Grammys Galore: The Best Red Carpet Fashion Moments

Since the appearance of Jennifer Lopez’s green, plunging Versace dress at the 2000 Grammy Awards, the highly-anticipated annual event has become an infallible source of entertainment in both its music and fashion spectacles. This year’s show was no different.

While the Grammy Awards can push the limits of what’s perhaps too “out there,” there was an even ratio of excess to effortlessness with a handful of carefully-crafted sartorial moments that are deserving of honorable mentions.

Lizzo in Atelier Versace
Lizzo’s bespoke white silk Versace gown was completely handcrafted and embroidered with a v-shaped pattern of clear Swarovski crystals. It was complemented by a crystal-enriched, faux-fur stole and a Lorraine Schwartz double-v diamond necklace. The effortless simplicity of the dress exuded old-Hollywood glamor with a few modern embellishments in the detailing of the hips. Overall, the look did a fantastic job of featuring Lizzo’s voluptuous figure while giving her an air of inimitable class and propriety.

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Quavo in Prada and Saweetie in Moschino
While there was a lot of hype around Jon Legend and Chrissy Teigen being the best-dressed couple of the night, it seemed that Quavo and Saweetie were being sorely overlooked. Quavo sported a dashing crimson satin Prada suit featuring a double-breasted jacket that had some subtle tonal embellishments to complete the look. Saweetie looked incredible in her own right, adorning a beaded Moschino gown that fit her like a glove. The low-cut, one-shoulder asymmetric neckline (super next trend) paired with the ruched waist detail (idem) looked stunning on her, accentuating her curves in all the right places.

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Lil Nas X
While hot pink may be hard for most people to pull off, Lil Nas X nonetheless accepted the challenge and dominated the red carpet. If the aim was to attract the eye, he certainly fulfilled that goal. Donning a handcrafted Versace suit he cut a stunning figure. The suit was made of fuschia leather and featured a bondage-inspired harness that was studded by hand and furnished with signature Versace Medusa rivets. The final look took over 700 hours to complete, and it shows in the craftsmanship of the outfit. Was it over the top? Yes. Did we love it anyway? Yes.

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Billy Porter
While we’re on the topic of “over the top” looks, let’s not forget that masterpiece engineered by Baja East for Billy Porter to wear. While the outfit itself wasn’t going to make anyone think “Oh yeah, I’d definitely wear that out,” that wasn’t the intended effect. The meme value alone made this ensemble an instant hit, flooding the internet and social media platforms with humorous spins on the look’s most notable feature: the motorized crystal-fringe hat. The inspiration for the unforgettable outfit was “Crystal Drenched Eleganza” according to the designer, Scott Studenberg. And he did not disappoint. The blue jumpsuit was covered in over 70,000 Preciosa crystals, coating Billy Porter from head to toe… literally. This is certainly not a getup that will soon be forgotten.

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Common
Sometimes simple can do more for a look than hundreds of hours of bespoke craftsmanship. Such was the case with Common. As far as monochromatic looks go, Common had one of the best of the evening. Wearing a custom-made Dolce & Gabbana burgundy shawl lapel suit, he looked classically elegant and understated. Although he could have gone with the quintessential white button up shirt below his jacket, he opted for a matching burgundy crepe de chine alternative. Because it was a safe ensemble choice, Common actually may have stood out a bit more when compared to others walking the carpet in more extravagant attire.

words Kate Macchi