The MTV VMAs have a longstanding history of, well, history-making looks. There’s Madonna’s white lace 'boy toy' look from 1984, Lil Kim’s lilac jumpsuit in 1999 and Lady Gaga’s meat dress in 2010. And for last night’s 40th annual MTV VMAs, music royalty tapped up-and-coming designers to make their entry into the red carpet hall of fame.
It doesn’t take much to pull fabulous designer fodder off a rack for a red carpet event, but it takes someone with an accurate sense of personal style to put their trust into the (very capable) hands of a young designer to come up with a frontpage-worthy outfit.
American rapper and singer Saweetie did precisely that. She was one of the first A-listers to enter the step and repeat. She was also the first to snap up a hotfix gown, pierced with artificial bones (hello, Wilma Flintstone) by the New York-label Area, which was only shown on Sunday night as part of its spring summer 2024 show.
Pop-star Olivia Rodrigo opted for the same level of glitz. Her figure-hugging, scoop-neck Swarovski crystal dress was made by the French designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin, known for his sultry designs.
As for homegrown talent, CSM alumni, the Turkish-British designer Dilara Findikoglu, dressed Cardi B in a custom frock made from silver beads and hairclips. Doja Cat, meanwhile, went for a barely-there cobweb-esque dress by the US label Monse.
You see, showstopping looks needn’t come from the ateliers of superbrands. In fact, it’s often the new guard of designers that isn’t afraid to push the boundaries of red carpet dressing - all it takes is a brave celeb.