'Totally Insane': 'RHOBH' Alum Lisa Rinna's Oscars Dress Made From 11 Pounds of Human Hair Sparks Backlash
RHOBH alum Lisa Rinna shocks fans with a dress made entirely of human hair at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscars party.
March 16 2026, Updated 6:30 p.m. ET
Lisa Rinna's latest red carpet look left fans doing a double take, and many critics were completely creeped out, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum turned heads at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 2026 Oscars viewing party on March 15 after stepping out in a dramatic gown constructed from roughly 11 pounds of dark brown human hair.
Hair From Head to Toe
The unusual couture gown wrapped around her body before flowing into a full-length skirt made entirely of hair.
The unusual couture piece wrapped around Rinna's body in thick strands that formed a strapless bodice before spilling down into a full-length skirt made entirely of cascading locks.
Rinna appeared delighted when she first saw the finished dress, sharing her excitement in a video posted to her Instagram Story.
"Oh my god, are you kidding me? Look at how gorgeous," she said while admiring the design, according to E! News. "That's gonna be the best hair day of my life. I've never had so much hair. It's amazing. My iconic hair, from my head to my toes."
The 62-year-old attended the event with her husband, actor Harry Hamlin, pairing the eye-catching gown with a sparkling diamond necklace while keeping her signature voluminous pixie haircut.
Designer Christian Cowan said the concept was meant to put hair 'front and center' rather than treat it as a finishing touch.
Inside the Wild Design
The dramatic dress reportedly required 16 people and more than 150 hours of work to complete.
The dress was designed by Christian Cowan in collaboration with haircare brand TRESemmé.
According to Cowan, the idea behind the gown was to elevate hair beyond a finishing touch and make it the centerpiece of the entire look.
"With the TRESemmé A-List Hair Couture Dress, I wanted to put hair front and center," the designer said in a press release. "The hair is not the finishing touch of this look — it is the look."
The ambitious project reportedly required a team of 16 people and 152 hours of work to complete.
Why Lisa Rinna Was the Perfect Choice
Rinna attended the star-studded event with husband Harry Hamlin while showing off the controversial look.
Cowan said the concept was meant to highlight the often-overlooked artistry that goes into preparing celebrities for major red carpet moments.
"This project was about celebrating that relationship and showing how hair artistry and fashion design can come together in a really unexpected way," he explained.
The designer also felt Rinna was the perfect person to debut the unconventional gown.
"I wanted to celebrate the beauty of Lisa, she's a tour de force," he told People ahead of the event. "And she's so known for her iconic hair, so it felt fun to play with that."
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Fans Call It ‘Totally Insane’
Critics online slammed the design as 'gross' and 'totally insane,' questioning why so much human hair was used.
Despite Rinna's excitement, many people online were far less impressed, with some viewers calling the concept bizarre and unnecessary.
"Celebrities and doing too much, was all that really necessary?" one person wrote on social media.
Another critic suggested the hair could have been used for a better cause, commenting: "Better if donated for cancer patients."
Others questioned how much hair went into the design.
"How many wigs could've been made with this hair?" one user asked.
Some reactions were even harsher.
"Eleven pounds of human hair on a dress?! Just when I thought Lisa Rinna couldn't get any creepier, she goes and does this," one person wrote. "The moment I realized it, I was completely creeped out. What on earth is happening? Then again it's Lisa Rinna and she's crazy so I guess not surprised."
Other responses were more blunt.
"Gross," one person wrote.
Another summed up the backlash in two words: "Totally insane."
