Shock and charm on red carpet

Local celebrities served competent, even relaxed looks, with a few misfires at the annual awards ceremony

- Carmen Sin

It was tasteful, if a touch restrained, on the Star Awards 2025 red carpet.

The 30th edition of local entertainment's biggest night had promised spectacle, but the artistes in attendance on July 6 overwhelmingly opted for trusty suits - mostly in penguin colours, though some dared a navy - safely pretty black dresses, lucky red ones and standard sequinned gowns.

It felt like sober good sense taking over in the third decade of the awards show, teased by backstage pictures of the stars sipping bird's nest tonics from little flasks supplied by celebrity hairstylist David Gan.

The upshot was competent, even relaxed looks, with few misfires.

Fight through the polite applause and one might find interest in the details: host Quan Yi Fong's windswept trompe l'oeil tie, newbie Tiffany Ho's clover-shaped "bib", or actor Desmond Tan passing off a blingy Boucheron tassel for a tie.

And with the likes of actors Li Nanxing, Sharon Au and Jeanette Aw making their Walk Of Fame comebacks, there was enough going on to keep oglers occupied.

A new crop of actors from the hit series Emerald Hill (2025), as yet too fresh to keep it chill, also turned up the heat.

Here are the most memorable hits and misses from the annual extravaganza.

JEANETTE AW After a six-year break from the silver screen, Aw (right) is making a leading lady TV comeback in 2026. For her red carpet return, she went for a prim Shushu/Tong number, with a flat bow detail on the neckline that added a dash of girlish sweetness.

The woollen weight and full-hipped silhouette kept it classy.

Her towering stiletto heels and 21.06-carat crocodile necklace, courtesy of Cartier, added a welcome pinch of danger.