Associated Press
By Anthony McCartney
Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A $150,000 gown adorned with thousands of pearls and worn by Lupita Nyong’o at the Academy Awards has been reported stolen, sheriff’s officials said Thursday.
Deputies responded to a West Hollywood hotel late Wednesday after the custom Calvin Klein Collection by Francisco Costa dress was reported missing from the hotel room of the actress, sheriff’s Sgt. Richard Bowman said.
Bowman said Nyong’o was present when deputies took the report, but she wasn’t in her room when the elaborate gown was taken.
Her publicists said they would not comment on the theft.
The custom ivory dress designed by Costa included 6,000 pearls of various sizes.
Representatives for the actress reported the theft. Detectives suspect the garment was taken sometime between 8 and 9 p.m. Wednesday, sheriff’s Lt. William Nash said.
Detectives were at the hotel Thursday looking for clues, including surveillance footage that might reveal what happened. Nyong’o won an Oscar in 2014 for her role in “Twelve Years a Slave” and was a presenter at Sunday’s ceremony.
Nyong’o, 31, has become a darling of Hollywood’s red carpets in the past two years, with commenters and fans praising her fashion choices.
She accessorized the dress with Chopard diamond drop earrings and three Chopard diamond rings.
Before the awards ceremony, she told The Associated Press on the red carpet, “I’m just wearing my diamonds and pearls. My homage to Prince,” referring to a popular song by the musician.
Nyong’o told a reporter for Yahoo Style that she was involved in the design of the dress.
“We talked about it being fluid and liquid,” she told the site. “I wanted it to be an homage to the sea.”
