Lupita Nyong’o’s Sh14m Oscars dress theft shocks world

Police in Los Angeles are still investigating alleged theft of the Sh13.6 million ($150,000) pearl-encrusted dress that actress Lupita Nyong’o wore during the 2015 Oscar awards on Sunday.

The dress was stolen when the Kenyan actress was out of her room at the London Hotel in West Hollywood, Los Angeles.

The custom-made dress designed by Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein, took 25 people 10 weeks to hand-sew the 6,000 natural Akoya white pearls.

The dress was very expensive because the white pearls used to make it are rare. One white pearl can cost up to Sh9,000 ($100).

In her remarks about the dress, Lupita is quoted as saying: “We talked about it being fluid and liquid. I wanted it to be homage to the sea.”

Both the thief and the designer dress were long gone by the time police were notified of the incident shortly before midnight.

Police said she was out of her hotel room when the crime took place, just three days after she rocked the head-turner at the Dolby Theatre.

Lupita had a large entourage, including friends, makeup artists, hairstylists and fitters, and many of them had access to her hotel room key cards, a source told the Daily News.

EXAMINED FOOTAGE

No one has been arrested in connection with the theft so far but according to BBC, a statement by the hotel’s management said they are working with law enforcement officers to nab the culprits.

Detectives have visited the hotel and examined security cameras’ footage. Reports also indicated that there was no forced entry into the room and that nothing else was taken. It could not be immediately established if the dress was insured.

John Kaveke,  an international Kenyan fashion designer based in Nairobi, said the thief may have known its worth.

“But it is unlikely that the dress can fetch the same amount of money when resold,” Mr Kaveke told Nation on phone.

The 31-year-old Lupita dazzled on the red carpet with the dress during as the awards went down last week.

The figure-hugging frock featured intricate white beading from top to bottom, a halter neckline and sexy keyhole cut-out.

“The pressure’s off. I can just dress up and enjoy the show,” Lupita said.

The 12 Years a Slave actress, who won best supporting female actress during last year’s ceremony, had been selected alongside fellow winners Jared Leto, Cate Blanchet and Matthew McConaughey to present this year’s awards.

Last year was a remarkable one for the Kenyan, the daughter of Kisumu Senator Anyang’ Nyong’o, as she made her debut to the global screen with her role as Patsey, a slave on a Lousiana cotton plantation in the award-winning movie.

Her role earned her nominations for several awards including a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress, a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a supporting role and two Screen Actors Guild Awards including Best Supporting Actress, which she won.

She became the sixth black actress to win the best supporting actress award, the first African to win the award and the only Kenyan to ever win an Oscars.

PRESENT AWARD

This year was the second time Lupita had been selected to present an award. Last month, the actress hit the stage with Leto at the Screen Actors Guild Awards to present the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.

The Oscar-winning actress is also part of the cast of the long running science fiction film Star Wars: Episode VII.

Last year, Lupita appeared in People magazine's 50 most beautiful people in 2014.

She is currently taking part in a film; an adaptation of Americanah, a novel by acclaimed Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Most of the filming will be done in the US, but eyes will be on the African actors cast for the role of Nigerians in the story.

Lupita will star as Ifemelu, a young Nigerian woman who immigrates to the US and at some point starts blogging about race issues in her adopted country.