The bold, the weird… and the wicked of Grammy

THE Grammy awards’ red carpet has been known for throwing up the bold, the wicked and the weird dresses. This year was no different. The 57^th in the series, this year’s ceremonies, which held at the Nokia Theatre Los Angeles, attracted a host of A-list artistes such as Jay Z, Kanye West, Usher Raymond and Ne Yo. The ladies contingent equally had a commendable representation that included, the ageless Madonna, Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

   Italian design took the spotlight with Atelier Versace providing high-wattage looks for chart-toppers including Ariana Grande and Gwen Stefani. 

    But it was the ladies in black, who truly captivated the evening. First up, Nicki Minaj who proved that her Rainbow Britekawaii days are a thing of the past in a streamlined Tom Ford dress with flapper-era tassels. Then came Ciara, who showed restraint with a floor-length dress from Alexandre Vauthier Couture that was elegant and flattering all at once, and Beyoncé followed suit in a long-sleeved Proenza Schouler dress that alluded to the skin in subtle ways.

   Of course, there were ladies who made their mark by borrowing from the boys, like Danielle Haim in a snow white Stella McCartney, and Charli XCX, in Jeremy Scott for Moschino. Taking a more subdued route was Anna Kendrick who made a case for the classic black tux.

   That’s not to say that there wasn’t eye-catching fashion drama to be seen on the carpet too. From Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell to Madonna in Givenchy Haute Couture, theatrical dressing was de rigeur. Kim Kardashian West provided a sparkling high note to the night in a Jean Paul Gaultier dress that recalled the excesses of the Dynasty era, and Rita Ora took the opportunity to debut her new cropped hair in a shimmering custom Prada look. Katy Perry went short and sweet in a Zuhair Murad fringed number.

In a league all of her own though, was Rihanna who radiated star quality in a GiambattistaValli Haute Couture dress that was part Disney princess, part Audrey Hepburn. The graceful empire waist was the perfect antidote to the many trussed-up corseted ensembles of the evening.