BREAKING:‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Just Crossed $950 Million, and No Movie in a Decade Has Sold This Many Tickets

‘One Battle After Another’ Star Teyana Taylor Turns the VMAs Red Carpet Into a Gothic Feather Moment in Zuhair Murad Couture

Avatar photoByLaura Bais Published on
0 Comments
Depositphotos
Our Editorial Policy

Share:

Teyana Taylor has spent this entire awards season proving that a red carpet can double as a runway. From the Golden Globes to the Oscars, each appearance has come with its own fashion talking point. Teyana Taylor’s VMAs look continued that streak in dramatic fashion.

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards took place on Sunday, September 27, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The show marked the ceremony’s first West Coast edition since 2017, with Snoop Dogg hosting. It was the kind of night where daring fashion is practically expected.

Taylor arrived in a sheer black coat-gown from Zuhair Murad’s fall 2026 couture collection, fully embroidered and finished with a feather collar, cuffs, and hem. The look featured long sleeves and a dramatic plunging neckline, with a skirt that flared out slightly thanks to the abundance of feathers. Shimmering elements throughout the sheer design made the whole thing feel wholly ornate, according to WWD.

Murad presented the collection in July during Paris Couture Week, and the designer was inspired by the concept of a heroine for troubled times. Other outlets described black lace, a broad waistband, and vertical lines of embellishment running through the sheer skirt. The result read as gothic glamour with a couture finish.

The beauty look matched the mood. Taylor wore her braids in two sculptural high buns with curled tendrils framing her face, plus smoky eyes and a neutral lip. One outlet described the mix as boho braids with a little sexy goth fantasy.

Nothing about the styling competed with the gown. The dark eye makeup echoed the black lace and feathers, letting the couture piece do the talking.

The red carpet was not her only reason for attending. Taylor was nominated in the Best Collaboration category for “Hard Part,” her single featuring Lucky Daye, which appears on her 2025 album ‘Escape Room’. She was also a presenter at the show.

She also has history with the ceremony. Taylor won a Moon Person trophy at the 2017 VMAs for Best Choreography for her work in Kanye West’s “Fade” music video. Her return to the show as a nominee adds a full-circle feel.

RELATED:

‘One Battle After Another’ Star Teyana Taylor Turns Up the Heat in Sultry Calvin Klein Underwear Shoot

This is only the latest in a string of headline-grabbing outfits. At the Golden Globes she wore a custom black Schiaparelli gown with cutouts, and she won Best Supporting Actress for ‘One Battle After Another’. She later earned an Oscar nomination for the same role and walked that carpet in a Chanel gown covered in layers of black and white feathers.

Her awards-season wardrobe also included a Thom Browne gown at the Actor Awards and a Tom Ford cutout gown at the Grammys, where she was nominated for Best R&B Album for ‘Escape Room’. Against that backdrop, the VMAs outfit feels like part of a consistent fashion identity. Feathers, sheer layers, and couture drama are becoming her signature.

Reaction was overwhelmingly positive. Multiple publications named her among the best-dressed guests, with one outlet saying she led its picks for the night. Elsewhere on the carpet, Paris Hilton wore a silver mini dress with crystal-studded opera gloves, and Taylor Swift wore a halter dress with a dazzling silver skirt.

Not everyone gave it a perfect score. One fashion site said it loved the gown but expected a little more drama from her, noting that a beautiful couture piece can feel restrained by her own very high bar. That says a lot about the standard Taylor has set for herself this year.

Whether you saw it as restrained or a showstopper, the look did what a good VMAs outfit should do. It kept everyone talking long after the carpet cleared.

What do you think of Teyana Taylor’s gothic Zuhair Murad VMAs look?

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments.

Don't miss:

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted