Mariah the Scientist’s bright green cone-bra dress at the 2025 Billboard Music Awards was a cultural explosion, exploding conversations about gender, fashion and identity. Glorilla, meanwhile, broke the “wearing a gown on the red carpet tradition” with a Dolce & Gabbana black suit, while Claire Sulmers white monochrome dress shone like a light beam, illuminating elegance of female power. These looks reveal how fashion has evolved from a way to show off wealth into a way to express identity and challenge traditions.
Glorilla’s suit and Mariah’s cone bra may have different styles but they both raise the question: Is fashion becoming a frontier tool for expressing identity in an era of increasing sexual fluidity? Data shows that in 2024, the proportion of stars wearing non-traditional gender outfits at red carpet events increased by 43%. The number of social media discussions about “red carpet gender ambiguity”, has also increased to over 5 million. Glorilla’s suit is a statement that power doesn’t need to be defined by the hemline. Mariah’s cone-shaped bra is a response to the 90s fashion rebellion while making a cultural statement.
Erykah wore a Nike X Stussy hoodie on the red carpet and Balenciaga Boots on stage. The fluffy jumpsuit was a tribute to Sara Baartman. Does this choice show that street culture has taken over the spotlight? In 2024, sales of collaborations between street brands and luxury brands increased by 38%. Street style has also appeared more often on the red carpet. Was Badu fighting for marginalized cultures when she wore a hoodie to break the rule that “the Red Carpet must be high-end?”
Will you be there to witness this change when every piece of clothing that is worn on the red carpet speaks volumes about identity, culture and power? “The red-carpet is no longer just a stage to show off wealth. It’s a laboratory of cultural change. “
