H&M Makes Its Oscars Debut — and Jihoon Kim is the Moment

Courtesy H&M/Photo by Frazer Harrison/WireImage

Hollywood’s biggest night has always belonged to the couture houses — the ateliers, the archives, the names sewn into the lining of history. But on March 15th, at the 98th Academy Awards, H&M stepped onto that hallowed carpet with something entirely its own: a one-of-a-kind custom gown built for global fashion talent and creator Jihoon Kim, and not a single detail felt out of place.

The result was a sculpted blush pink gown designed with architectural precision — a corset with boning softly visible beneath transparent beaded lace, a low back, a collarbone-baring neckline, a high leg slit, and a flowing train. Ruffled edges at the cuffs and slit, along with a refined hip accent, completed the silhouette. It was not a dress that asked for permission. It announced.

The look was brought to life by H&M’s in-house design team — the creative force behind H&M Studio — and built entirely around Jihoon’s bold, sophisticated, modern-luxe aesthetic. This was not a borrowed gown or a pulled look. It was a collaboration. A conversation between a brand and a talent who has been part of each other’s story for years.

H&M has walked alongside Jihoon from her days as a global ambassador and H&M Studio face to her runway debut at AW2025 — and now, her first Oscars. That lineage matters. In an era where red carpet dressing is increasingly transactional, this felt earned.

H&M Studio Collection Designer Kathrin Deutsch captured the weight of the moment — working closely with Jihoon to develop a custom look that felt authentically hers, bringing together the best of H&M’s design expertise and her own singular sense of style.

And Jihoon herself didn’t hold back. She reflected on the experience with gratitude, noting that every detail of the dress felt like her — the lace, the sparkle, the shape — and that the H&M team truly listened throughout the process. For a creator who has been shopping the brand since her teenage years, walking the Oscars carpet in a custom H&M gown was nothing short of surreal.

That sincerity is what separates this moment from a simple red carpet placement. Jihoon didn’t wear H&M because it was handed to her. She wore it because the house listened — and built her dream.

The Dolby Theatre has seen its share of unforgettable gowns. This one joins that lineage not by borrowing from luxury’s playbook, but by writing a new page entirely. https://www.instagram.com/hm