{"id":403400,"date":"2025-09-06T19:28:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-06T19:28:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/403400\/"},"modified":"2025-09-06T19:28:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T19:28:11","slug":"how-the-vmas-became-the-red-carpet-home-of-the-brave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/403400\/","title":{"rendered":"How the VMAs Became the Red Carpet Home of the Brave"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe perfect red carpet look is daring, original, and eye-catching. I love a look that references a style or a trend past, but puts a new, fresh spin on it,\u201d says creative director of Off-White<\/a> and stylist Ib Kamara. And for Kamara, the one artist that consistently hits the mark and gets it right every time is Beyonc\u00e9<\/a>. \u201cShe has always been a star, and every time she appears on the red carpet you know she will look flawless,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

Having a birds-eye view to the yearly parade of fashion, Lauren Paige\u2014a former publicity co-lead at MTV\u2019s parent company, Paramount\u2014says \u201cyou have to bring it!\u201d when stepping onto the VMAs red carpet. Paige worked on the awards show for four years, helping to shape the landscape of the event and escorting talent on the carpet. \u201cThe VMAs is the ultimate source for experimental dressing, and is the cultural mecca of awards shows,\u201d Paige says. \u201cWhen you step onto that carpet, you\u2019re stepping onto historic grounds where some of the world\u2019s most celebrated artists have delivered incredible fashion moments.\u201d<\/p>\n

A VMAs red carpet placement can propel emerging designers and burgeoning brands into fashion world consciousness, especially if worn by the right talent. While the presence of legacy brands and established designers being consistently worn to red carpets is often seen as a \u2018safe bet,\u2019 artists at the VMAs have championed their favorites, like Cardi B<\/a> in Dilara Findikoglu and Olivia Rodrigo in Ludovic de Saint Sernin<\/a> in 2023.<\/p>\n

Photo: Getty Images<\/p>\n

Photo: Getty Images<\/p>\n

Celebrity and editorial fashion stylist Joiee Thorpe<\/a> believes brands like Versace<\/a> remain a top choice for the VMAs because \u201cit\u2019s a sexy brand that has become a red carpet staple.\u201d The likes of Dolce & Gabbana, Mugler, Balmain, and Gucci remain fixtures because, as celebrity fashion stylist Aaron Hawkins<\/a> says, \u201cthese brands are built on drama, sex, and spectacle. And that\u2019s exactly what the VMAs demand.\u201d<\/p>\n

And the glam has to match, of course. Ngozi Olandu Young<\/a>, an Emmy-nominated and two-time NAACP Image Award-winning makeup artist for film and television, believes that Lil\u2019 Kim is the epitome<\/a> of this standard, nailing it with her groundbreaking 1999 ensemble. \u201cLil\u2019 Kim\u2019s one-shoulder purple jumpsuit\u2014with the unforgettable pastie\u2014along with a matching lavender wig, frosted lips, and eye shadow was a full color story ahead of its time,\u201d says Young. \u201cIt was more than shock value, but about ownership of her femininity; and it opened the door for the unapologetic freedom of self-expression we celebrate at the VMAs each year.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, what does it take to truly create a memorable VMAs red carpet moment? It requires a look that is equally \u201cdaring, sculptural, and deeply personal,\u201d says shoe designer Thom Solo<\/a>, whose high heels have stomped across red carpets, stages, and music video sets on the feet of Lady Gaga, Doechii, Lana Del Rey, and more. Solo believes that a show-stopping ensemble should \u201cfeel like wearable art, a fusion of architecture, craftsmanship, and storytelling.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe VMAs are not as conventional or conservative as the other awards ceremonies,\u201d affirms Solo, \u201cso there\u2019s freedom to play a little\u2014or should I say, a lot!\u201d<\/p>\n

Following its high-octane 40th anniversary last year, the VMAs are returning to New York once again. The 2025 awards show will see nominees including Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter<\/a>, The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish<\/a>, and more deliver another round of memorable red carpet moments. Ahead of the 2025 VMAs, here\u2019s a look back at 15 of the most fascinating and thought-provoking VMAs red carpet looks throughout the years\u2014in no particular order:<\/p>\n