Last Week, Stars Went for Risk-Taking Couture

As summer drew to a close, the world’s best dressed said farewell to August in sizzling, dramatic fashion. At the VMAs, Rosalía stood out in a satin corset and jersey skirt from Burberry, a custom look that paid homage to her flamenco roots with a flourish of crystals and fringe. FKA Twigs, meanwhile, paired a jacket featuring a reproduction of the 16th-century tapestry The Lady and the Unicorn across its back with a chainmail mini-dress with taffeta train, all by Ed Marler. Both ensembles were thrilling twists on tradition at an awards show usually dominated by skimpy newness.

At the Venice Film Festival, shoulders were bare, dresses were formal, and haute couture runway creations stole the show. Ruth Negga kickstarted her Ad Astra press tour in a gold brocade Louis Vuitton jumpsuit that was futuristic of an Eighties stripe, while Kristen Stewart dazzled at a screening of Seberg in sequined floor-length Chanel Haute Couture. For the premiere of fiancé Joaquin Phoenix’s latest, Joker, Rooney Mara returned to the red carpet in a white Givenchy couture gown that nodded to Audrey Hepburn with its minimal elegance.

More starry still: Iman in a feathered Valentino caftan that cemented her status as the festival’s grand dame.

Finally, at the Black Girls Rock’s annual awards, Erykah Badu arrived in a frothy tulle design from Kei Ninomiya’s Fall 2019 collection. Finished by a flower crown and towering platforms, the look was whimsical, extreme, and utterly delightful.