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If the VMAs have taught us anything, it’s that the music awards red carpet is the ultimate playground for boundary-pushing glamour — and this year didn’t disappoint. As stars like Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat and Tyla descended on New York’s UBS Arena on Sunday, September 7 for the 2025 MTV VMAs they delivered fashion moments with the touch of chaos we’ve come to expect from the music video awards night of nights.
Last year, Chappell Roan channelled Joan of Arc in full chainmail, and Lisa and Taylor Swift arrived in Mugler and Dior corsets, respectively. This year, looks have been even more theatrical. Never one to miss the opportunity for a main character moment, Doja Cat, with cartoonish bombshell-blonde hair, pastel Balmain with towering platform heels and a $5,9995 crystallised lipstick clutch. Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter played with unexpected colour combinations in a sequinned Valentino naked dress and clashing lavender boa.
Below, find the most memorable moments from this year’s VMAs red carpet.
The Standout Looks At The 2025 MTV VMAs
Doja Cat
Doja Cat is slated to perform at the 2025 MTV VMAs, so naturally, we’re expecting a sartorial saga in multiple acts. For her opening look, she channelled a cartoonish ’80s bombshell—part Dolly Parton, part pop-art pin-up—in a plunging harlequin-print Balmain mini dress from the Pre-Fall 2024 collection, pulled by stylist Brett Alan. The look teetered into camp, in the best way possible: skyscraper butter-yellow platforms, fuchsia Chopard Haute Joaillerie dripping from her ears, and a lipstick-shaped clutch by Judith Leiber Couture, with her nails and actual lipstick hue to match. The finishing touch? A voluminous, backcombed blonde mane that could only be described as: Dolly goes downtown.
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter, still riding high from the blockbuster release of Man’s Best Friend, brought a dose of pop-princess regality to the VMAs red carpet in a glittering, skin-baring gown by Valentino. While the naked dress has become yawn-inducing, ubiquitous on music awards red carpets, Carpenter’s take felt fresh. A clashing lavender feather boa styled by Jared Ellner that added just the right touch of eccentric glamour, part Old Hollywood, part 2025 pop princess. A brilliant red manicure was topped off with sparkling Tiffany & Co diamonds.
Ariana Grande
If you ask Ariana Grande, the polka dot trend is alive and well. The Wicked star floated onto the VMAs red carpet on the arm of stylist Law Roach in a vintage-inspired Fendi gown—complete with a delicate peplum, all-over polka dots, and just the right amount of Swarovski sparkle.
FKA Twigs
FKA Twigs made a surprise appearance in a leather burgundy ensemble that looked straight out of The Fifth Element, with shoulder pads and a corsetted back. The finishing touch was her braids, sculpted to look like wired headphones, and she wore silver grills on her teeth.
Tyla
Tyla reached into fashion lore and resurfaced with a piece of sartorial history: a Chanel mini dress, originally conceived as a sculptural top by Claudia Schiffer on the Maison’s SS 1993 runway. Her thigh-skimming reimagining of the archival piece felt perfect for the VMAs, and she styled the dress with a gold coin choker from Pandora and a delicate belt chain.
Ice Spice
We’ve been holding out for a corset, and Ice Spice has delivered in a vintage 2003 Ralph Lauren runway look sourced from Raffe Vintage. Her bubblegum pink Pamela Anderson up-do gave a Bridgerton look the perfect VMAs twist.
Sombr
Sombr channelled dark elegance with a touch of Cowboy-core in a sharply tailored Valentino ensemble with intricate floral embroidery. The 19-year-old singer/songwriter was nominated for Best New Artist and his breakout tracks “Back to Friends” and “Undressed” trended on TikTok this year, climbing to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and cracking the Top 5 in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. He’ll be entertaining Australians with his debut album, I Barely Know Her (2025), at Spilt Milk and Splendour in the Grass this year.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga may have skipped the 2025 MTV VMAs red carpet, but made up for it when she swept in to accept the Artist of the Year award. Fresh from a sold-out show at Madison Square Garden (the latest stop on her Chromatica Ball Part II tour), she wore full gothic glamour. Styled by Hunter Clem, she wore a dramatic Marc Jacobs Fall 2025 creation layered in jet-black rosettes, channelling Wednesday, with a beehive hairstyle accented by deep burgundy florals.
Ciara
Ciara wore a voluminous Schiaparelli minidress with PVC pumps and a slicked-back bun, blending architectural elegance with minimalism.
Katseye
Katseye made their red carpet appearance in girl-group formation, trading Gap denim for a custom lineup of Dolce & Gabbana looks, including corset bodysuits, pink sequins, and blazer dresses. The rising girl group were formed on the reality TV series The Debut: Dream Academy and is fresh off their first global single “Debut.”
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