Lifestyle Style Lady Gaga's 'Best Friend' Designed Her Oscars 'Gown Suit' All the scoop on the star's look By Jeff Nelson Jeff Nelson Instagram Twitter Jeff Nelson is the Senior News Editor, Entertainment at PEOPLE. For nearly a decade, he has worked across the brand's entertainment verticals, reporting on breaking news and writing and editing across platforms, as well as securing A-list cover exclusives, including Barry Manilow's coming out and an at-home interview with Madonna. Jeff has appeared as an expert on Good Morning America, Extra, HLN and SiriusXM, as well as at RuPaul's DragCon as a moderator. He studied magazine journalism at Drake University, graduating with a B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication. People Editorial Guidelines Published on February 29, 2016 01:46 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Lady Gaga pulled an Emma Watson on the Oscars red carpet. Opting for a white dress-and-pants combo, the singer — who arrived with fiancé Taylor Kinney — turned to her stylist pal for her Academy Awards look. Todd Williamson/Getty “This was designed by my stylist and best friend, designer Brandon Maxwell, and he spent an entire week making five custom dresses for me, and we chose this one yesterday,” the actress-singer (who was also wearing a pair of 10-in. Brian Atwood heels beneath her hem) said Sunday night on ABC’s pre-show. RELATED PHOTOS: The Best Oscars Gowns of 2016 Currently the fashion director of the Grammy winner’s creative team Haus of Gaga, the designer got his start styling the Oscar-nominated singer. And Gaga has stuck by him, supporting him at both of his New York Fashion Week shows and rocking his threads everywhere from the Emmys to a Grammys after-party. The designer — whose fans include Gwyneth Paltrow and Zendaya — took to Instagram to share his excitement over Gaga’s “gown suit.” “Do you know what it feels like to watch your best friend, in your dress, walk down the oscars red carpet, as a nominee in love? Unreal. We are PROUD of you,” he captioned one shot, writing of another: “Our beautiful and talented and out of this world @ladygaga wearing custom #brandonmaxwell gown suit & @lorraineschwartz on the Oscars Red Carpet! We love you beyond words and are thankful to share in this momentous moment. What a true friend and talent you are!” Click here for all the latest Oscars coverage! Nominated for Best Original Song with hitmaker Diane Warren for their track “Til It Happens to You” (a song from the campus rape documentary The Hunting Ground), Gaga said she’s happy to use her time at the Oscars as a platform to advocate against sexual assault. RELATED VIDEO: Find Out How Oscars Red Carpet Dresses Are Made “It’s such an important song to me. One in five women will be raped before the time they finish college. One in 20 men will be raped before they finish their schooling at their university … It is something that is deeply connected to my heart,” said Gaga, who was raped at age 19. She added: “I am myself a survivor. Diane Warren is herself a survivor of sexual violence, and we’re here tonight and very grateful to the Academy for giving us this world stage to reward survivors for being brave and coming forward. I’m just really happy to be here.” –Jeff Nelson