The awards ceremony, in addition to music, also puts fashion in the foreground, as guests try to show themselves in their best light on the red carpet, where the fashion show lasts for up to three hours. In recent years, at such events, stars have tried to shock, show originality or send a message, and how much they succeeded in doing so this time, Montenegrin fashion designers assess for "Vijesti" Marina Banović, Lazar Ilić i Nataša Pejović.
Photos and videos on social media Heidi Klum from the Grammy ceremony red carpet, are already going viral, but Ilić is not kind when it comes to her styling choices.
"As for her outfit, if I hadn't seen this dress 96 times by now, I might even describe it as good and cool. In this case - it's not cool at all. This is the type of dress we've seen a thousand times. There's no surprise moment, no attitude, no fashion message. Everything has been seen before," the designer is explicit.
"So, apart from saying that I find her boring, I wouldn't attach any special significance to this look. I sincerely hope that we'll see her in a really good version in the near future, because Heidi knows it - she just hasn't wowed us in a long time," he adds, and Pejović thinks similarly.
"Heidi Klum remained true to her recognizable bold and provocative style, which is often on the border of taste. The dress that looks like a naked body attracted the most attention, which I assume was the goal. However, given that the model is extremely dysfunctional, and that she had difficulty moving in it, the whole look seems more like a performance than a thoughtful fashion choice. Personally, I am not a fan of attracting attention at all costs and I see this fashion combination as unsuccessful," explains the designer, while Banović is more lenient in her criticism, praising the model's decision to take a risk.
"She created one of the most difficult and original fashion moments, she took a risk - that styling that is remembered, but not only because of beauty or elegance, but - I have to be different. Instead of a classic evening dress, she chose a sculptural, tight latex dress in the color of skin, designed to literally look like a second skin and shaped according to the contours of her body. This is more of an artistic performance than elegant evening fashion, as well as a very uncomfortable, non-ergonomic dress, because it did not allow her to move easily," says Banović, who on the other hand believes that John the Baptist he didn't take risks like Klum.
"John Baptiste appeared at the awards ceremony in a visually appealing, but rather safe styling. A jacket decorated with beads and sequins in a cut inspired by Napoleonic and admiralty styles combined with classic trousers, is trendy and elegant (scenically speaking), he returned to being safe - a decorative formal masculine appearance with historical references...", she explains.
"Instead of a fashion statement that would open a new narrative line in men's formal fashion, we got a correctly executed, marketable and aesthetically safe look, but without fashion risk. An event like this should offer fashion that is expected not only to follow trends but to redefine and shock, while the styling remained in the realm of controlled elegance," she concluded.
"The musician is styled in a very theatrical and luxurious way, with clear inspiration in military and baroque style. The focus is on a short black jacket, richly decorated with gold embroidery and appliqués, which gives it a royal look. Considering how decoratively expressive the upper part is, the choice of simple trousers is a good balance to the entire styling," comments Batista's styling Pejović, while Ilić is critical in this case as well.
"This is really so wrong that I don't know what to say? Apart from the pants, I don't see anything positive to comment on, unfortunately," the designer replied, who also referred to the appearance of the singers who lent their voices to the heroines of the popular and successful film "Kpop: Demon Hunters" - Odri Nuna, Ejae i Rei Ami.
"I don't think any of them looked bad - quite the opposite. Each one of them individually works great: the hair, the makeup, the styling, and the overall story makes sense. Each one individually looks like a little piece of conceptual art. However, when I see them together, as a whole, I just don't know which way to look first," he explains.
“Despite everything being clearly thought out, the concept doesn’t work well together. It’s visually too intense, too many different narratives in one frame, and lacks a clear harmony. Starting with Jonathan Anderson dresses, over Tom Brown "Aesthetically, each of these outfits has a strong identity, but that's precisely why they seem a bit confusing together," the designer continues.
"If I had to choose a favorite among these three stylings, it would definitely be this one on the left, or the Tom Brown outfit - a distressed jacket that carries a strong character, an avant-garde note, and an excellent balance between art and wearability," he concludes.
Pejović, on the other hand, praises the appearance Shade who also performed at the ceremony.
"If we analyze this fashion combination, we will see that it is an extremely bold choice. We have a sequined suit, a gold lace shirt and pearl green shoes. Each piece is striking and speaks for itself. According to some basic fashion rules, such combinations are not recommended. However, since everything is in the earthy tones palette, the entire look does not seem so cluttered and disharmonious. This example clearly shows the power of a good choice of colors," says Pejović.
"When it comes to this look, this is Valentino, so I believe it's a tribute to the deceased designer. I especially like the shirt! The suit here and there, I honestly think it's 'too much'," Ilić is a bit more subdued this time.
"Sombre drew attention on the red carpet with his outfit, in which he combined a silver Valentino suit with sequins and a transparent lace blouse, which immediately distinguished him as a man of the moment. A sense of the moment - a wardrobe that resonates with his music - is the approach that is the most visible fashion moment of the evening," Banović believes.
“The 'disco ball' aesthetic brought a refreshed fashion energy to the expected tuxedo for men on the red carpet,” adds the fashion designer.
The opinions of Montenegrin female creators are nevertheless similar when it comes to Majli Cyrus.
"This combination is visually interesting and carries a clear message of individuality. The leather jacket with striking gold detail and trousers look more like a fashion editorial look than an awards ceremony styling. It lacks the glamour or theatricality traditionally expected at this event. I think it is not in line with the concept of a red carpet," Pejović commented.
"Miley Cyrus performed authentically and 'enough' to me, but not to the audience who expected more. Her fashion choice was elegant and in line with her identity. But it wasn't among the most notable. It didn't create a big 'wow effect' like some others that evening. Her silhouette, the form of the clothes she chose, is aesthetically very close to me. It's not innovative, but it's justified and very 'rock-ish'," Banović explained. On the other hand, Ilić complimented the stylist Billie Eilish.
"This may be the first time - and I certainly hope not the last - that I've really liked the way this woman looks. Although everything is in her recognizable style, this time it's done much more meaningfully than ever before. There's finally balance, measure, and a clear stylistic logic here," he describes.
"She definitely doesn't look good in elegant tulle corset dresses, just like she doesn't look good in a look of complete disinterest in shorts and a T-shirt. This is exactly the golden mean between those two extremes, authentic enough, sophisticated enough and, most importantly, completely in line with her. That's why I think this is the first time I've seen her and I rate her without hesitation as one of the best dressed that evening," continues the designer, and Banović also evaluates the singer-songwriter's styling.
"Billie Eilish arrived with the signature Hodakov, and it is an author's edition made from (recycled) deadstock material - this sustainable component was one of the most special details of her styling. This is an interesting and intelligent approach - a combination of fashion and sustainability. It speaks to her personality, about an attitude that is a harmony of aesthetics and unconventional glamour. I think that her edition is good in theory and analysis, but 'heavy' and aesthetically unjustified to me," says the designer.
Pejović and Ilić also commented on the appearance of the rapper and musician. Lisa, Pusha Ti-I and Pharrell Williams, who decided to walk the red carpet in identical outfits.
"A sophisticated trio in powder pink velvet suits. Double-breasted and clean lines in keeping with classic masculine elegance, softened by color and texture and made modern. Good choice of shirt and accessories. All in all, excellent," concludes Pejović, while Ilić complains that the stylings are without the slightest difference, drawing a parallel with Audrey, Ejae and Rei Ami, who were too "colorful".
"On the other hand, despite the fact that they function together as a group and the overall impression seems harmonious, this is still not the best example of what a group stylization should look like in which everyone looks identical. A much better option, in my opinion, would be if they kept the same color and material, but changed the cut for each of them. That way, each individual would retain their identity, while the group would still appear cohesive and stylistically uniform. That, in my opinion, would be a much more effective, modern and visually interesting solution than the one we got," explained Ilić.
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