Let’s be honest: the MTV Video Music Awards haven’t been the style trailblazer they once were. The show itself feels more nostalgic than groundbreaking. Yet the red carpet still manages to deliver those high-voltage moments—sometimes ironic, sometimes breathtaking—that remind us why pop culture and fashion are inseparable.
This year was no different. Strange vibes, sure, but a handful of stars turned the night into their personal runway.
Lady Gaga in Marc Jacobs: theater, but make it couture
When Gaga shows up, subtlety stays home. Her Marc Jacobs gown was a masterclass in exaggerated proportions—structured, theatrical, unapologetically extra. It wasn’t about elegance in the traditional sense, but about staging fashion as performance. Gaga knows the VMA stage is meant to shock, and she delivered.
Doja Cat in Balmain: cyber-baroque energy
Doja Cat thrives on tension between beauty and provocation. In Balmain, she embodied futuristic sensuality with a body-molded silhouette that looked more like sculpture than fabric. Think cyber armor meeting Paris couture. It might not be the look you’d call “wearable,” but that’s exactly the point.
Ariana Grande in Fendi: soft power dressing
Surprise of the night? Ariana Grande trading her signature ultra-glam for something fluid and romantic from Fendi. Draped silk, delicate tones, a softness that radiated confidence without screaming for attention. It was diva energy, but whispered instead of shouted—a reminder that understatement can be the boldest move.
Sabrina Carpenter in Valentino: modern fairytale
Valentino delivered what Valentino always does best: dreamlike romance. Sabrina Carpenter floated in with a gown that felt almost weightless—ethereal, classic, unapologetically pretty. In an era where excess often wins, choosing refinement can still look like rebellion.
FKA Twigs: the art of disruption
FKA Twigs doesn’t dress to fit in; she dresses to provoke conversation. Her look at the VMAs was pure collage—textures layered, silhouettes clashing, almost chaotic in construction. Some called it incoherent, others hailed it as avant-garde. Either way, she kept the red carpet alive with unpredictability.
Ciara in Schiaparelli: surrealism with swagger
With Schiaparelli, you always risk veering into costume territory. Ciara pulled it off effortlessly. Metallic accents, sculptural lines, and a sense of divine presence—she wore surrealism like it was second skin. The result? A magnetic reminder that the VMAs red carpet is still a stage for fantasy.
What the VMAs 2025 really gave us
So, do the VMAs still set trends? Probably not. But they still create moments that stick. This year gave us Gaga’s couture excess, Doja’s sci-fi armor, Ariana and Sabrina’s quiet elegance, Twigs’ disruptive artistry, and Ciara’s surrealist power.
And maybe that’s the real question: in today’s fashion landscape, do we crave polished beauty or glorious chaos? The MTV red carpet won’t answer. It simply dares us to pick a side.
