Taylor Swift, Charli xcx and Troye Sivan bring contrasting looks to the 2026 MTV VMAs red carpet

Taylor Swift wore a sculptural silver skirt, Charli xcx arrived in Saint Laurent and Troye Sivan chose Erdem for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards red carpet in Los Angeles. Their looks showed the range of fashion at the Peacock Theater, from dark outfits to feathers, bright color and reflective fabric, as documented by ELLE, Vogue and the Guardian.

The three outlets recorded different parts of the arrivals. ELLE called dark and dramatic looks clear favorites and cited black outfits worn by Teyana Taylor and Charli xcx. Its selection also included vivid looks by Lisa and Tyla. Those descriptions are the publication’s fashion judgments; the reported garments give a more precise account of what attendees wore.

Swift’s silver skirt and Charli xcx’s Saint Laurent

Swift appeared in a Tamara Ralph gown with a sculptural silver skirt, according to the Guardian’s gallery. ELLE described the outfit as a corset dress with a disco-ball skirt and listed Le Silla shoes alongside jewelry by Leviev, Anita Ko, Forever Diamonds and Etho Maria. Both accounts put the reflective skirt at the center of the look.

The Guardian’s caption said Swift was due to receive the inaugural Artist Director Honors and had 11 other nominations. That caption used pre-ceremony wording, so it establishes what was expected at the time, rather than the result. For the ceremony’s awards coverage, see the related article on the VMAs winners.

Feathers, lace and runway pieces

Sivan’s Erdem outfit brought feathers into the arrivals. The Guardian described it as an ostrich-feather ensemble, while ELLE identified it as a look from Erdem’s spring/summer 2027 runway collection. Vogue independently listed Sivan in Erdem. Together, the accounts identify the designer and a defining material without relying on a ranking of the night’s outfits.

Taylor appeared in Zuhair Murad, according to both ELLE and Vogue. ELLE described plunging lace and included her among the black looks it highlighted. The Guardian’s gallery described a beaded robe with feather trim reaching the floor. Its description adds another example of the elaborate silhouettes visible across the event’s fashion coverage.

Lisa supplied one of the strongest color contrasts. The Guardian described a large red Quine Li coat over a corset dress by The Attico. ELLE called the outfit a red lingerie-style dress with a matching Quine Li cape, and Vogue named both labels. The reports agree on the red palette and the two designers, while describing the outer layer differently.

Color and detail across the carpet

PinkPantheress wore Nina Ricci, according to Vogue. The Guardian described a ruffled, polka-dot gown wrapped in ribbon and said she had six nominations. Tyla offered another color-led look: ELLE reported an electric-blue snakeskin-print bra and low-rise skirt by Mowalola, with a Chopard watch worn as an anklet.

Raye appeared in Georges Hobeika, Vogue’s gallery reported. The Guardian described her dress as silvery with a cowl neck. Other names in Vogue’s arrivals gallery included Normani in Robert Wun, Shaboozey in Chrome Hearts and Miles Caton in KidSuper. The spread of designers extended well beyond the few looks most prominently featured in fashion selections.

The Guardian also pictured Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear and described them as receiving the Video Vanguard award. Its gallery went beyond arrivals to include Snoop Dogg onstage as host and photographs of performances. Those stage images broaden the record of the ceremony, but they should not be mistaken for additional red-carpet looks.

The outlets’ selections are curated accounts of the same event, each emphasizing different garments and details. Across them, the documented choices include Swift’s silver Tamara Ralph skirt, Saint Laurent for Charli xcx, Erdem feathers for Sivan, Zuhair Murad for Taylor and a red pairing of Quine Li and The Attico for Lisa.