The 2026 Grammy Awards red carpet at Crypto.com Arena turned into its usual swirl of flashbulbs, fashion risks, and instant online verdicts.
But within minutes of Chappell Roan arriving, the conversation narrowed to one thing: how she looked, and how she carried it.
Roan walked in with major nominations tied to her single “The Subway,” including Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
That alone would have put her on the night’s shortlist of names to watch, even before a single photo hit the feed.
Instead, the first wave of attention landed on her red carpet styling, with viewers calling the look shocking and impossible to ignore.
One reaction posted online read: “CHAPPELL ROAN IS TAKING IT FOR BIGGEST GAG OF THE NIGHT HOLY SH*T.”
As photos circulated, fashion coverage began linking the moment to an archival reference that has a long history of making headlines.
Vogue described the look as a wine red custom Mugler outfit, backless and technically frontless, paired with a matching sheer hooded robe.
Then came the detail that pushed the look from daring to full red carpet spectacle.
Multiple outlets reported the sheer maroon fabric was designed to hang from nipple rings, with People noting it was draped from faux nipples and faux nipple rings, revealing black underwear beneath.
The design was widely framed as a nod to Thierry Mugler’s 1998 couture era, with Vogue pointing to the original runway moment modeled by Erica Vanbriel.
People added that the silhouette was revisited for the brand by Miguel Castro Freitas, turning the archival idea into a modern headline grabber.
The outfit’s drama did not stop at the front, either.
Entertainment Weekly reported that Roan’s back was adorned with an intricate fake tattoo, and her makeup artist said the concept shifted once the tattoos came into play.
“We started with this very archival, full, bare moment,” Andrew Dahling said.
“Once the tattoos came into play, everything became very medieval, but in a real way. It’s still fantasy and something otherworldly, but grounded.”
While the fashion story exploded, another thread emerged that focused less on what she wore and more on what she projected.
A body language expert suggested the real surprise was not the exposure, but the comfort she showed while being photographed.
“Off the scale confidence from Chappell Roan,” Darren Stanton said, speaking to UNILAD on behalf of Covers.
“She puts her hands behind her back, which shows a clear confidence, and someone who feels comfortable in their body and not afraid to be photographed.”
Stanton said the attention appeared to fuel her rather than rattle her, and pointed to a gesture he described as a sign of strength.
“She flashes a ‘chin thrust’ gesture, which is a clear sign of strength,” he added.
Roan herself also framed the moment as intentional, not accidental.
“I like breaking the mold,” she told E!’s Zuri Hall on the carpet, as Vogue recounted her red carpet interview.
By the end of the arrivals, the night’s boldest fashion debate had become something more specific than “who wore what.”
The hook was how Chappell Roan stood in a sheer Mugler look suspended from nipple rings, and made it look, as one expert put it, like confidence was the entire point.
Featured Image Credit: (Unilad,Men’s Journal)
