With Hollywood in turmoil over mounting accusations of sexual harassment,  Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett delivered a moving message in defence of women and their right to dress how they please.

Blanchett, speaking Tuesday night at the InStyle Awards where she was named a 2017 Style Icon, told a glittering audience “you know we all like looking sexy but it doesn’t mean we want to f–k you”.

Without mentioning the name of disgraced Hollywood powerbroker Harvey Weinstein, the Australian actress addressed one of the criticisms directed at women who have accused the movie mogul of harassment.

Blanchett said true icons of style are “women who know how they look is not all of who they are, but just an extension of that”.

“It’s about women who feel free to wear what they want, when they want and how they want to wear it. I mean, you know we all like looking sexy but it doesn’t mean we want to f–k you,” she said.

Watch Blanchett’s speech (warning strong language)

Cate Blanchett at tonight's #InStyleAwards: "We all like looking sexy, but it doesn't mean we want to f—k you." pic.twitter.com/3FKFjJJVzC

— Andrea Mandell (@AndreaMandell) October 24, 2017

As Blanchett spoke, the audience of famous faces, including Cindy Crawford, Brie Larson, Selena Gomez, Connie Britton and Ellen Pompeo, cheered on.

Blanchett, who stars in the newly releasedThor: Ragnarok, also took a swipe at at least one notorious public figure as she highlighted the inequity of public perception.

“No one says to Steve Bannon: ‘You look like a bag of trash, do you want want me to throw you out?’ But the comments that get said about what women wear on the red carpet …” she said before sighing. 

“I mean, if you troll through those trolls on the Internet. Just don’t.”

While most of the attendees honoured at the event offered standard,  thank you speeches, Blanchett delved deeper into what it means to her to be a style icon.  

“For me, the true icons of style, it’s always those women who have been utterly themselves without apology,” she said, adding, “They’re iconoclasts.” 

Blanchett starred in Weinstein’s 2004 produced The Aviator, for which she won an Oscar for best supporting actress, and 2015’s Carol , for which she was nominated for best actress.

Blanchett condemned Weinstein’s earlier this month when stories broke alleging decades of predatory behaviour by thew movie mogul.

“Any man in a position of power or authority who thinks it’s his prerogative to threaten, intimidate or sexually assault any woman he encounters or works alongside needs to be called to account,” she said at the time. “It is never easy for a woman to come forward in such situations and I wholeheartedly support those who have.”

On Tuesday, Hollywood was rocked by fresh accusations that influential movie director James Toback sexually harassed dozens of women over decades.