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Taylor Swift appeared on the red carpet in a sheer black corset top and a sculptural silver skirt designed by Tamara Ralph as she prepared to accept the first ever Artist Director Honors according to Elle magazine. The singer who earned multiple nominations including for video of the year also wore silver jewelry from Leviev Anita Ko Forever Diamonds and Etho Maria along with shoes by Le Silla. Swift’s husband Travis Kelce did not attend the event because of a scheduled football game the publication reported.
Charli XCX opted for a black velvet Saint Laurent ensemble featuring a low rise column skirt and a cropped balloon sleeved top with sheer panels according to The Guardian. The artist complemented the gothic look with a sleek black blowout smokey eye makeup and deep red manicure as noted by Vogue. Her appearance aligned with the night’s trend toward dramatic and extravagant styles that incorporated feathers and bold silhouettes the newspaper observed.
K pop star Lisa stood out in a voluminous red Quine Li coat paired with a corset dress by The Attico and jewelry from Rainbow K The Guardian reported. Troye Sivan wore an Erdem outfit that mixed formal tailoring with ostrich feather details in a dark romantic aesthetic according to Elle. Teyana Taylor chose a plunging black lace gown by Zuhair Murad accented with ostrich feathers and a thigh high slit as detailed in Vogue coverage of the arrivals.
The 2026 MTV VMAs red carpet reflected a shift toward witchy and spooky themes with many attendees embracing dark tones and maximalist designs a Vogue assessment found. Paris Hilton selected a look from The Blonds while Tyla turned to a blue snakeskin print ensemble by Mowalola that included a Chopard watch worn as an anklet according to Harper’s Bazaar. Additional notable arrivals included Sombr in ERL PinkPantheress in Nina Ricci and Adam Lambert wearing a custom fascinator spelling out his name as compiled in reports from The Hollywood Reporter.
Madonna led the nominations with 13 nods and was scheduled to open the show marking her first VMA performance since 2003 The Hollywood Reporter stated. Taylor Swift followed with 11 nominations and the premiere of her self directed video Patient Zero while Nirvana was set to receive the Video Vanguard Award. Tributes to Dolly Parton led by Kacey Musgraves and to George Michael featuring Raye Sombr and Teddy Swims formed part of the program according to the outlet.
Snoop Dogg hosted the ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles where the event continued its tradition of unpredictable moments and fashion risks multiple publications reported. The red carpet served as a platform for both established and emerging artists to make statements through their attire ahead of the awards broadcast. Reports from outlets including Elle and The Guardian highlighted how the lack of a strict dress code encouraged creative and boundary pushing ensembles across the board.
