If previous red-carpet seasons thrived on predictability, 2025 broke from it decisively. This was the year celebrities approached dressing with intent. From Met Gala appearances anchored in cultural references to awards-season looks that questioned inherited ideas of glamour, the red carpet shifted into a space defined by risk and clarity of vision.

Whether through sculptural shapes, confrontational styling, or unexpected material choices, stars like Teyana Taylor, LISA, Bad Bunny, and Jenna Ortega rewrote the rules, often in ways no one anticipated.

LISA- Getty images

LISA — Lever Couture

The BLACKPINK star and ‘The White Lotus’ actress arrived at the Emmys in a pink optic-illusion tulle gown by Lever Couture. The design had a structured peplum waist and an asymmetrical thigh-high slit that extended into a trailing arrangement of ribbon loops.

ROSALIA- Pauseonline

Rosalía — Balenciaga

At the Los40 Music Awards in Valencia, Spain, Rosalía delivered one of the year’s most arresting appearances. She wore a black crop top richly embroidered with organza feathers, paired with voluminous taffeta buttoned trousers. The look’s defining piece was an alien-inspired mask encrusted with strass crystals, making the outfit look surreal.

Alexander Skarsgard- Instagram

Alexander Skarsgard— Ludovic de Saint Sernin

At the London Film Festival, Skarsgård embraced  confrontational approach to red-carpet dressing in Ludovic de Saint Sernin. He wore a halter-style white button-down, styled with a black leather tie and fitted lace-up leather trousers. The look mirrored the S&M theme of his film ‘Pillion.’

Doechii- Getty images

Doechii — Thom Browne

For the 2025 Grammy Awards, Doechii arrived in Thom Browne, continuing her exploration of unconventional form. She wore an off-the-shoulder corset dress with exaggerated hips in dark grey, detailed with the brand’s red, white, and blue lacing. Layered over a white Oxford shirt and finished with a matching tie.

Arianna Grande- Getty images

Ariana Grande — Schiaparelli

Ariana Grande appeared at the Oscars in a custom Schiaparelli pink satin gown that centred craftsmanship. The design featured a wave-shaped peplum waist and a skirt heavily adorned with more than 190,000 crystals, sequins, rhinestones, and beads an exacting display of couture.

Bad Bunny- Getty images

Bad Bunny — Prada

At the 2025 Met Gala, Bad Bunny leaned into controlled tailoring. He wore a brown Prada mohair suit paired with a tobacco-toned poplin shirt.The restraint of the shape allowed his accessories to do the talking, adding contrast and personality.

Jenna Ortega- Getty images

Jenna Ortega — Givenchy

At the Emmys, Jenna Ortega appeared in Givenchy by Sarah Burton. She wore a chandelier-style top constructed entirely from jewels and pearls, paired with a black skirt cut with a thigh-high slit.

Teyana Taylor- Getty images

Teyana Taylor — Ruth E. Carter

One of the Met Gala’s most culturally rooted moments came from Teyana Taylor, dressed by Ruth E. Carter. She wore a three-piece pinstripe outfit completed with a feathered top hat and a sweeping cape. The words “Harlem Rose.”

Anna Sawai- Instagram

Anna Sawai — Giorgio Armani Privé

Anna Sawai’s SAG Awards appearance stood out for its composure and detail. Dressed in custom Giorgio Armani Privé, she wore a strapless gown embroidered from neckline to hem with ruby-red crystals. A black silk velvet back panel added contrast and depth.

Halle Berry- Getty images

Halle Berry — Christian Siriano

For the Oscars, Halle Berry wore a fitted silver Christian Siriano gown featuring over 7,000 mirrored crystals. The corseted bodice extended into a mermaid-style skirt, combining structure with fluid movement.

Taylor Swift attended the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos game on Christmas Day, arriving at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City to support Travis Kelce. The matchup marked another public appearance by the singer at a Chiefs game during the NFL season.

Taylor Swift: Pagesix

For the outing, Swift wore a red bomber jacket layered over black separates. The jacket, structured and cropped, stood out against the winter setting while aligning with the Chiefs’ team colours. She paired it with a black mini skirt, sheer tights, and knee-high boots, keeping the styling practical for stadium seating without veering into costume.

Her makeup choices were equally pared back. Swift wore her hair loose with minimal styling and finished with a red lip, a familiar choice that showed the jacket without overpowering the rest of the outfit. Accessories were kept minimal, allowing the jacket’s colour and shape to remain the center of attention.

Taylor Swift: Pagesix

Swift watched the game from a private suite alongside family members, joining other guests as the Chiefs faced the Broncos in a Christmas Day fixture. Her presence was noted by fans and media alike, continuing a pattern of appearances at key games this season.

The appearance showed a consistent approach to public sports outings: clothes that feel deliberate but unfussy, suited to the setting rather than designed for spectacle.

Taylor Swift: Pagesix

Kim Kardashian turned to fashion history for the Kardashian-Jenner Christmas Eve celebration, arriving in an authenticated 1986 Thierry Mugler gown from the designer’s Hiver Russe collection. The appearance added another chapter to her long-standing engagement with archival couture, a direction she has pursued with increasing consistency in recent years.

Kim Kardashian: Instagram

The metallic silver gown dates back nearly four decades and reflects Mugler’s mid-1980s approach to form, structure, and theatrical tailoring. Designed with a strapless corseted bodice, the dress narrows through the waist before extending into a fitted, floor-length silhouette. Black textured detailing outlines the bodice and hem, a signature Mugler device from that period, reinforcing contrast and shape without ornament excess.

Photo credit: Instagram

Originally presented during Mugler’s Fall/Winter 1986 runway, Hiver Russe explored exaggerated proportions and sculpted femininity, themes that defined the designer’s influence throughout the decade. Kardashian’s choice preserved the garment’s original construction and finish, a point noted across fashion coverage that identified the look as a true archive pull rather than a reproduction or reinterpretation.

The gown appeared during the family’s annual Christmas Eve event, a setting that has increasingly doubled as an informal platform for notable fashion appearances. In recent years, Kardashian has used similar moments to debut historically significant pieces, including works by Jean Paul Gaultier, Balenciaga, and previous Mugler designs, aligning her public image with fashion preservation and archival relevance.

Kim Kardashian: Instagram

By wearing an original 1986 Mugler, Kardashian continues to position vintage couture as a contemporary statement, one rooted in documentation, authorship, and legacy. The appearance shows her role as a high-profile custodian of fashion history, bringing archival garments into present-day cultural conversation without altering their original intent.