Sunday was a night of big wins, big looks and big style choices for the music industry.
Musicians and other celebrity guests were turned out in their most extravagant outfits for the 2024 Grammy Awards on Feb. 4 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The night was packed with performances by legacy artists such as Stevie Wonder, U2, Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman and newer award winners including SZA, Taylor Swift, Fantasia and Miley Cyrus.
While viewers may come for the music, it’s hard to ignore the clothes.
Grammy red carpets have produced some of the most well-recognized looks of all time, such as the navel-baring Versace gown Jennifer Lopez wore to the 2000 Grammys, which inspired the creation of Google Image search. The oversized hat that Louis Vuitton menswear creative director Pharrell Williams wore to the 2014 Grammys became so iconic it had its own Twitter account. Cardi B’s archival oyster-shell dress from Mugler Couture's fall 1995 collection, which she wore to the 2019 Grammys, announced a big Mugler moment in the making years before a massive Mugler retrospective took over the Brooklyn Museum in 2022 and H&M sold out of its collab with the label in 2023 within minutes. Other style-setting musicians have included Lil Nas X in Balmain circa 2022 and Billie Eillish in Gucci at the 2020 Grammys, proving that what happens at the Grammys makes an impact not only on music’s red carpet but also on the public consciousness.
This year’s event was no exception. Some of the big trends already taking shape this year were on display, including red and velvet looks. But everything was amped up, as expected, with plenty of nearly naked looks, cathedral trains and even a few superhero-style capes.
Here, some of the biggest trends from the 2024 Grammys.
Victorian details
Dramatic eveningwear took a decisive step back in time as extravagant trains, boned corsets and opera gloves brought old fashioned details to the forefront.
The trains came in a rainbow of colors on dresses worn by musicians Lady London and Sara Gazarek, performer Micaela Diamond, model Haley Kalil, and CEO and co-founder of Vitae Records Angela V. Benson. Musician Jordin Sparks wore a black Zigman gown with sweeping train that she told red carpet interviewers she got from luxury fashion rental showroom The Show Must Go On. There were also train-like floor-sweeping tails on musician and producer Darhyl Camper’s white tuxedo.
Corsets were also popular, including boned tops such as the one on musician Victoria Monét’s bronze strapless custom Atelier Versace dress, which also featured a sweeping train. Musician Kylie Minogue’s red laced-up custom Dolce & Gabbana had sheer shoulder panels that flowed behind her, and Laverne Cox gave the corset trend a modernist edge in a Comme des Garçons corset dress from her personal archives.
Opera gloves were the accessory of the evening. Musician Fantasia wore a corseted illusion gown from Cong Tri’s fall-winter 2023 collection that featured a train and was paired with matching sheer opera gloves and lip jewelry, while actor Ella Balinska wore sheer opera gloves with a sheer black corseted gown that also featured visible garter details.
Taylor Swift, who announced a surprise new album while breaking Grammy history, wore black velvet opera gloves, a white corseted custom Schiaparelli gown featuring a thigh-high slit and an extra-long long train, paired with a black Victorian-style choker.
Skin is in
Unexpected cutouts, plunging necklines and illusion dresses made less fabric feel like more than enough to make an impact.
Performer Annaleigh Ashford wore an Oscar de la Renta illusion minidress covered in silver beading, while musician Doja Cat showed off her body tattoos in an illusion dress from Dilara Findikoglu. Musician Miley Cyrus wore the trend in multiple ways. She first appeared on the red carpet in a see-through custom chain link dress by John Galliano for Maison Margiela, and later changed to a wispy bandeau top vintage Bob Mackie outfit for her performance before ending the night in a low cut and high-slit glittering maroon custom Gucci gown.
Musician Lenny Kravitz wore a sheer black Martin Margiela top and leather bolero by Rick Owens, and musician Coi Leray bared her legs and a chest tattoo in a black low cut Saint Laurent bodysuit and sheer tights paired with a bright green feathered jacket. Kelly Osbourne wore a sheer black Christian Siriano dress, and celebrity Paris Hilton brought color to the illusion dress trend with a sheer aqua gown by Reem Acra.
Cutouts, especially midriff-baring ones, were another way to show off a little skin. Actor Kat Graham wore a sculptural white Stéphane Rolland fall-winter 2023 couture gown with a wide asymmetrical midriff cutout, model Paris Jackson wore a black midriff baring gown from Celine and musician Chlöe Bailey wore a bronze and gold bandeau top one-shoulder Gaurav Gupta gown.
Playful suits
Unusual details and fabrics made formalwear feel funky and fun.
Musician John Legend wore Saint Laurent’s low-cut black pussy bow top and black velvet tuxedo, and boygenuis band members Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker wore matching white Thom Browne suits paired with black ties and black patent leather combat boots.
Color was also on display, with designer Nene L.A. Shiro wearing a ruffle-backed lavender suit with a matching Telfar handbag, celebrity influencer Landon Barker going shirtless under a bright red suit, and musician Michael Trotter Jr. from The War and Treaty in a lime green custom suit from Damirli. Musician Brandi Carlile walked the red carpet in a tangerine suit with a pink satin tie-front blouse before switching to a floral embroidered jacket for her performance with Joni Mitchell, and producer Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman wore a yellow suit covered in embroidered flowers.
Shades also got toned down in order to accent more subtle details, such as musician Kaskade’s silvery suit, Rufus Wainwright’s brown brocade suit paired with multiple necklaces, and DJ Calvin Harris’ brown patterned vintage suit.
There were also unusual cuts, such as musician Jon Batiste’s gray pleated Versace skirt suit and musician Scott Hoying from the band Pentatonix in an all-white shorts suit. There were also kaleidoscope versions including musicians Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell of Larkin Poe in matching multicolored striped suit looks and musician Jacob Collier in a hot pink turtleneck, blue charm necklace and a multi-colored patchwork suit made from fabric scraps.
Star shine
Stars twinkled, sparkled and shined in sequins, beads and metallic fabric.
Musician Dua Lipa wore a floor-length pewter beaded custom gown by Courrèges featuring small cutouts at the hip bones, musician Tessa Brooks wore a shining orange satin beaded gown, also with hip cutouts, from Rabanne’s fall-winter 2023 collection, musician Samara Joy wore a strapless bronze gown, which she paired with a Skims body chain. Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe of the band Lucius were on the red carpet in matching silver sparkle outfits, musician MC Lyte wore a gold sparkle jacket, musician Babyface wore a gleaming black logo Versace suit, and Janelle Monáe wore a black and silver strapless sequined gown from Armani Privè.
Comedian Loni Love wore an Ofuure black beaded shirt dress with white satin collar, and journalist Oprah Winfrey wore short black vintage Valentino dress with a flounced skirt in tribute to her late friend Tina Turner, who was being honored that evening. Actor Niecy Nash donned a shoulder grazing gold and silver Marc Bouwer sequined gown with a thigh-high slit and matching opera gloves, while model Alessandra Ambrosio wore a gleaming pewter liquid satin gown with a train and musician Maria Mendes paired her gold satin gown with a gold metal headdress and matching shoulder-length earrings. Also in gold was musician Lakecia Benjamin, who paired a gleaming gold bead-embellished gown with a matching gold cape, while journalist Gayle King wore a metallic pantsuit with a long jacket.
The Wild Side
The Grammys are known for pushing fashion boundaries, and there was no shortage of extreme style choices on Sunday. The red carpet made fashion look fun, and consumers — especially younger ones — will likely take more style notes from the outrageous choices than the tame ones.
Jumpsuits and bodysuits were a popular choice as seen on musician Uncle Jumbo, who sported a blue sky-and-white cloud printed one piece; musician Justin Tranter, who wore a black leather motorcycle inspired jumpsuit; and producer Shawn Everett, who showed up in head-to-toe cream-colored torn lace over a black leather corset. Billie Eilish showed off her Barbie best in a movie jacket reworked by Chrome Hearts over an outfit by Willy Chavarria. YouTuber Markell Washington wore a green velvet bodysuit with a matching floor length cape, and musician Alex Ritchie paired her green floor-length cape with a green wide brimmed hat and green suit.
Ice Spice wore a custom Baby Phat denim outfit trimmed in rabbit fur, and musician Dawn Richard’s red Khosrov dress featured large trees sprouting from the shoulders. Musician Molly Tuttle wore a pink satin dress and pink and gold feather trimmed robe from Kika with a silver turban, and musician Eryn Allen Kane wore a pink tonal Claire Sullivan high-low tutu dress with a train. YouTuber Ve'ondre Mitchell also wore a pink tutu with pink ruffled train. Finally, making black anything but boring, musician Caroline Polachek wore a vintage 1998 Olivier Theyskens black mohair gown with red lace shoulder detailing and blood vessels embroidered down the front.
