The Making of Amy Adams' Oscar Gown

By CHARLOTTE TRIGGS

UPDATED 03/09/2009 at 01:00 AM EDT • Originally published 03/09/2009 at 01:00 AM EDT

When it comes to dressing women, Carolina Herrera has one simple rule: "If my client doesn't look fantastic, I won't allow her to wear the dress." So when she and Best Supporting Actress nominee Amy Adams began collaborating on a gown in January, Herrera, 70, knew it would have to be "perfect." Adams didn't mind putting in the work. "I see the designers as artists, and I see myself as a canvas," says the actress, 34, who drew inspiration for the night's look from Toulouse-Lautrec's paintings. After five fittings, the gown's figure-flattering effect (made to emphasize Adams' "tiny tiny waist," Herrera says) was clear. "Amy felt amazing," says her makeup artist, CoverGirl's Molly Stern. "She kept saying, 'My waist has never been this small!'" And the star's Oscar night confidence was clear. "I feel fantastic," she gushed. "And I'm very comfy!"