Samara Joy’s 2025 Grammys Look Is the Start of Many Major Fashion Moments
“To be here, by just being myself, by being who I was born as...I’m so thankful,” Samara Joy told the standing ovation-ing crowd at the 2023 Grammys. At just 25-years-old, Joy is now a five-time Grammy award winner, winning Best New Artist just months after graduating from college and releasing her debut album. Last night, the Bronx-born jazz singer won both her categories at the 2025 Grammys.
Joy, so astute in her musical journey and her own authenticity, arrives with a newfound clarity. It’s a story she’s telling this time through her fashion.
“I want to wear clothes and outfits that make me feel like me, but also make me feel fabulous and sophisticated,” Joy tells Vogue. “I want to be able to look in the mirror when I get ready for an event, or even just walk down the street, and feel like I’m stylistically saying: ‘This is exactly who I am, personified in fashion.’”
This new sense of sartorial discovery started after Joy was introduced by a mutual friend to stylist Amanda Murray just two weeks ago. “Our collaboration has been me putting the utmost trust in Amanda and her vision,” says Joy.
“With her career taking off so quickly, she hasn’t yet had the opportunity to explore fashion in an intentional way,” explains Murray, a personal stylist and creative consultant with an innovative personal wardrobe that champions mind-expanding silhouettes, color, and texture. “This is an entirely new chapter for her—one where she’s consciously shaping how she presents herself to the world.”
Murray attended Grace Ling’s spring 2025 show, where sensual and surreal designs—and a particular look worn by Precious Lee—took residence in Murray’s mind. “It was effortlessly chic, and seeing a fuller-figured woman on the runway in a beautifully designed dress—one that felt intentional rather than an afterthought—was refreshing,” Murray says. “While body diversity has made some strides in fashion, the representation we see on the runway often doesn’t translate to what’s available in stores. Grace’s commitment to bridging that gap is commendable.” She reached out to Ling last week to inquire about dressing Joy. Ling loved the idea of the “unexpected yet exciting” collaboration.
Joy and Murray texted back and forth about building her look. “I’m glad for the openness. That’s something I’m working on myself—being able to recognize and say confidently what I like and don’t like,” says Joy. When she saw the dark, draped dress fastened with Ling’s trademark aluminium pins, Joy fell in love instantly. “I think I’m a modest girl, but I understand that accentuating and highlighting curves is what makes a look. I like being able to dress a certain way without showing too much.” The fitting process with Ling and her team was engaging and clarifying, giving Joy a sense of excitement for this major new journey into fashion.
