Few red carpets promise as much spectacle as the MTV Video Music Awards. Held this year at the UBS Arena in Long Island, New York, the 2025 ceremony wasted no time in cementing its reputation as one of music’s most daring stages.
While industry heavyweights such as Lady Gaga, Doja Cat and Mariah Carey (this year’s Vanguard Award recipient) prepared to dominate the spotlight inside, it was the parade of looks outside that first captured the world’s gaze.
Unlike the polish of Hollywood’s more traditional awards, the VMAs thrive on provocation and sartorial risk. Over the decades, this very carpet has become synonymous with unforgettable fashion moments—Lady Gaga’s raw-meat couture and Aaliyah’s iconic Roberto Cavalli, to name a few—all cementing the night’s reputation for rule-breaking glamour. And 2025 has been no exception.
Stars arrived in a flurry of feathers, sequins, archival treasures, and theatrical silhouettes, each vying for their place in the VMAs fashion canon. From Sabrina Carpenter’s custom Valentino to Tyla’s vintage Chanel and Doja Cat’s bombshell Balmain, restraint was (thankfully) nowhere to be found.
Ahead, discover the most striking looks from the 2025 MTV VMAs red carpet.
2025 VMAs red carpet
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.
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