Grammys: Best and worst red-carpet looks

SINGAPORE – At the music industry’s biggest night on Sunday, nothing – not even the lack of personal stylists, it seemed – could stop the cavalcade of celebrities from preening on the red carpet.

Held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday night (Monday morning, Singapore time), the 65th Grammy Awards offered plenty of show-stopping moments and outfits, as stars turned to daring, unconventional looks.

Despite drawing plenty of flak recently for the flamboyant, sexy looks he sported in the music video for his latest single I’m Not Here To Make Friends, English singer Sam Smith stole the show when he arrived with an all-red entourage which included Los Angeles-based German singer-songwriter Kim Petras.

Looking magnificent and unapologetic, the duo had made history as the first pair of transgender and non-binary stars to be Grammy-nominated for their hit music collaboration Unholy, which eventually won them the prize for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. 

Here are some other winning – and losing – fashion choices.

Best

Marvel’s mightiest ain’t got anything on American country singer Kacey Musgraves, who made a statement in top-to-toe pink. She wore a mesmerising bodysuit from Valentino with a floor-sweeping cape made from ostrich feathers. A style superhero, indeed.

Despite losing the Best New Artist award to jazz singer Samara Joy, Brazil’s Anitta still triumphed in her vintage black gown by Atelier Versace. With its fitting bodice and cascading train, the dress brought a much-needed old-world glamour and elegance to the red carpet.

Can origami be glamorous? Judging from American rap queen Cardi B’s royal blue gown – dubbed by fans as the “Sapphire Ocean Origami dress” – it certainly can.

Designed by Indian fashion designer Gaurav Gupta, it was a stunning piece of gravity-defying sculptural art that deserved a spot in a museum of good taste.

Make it Big Bird, but sexy. That was probably the first thing that came to mind with American country music singer Kelsea Ballerini, who was an absolute vision thanks to this floor-sweeping gown by Prabal Gurung.

The Singapore-born, Nepalese-American fashion designer, who has dressed everyone from actresses Sarah Jessica Parker to Blake Lively, proved once again that he is the indisputable king of the red carpet with this creation.

Worst

Shania Twain said she wanted to experiment with fashion, but this Harris Reed suit was an experiment gone haywire.

With the cow prints, oversized hat and billowy bell bottoms, the American country singer, who seemed to have drawn her style inspiration from Elsie the Cow, looked like she belonged on a cattle ranch rather than a red carpet.

Somebody, please give Harry Styles directions to the circus. The English pop star might have been dressed in custom crystal-studded Egonlab x Swarovski overalls, but expensive did not always equal better.

Social media influencer Anna Sitar’s gown was in dire need of extra fabric. Australian fashion designer Christopher Esber probably ran out of cloth halfway, threw his hands up and gave a sigh of defeat when creating this LBD.

American writer-actress Alisha Gaddis showed up in an explosion of frills and florals. Her flower-domed gown by Australian designer-artist Rachel Burke was an attention magnet... for butterflies.