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Outside of fashion editorials and runways, one of the best forms of publicity for a designer is having a celebrity wear their look on the red carpet. The mutual pay-off is that stars are also given the opportunity to flex their style knowledge, earning further respect from fans and fashion aficionados alike. In some cases, their goal is to cause controversy, and in many instances, they succeed.

Take Elizabeth Hurley, whose black Versace safety-pin dress caused a commotion when it was worn in 1994, or in the present, Kim Kardashian, who’s made a sport out of red carpet looks that elicit a response from observers. Controversy can also be sparked unintentionally—think Anne Hathaway’s winning Prada dress at the 2013 Oscars, which was criticised by some for its bust shape.

In the smoke and mirrors world of celebrity culture, often it’s the most talked-about look, not the most-liked, that's the winner of the night and the gown that's remembered for years to come. 

Keep reading for 19 red carpet looks that memorably caused a stir. 

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Barbra Streisand

In 1969, Barbra Streisand won her first Academy Award for Funny Girl, and her accidentally sheer pantsuit by Arnold Scaasi was immediately entrenched in Oscars lore. Years later, the performer revealed she didn’t realise the outfit was sheer until it was seen under stage lights, and famously said: “I thought to myself, I’m going to win two Oscars in my lifetime, and I’ll be more conservative next time.”

Cher

What do you do when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences won’t take you seriously as an actress? You sartorially one-up them—as Cher did in eye-catching Bob Mackie at the 1986 Oscars, when she was snubbed for her acclaimed performance in the film Mask. Aside from the sartorial statement, this story has a happy ending; Cher ended up winning an Oscar for the 1988 film Moonstruck two years later.

Cindy Crawford

Already a newly minted ‘supermodel’ in 1991, Cindy Crawford’s red Versace dress worn at that year’s Oscars captured the world’s attention. 17 years later, Crawford wore a similar version of the dress, also by Versace, at the 2018 Met Gala.

Madonna

Arriving at the uber-official Cannes Film Festival in 1991, Madonna caused a stir by revealing her cover-up on the red carpet to reveal a silk lingerie set with a conical bra. The look was designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, who created Madonna’s looks for her Blond Ambition world tour and would later go on to become renowned for his mould-breaking designs.

Elizabeth Hurley

A sharp contrast to the relatively conservative nature of early ’90s fashion, it’s little wonder the dramatic ‘safety pin’ silhouette magicked up by Gianni Versace became tabloid fodder when it was worn by then-little known actress Elizabeth Hurley in 1994. Celebrity photographer Dave Bennet, who took the above image at the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral, said of the night: “Everyone else turned up in what looked like summer wedding outfits, but Liz turned up in a disco dress. When she arrived at the cinema earlier that day, everyone went, ‘Wow!’”

Princess Diana

Whether remembered for its status as a ‘Revenge dress’ or simply for the attention it received from the tabloid press, Princess Diana’s black dress by Greek designer Christina Stambolian instantly made fashion history. 

Sharon Stone

Like many award shows, a rigorous dress code is in place at the Oscars. Things may have loosened up in the new millennium, but in the late ’90s, Sharon Stone’s choice to pair a white Gap shirt with a silk Vera Wang skirt went against the formalwear grain. Proving Stone to be ahead of the curve, the look has since become iconic, and was referenced in Zendaya’s Valentino look at the 2022 Oscars some 24 years later. 

Gwyneth Paltrow

While naysayers criticised the fit of Gwyneth Paltrow’s pink Ralph Lauren gown at the 1999 Academy Awards, it’s since taken on a new life of its own in Oscars history. In a 2021 YouTube video for Vogue, Paltrow revealed the dress was made custom for her after she took a liking a similar piece from a Ralph Lauren lookbook. The Harry Winston diamonds she borrowed for the night were later gifted to her by her father when she won the Best Actress award, and Paltrow wore them again at her 2018 wedding.

Lil’ Kim

Proving there’s an art to exposure, Lil’ Kim arrived at the 1999 MTV VMAs in a purple jumpsuit with only a matching purple pasty covering her right nipple. Like most things the rapper did, it proved to be ahead of its time, and was a precursor for more revealing looks that would take to the red carpet in years to come.

Björk

The experimental nature of Björk’s music translated to the red carpet when the Icelandic performer wore a swan dress by Marjan Pejoski at the 2001 Academy Awards. Instantly ridiculed and parodied in the media, it’s since been perceived in a different way, as a well-executed red carpet renegade act. Björk didn’t intend to make a statement, however—she really just liked the dress. 

Lady Gaga

The intention behind Lady Gaga’s infamous Franc Fernandez ‘meat dress’ at the 2010 MTV VMAs was to do much more than just shock. The boundary-breaking performer’s intended statement was actually to cast a light on the U.S. Military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, which discriminated against LGBTQ+ soldiers. In a 2021 British Vogue interview, Gaga explained: “We decided to do the meat dress because I thought to myself if we were willing to die for your country, what does it matter how you identify?”

Anne Hathaway

While Anne Hathaway is experiencing a well-documented fashion renaissance in 2022, the actress’s pink Prada dress at the 2013 Oscars received a polarised reception. Some admired the gown, while other spectators took issue with the darting details on the bust, which Hathaway joked made her nipples “look pointy”.

Rihanna

As magnificent as Rihanna’s Guo Pei haute couture cape was at the 2015 Met Gala, the outfit faced some backlash for its use of fox fur. The elaborate cape, which took thousands of hours to create, was also visually likened to an omelette on social media. Regardless, it remains one of the most memorable ensembles in Met Gala history.

Karlie Kloss

The countless cameras directed at the Met Gala red carpet means a look from the night can go viral online at the drop of a hat. At the 2019 ball, Karlie Kloss’s Gucci x Dapper Dan look was the subject of some criticism, with certain critics taking issue with the shape of the dress. Kloss herself even confirmed in a 2020 YouTube video that she could immediately tell the gown would receive a lukewarm response as soon as she stepped onto the carpet.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

U.S. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was praised for her choice of an Aurora James dress that read ‘Tax the Rich’ at the 2021 Met Gala, and her use of the much-photographed carpet as a place to make a statement. Nonetheless, the gown became an easy target for conservatives, who called hypocrisy on her attendance at the $30,000-a-seat event—despite Ocasio-Cortez being invited for free, as a guest of the Met Museum. 

Bella Hadid

Breaking away from the more classic looks at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, Bella Hadid took a memorable turn for the avant-garde. Days after Schiaparelli’s autumn/winter ’21/’22 haute couture debuted, the model wore the collection’s scoop-neck black gown with rootlike gold lungs covering her décolletage, bringing an element of surrealist art to the red carpet. 

Kim Kardashian

Despite being completely covered in black cotton Balenciaga at the 2021 Met Gala, Kim Kardashian’s gown still let her famous physique do all the talking. The mogul later revealed the gown was a nod to the night’s In America: a Lexicon of Fashion theme by writing on Instagram: “What’s more American than a t-shirt head to toe?!”

Kristen Stewart

A red-carpet renegade in every sense, Kristen Stewart was never going to abandon her punkish style, even for an Oscar nomination and potential win. While the Spencer actress lost out to Jessica Chastain in the Best Actress category at the 2022 awards, her Chanel ensemble—consisting of an unbuttoned shirt and rebellious short-shorts—was one of the night’s most memorable looks. 

Kim Kardashian

A long-time vintage fashion admirer, Kim Kardashian one-upped even herself for the 2022 Met by wearing one of the most famous dresses of all time: the Jean Louis sequinned gown Marilyn Monroe wore to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to John F. Kennedy in 1962.

As with much of what Kardashian does, criticism later ensued, especially when images of purported damage to the garment were released after the event. Kardashian was also criticised for promoting unhealthy eating habits when she admitted using a crash diet to fit into the dress; she rebutted by comparing her work to an actor like Christian Bale, who’s been known to lose weight for film roles. Whether or not Kardashian’s methodical approach is something you appreciate, this fashion moment had everyone talking. 

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