets in oriental patterns, with red often the main background colour, laid on the steps to a throne, or on a dais where rulers or sacred figures are placed.

A red carpet was rolled out to a river to welcome the arrival of United States president James Monroe in 1821. In 1902, the New York Central Railroad began using plush crimson carpets to direct people as they boarded their 20th Century Limited passenger train. This is believed to be the origin of the phrase "red-carpet treatment".

By the late 1920s the red carpet had become synonymous with Hollywood and film premieres. A crimson-hued carpet was used for the first ever Hollywood premiere, the 1922 premiere of Robin Hood, starring Douglas Fairbanks, in front of the Egyptian Theatre. For the following decades, the red carpet was one of the few places the public could catch a glimpse of stars like Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly.

In 1961, the red carpet was introduced at the Academy Awards at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. In 1964, the broadcasters of the ceremony opted to film outside the venue, showing the arrival of guests as they stepped out of their limousines. From this point forward, the red carpet became a globally acknowledged focal point for actors and actresses to make a grand entrance and showcase themselves at the Oscars.

Publicity events

A red carpet is also used in gala celebrity events such as the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Grammy Awards, Met Gala, and BAFTAs. While the awards take place inside, much of the publicity and excitement takes place outside with journalists discussing the red carpet fashions, what designers are being worn by which stars and photographers taking pictures in the press line. This is now a spectacular international product placement arena of great importance to the fashion industry. Red carpets are often coupled with publicity backdrops which contain brand logos or emblems for photography purposes.

Other colors

Carpeting in other colors may replace red in some instances to honor a certain cause, such as a "green carpet" to promote environmental awareness; or, for a sponsored event, the sponsor's logo colors, such as the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, which uses an orange carpet to match the network's primary imaging color; The MTV Video Music Awards have similarly varied, with some editions having used black (2022), white (2016), and blue (2017) carpets.

In 2019, the premiere of the film Detective Pikachu (2019) used a yellow carpet to match the color of its title character Pikachu. The premiere of Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) used a blue carpet to match its namesake character.

At the 95th Academy Awards in 2023, the organizers chose a different champagne color for the first time since the red carpet was introduced, as part of an attempt to better reflect a "day event into the night".

The Jeopardy! Honors event, which was held annually since Season 39 on the eve of the Tournament of Champions, featured a blue carpet, in order to match the color of its background used during clues and dollar amounts shown on the clue board, from inside the Alex Trebek Stage at Sony Pictures Studios.

Phrases

More generally, "red carpet treatment" and "rolling out the red carpet" usually refer to any special efforts made in the interests of hospitality.

Airline lounges

United Airlines operates a series of airport lounges at major airports that were formerly known as "Red Carpet Clubs".

See also

• Red carpet fashion

References

1. ^ Aeschylus (26 July 1973). The Oresteian Trilogy. Translated by Vellacott, Philip. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-0-14-190629-4. OCLC 1004977950.
2. "A brief history of Georgetown County (South Carolina)". Archived from the original on February 11, 1998.
3. Henderson, Amy. "What is the Origin of Hollywood's Red Carpet?". smithsonianmag.com.
4. ^ Baker, Lindsay (22 February 2016). "Where does the red carpet come from?". BBC News.
5. Jeff Schear (October 11, 2010). "Red Carpet Misconceptions". Chicago Now. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
6. Carly Ledbetter (March 28, 2015). "Kids' Choice Awards 2015 orange carpet style was brighter than ever". Huffington Post. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
7. "Lil Nas X Shuts Down the 2022 VMAs Black Carpet in a 'Heavy' Feathered Headpiece: 'I Feel Amazing'". People. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
8. "Blue Ivy and Mom Beyonce Flutter Down the White Carpet at the VMAs". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
9. Gray, Yasmine (2017-08-28). "12 of the Best Red-Hot Looks From The 2017 VMAs". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
10. Silliman, Brian (3 May 2019). "Talking favorite Pokémon, sequel hopes on Detective Pikachu's yellow carpet". SYFY WIRE.
11. D'Alessandro, Anthony (17 February 2020). "'Sonic The Hedgehog' breaks video game pic opening record with $70m & reps 4th-best Presidents' Weekend debut – Monday Update". Deadline. premiere on the Paramount lot featuring games and activities for kids on a blue carpet.
12. Gardner, Chris (2023-03-10). "Oscars 2023: Why the Red Carpet Isn't Actually Red". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-03-12.

• Rugs and carpets