The 2018 Golden Globes all-black sartorial protest has been confirmed

Towards the end of last year, it was revealed that several well-known actresses were planning to wear black at the 2018 Golden Globes.

Instead of their usual pastel or colour-popping hues, female stars set to attend this weekend’s annual awards ceremony were reportedly asking their stylists to find them black gowns in order to protest the sexual harassment that has plagued Hollywood and the entertainment industry for decades.

The likes of Jessica Chastain, Meryl Streep and Emma Stone were all believed to be planning to don black in a show of solidarity.

But earlier this week the movement, dubbed a “sartorial protest” by Vanity Fair, was given a formal name and the proper green light to go ahead.

On January 1 a full-page ad placed in the New York Times, marked the launch of a four-pronged initiative which includes a specified legal defence fund to help women less financially privileged fight sexual misconduct.

Entitled “Time’s Up”, the programme kicked off with an open letter signed by hundreds of women in showbusiness including America Ferrara, Kerry Washington and Eva Longoria.

As well as issuing a call for legislation to penalise companies that tolerate harassment and a desire to move towards gender parity, urging women attending the Golden Globes to wear black formed the last part of the initiative.

And it’s not just women who will be clad in black either; some men are planning on going all-black too. One stylist, Ilaria Urbinati, says that her male clients, which include Dwayne Johnson and Tom Hiddleston will be wearing black.

“The men WILL be standing in solidarity with women on this wearing-all-black movement to protest against gender inequality at this year’s Golden Globes,” she told People Magazine. “At least ALL MY GUYS will be. Safe to say this may not be the right time to choose to be the odd man out here… just sayin…”

But not everyone is on board with the all-black protest. Actress Rose McGowan, has said the protest will make “no real change.”

In a now deleted tweet, the 44-year-old wrote: “Actresses, like Meryl Streep, who happily worked for The Pig Monster, are wearing black @GoldenGlobes in a silent protest.”

“YOUR SILENCE is THE problem. You’ll accept a fake award breathlessly and affect no real change. I despise your hypocrisy. Maybe you should all wear Marchesa.”

By ‘Pig Monster’, McGowan is of course referencing disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein. In October, she alleged that he had raped her; an accusation which Weinstein denies.

McGowan is one of dozens of women who have accused the producer of sexual harassment and assault. But several A-listers who have worked with Weinstein in the past, including Streep, have been criticised for not speaking up.

It remains to be seen if anyone will break the unofficial dress-code at Sunday’s do and rock up in a frothy red frock and metallic heels.

One thing’s for sure: that person certainly won’t be host Seth Myers, who has already confirmed that he too will be wearing black.

Sure, we’re not expecting one night of black to change everything, but as a show of solidarity the sartorial statement is a step in the right direction and something to get the ball rolling.

As fashion writer Natalia Powell told Yahoo Lifestyle. “It’s great that women are banding together to support an issue; however, fashion can only bring awareness for a period of time.”

“Long-lasting change is going to take more than a coloured garment on one night.”

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Read more from Yahoo Style UK:

Woman who attacked a man who groped her at a music festival speaks out

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Why are women being blamed for the Harvey Weinstein scandal?