Back in 1993, Kate Moss wearing a see-through slip dress sans bra with black underwear was incendiary. The best word to describe the British model's bare-it-all moment is seminal: It's forever memorialized on fashion's mood boards and helped to catapult the naked dress trend into the stratosphere. Thirty years later, a nude-illusion gown like Moss's still packs a look-at-me punch—like on the 2024 Grammys red carpet, where a range of reinvented naked dresses were on display.
Kicking things off in full force was Miley Cyrus in a custom John Galliano for Maison Margiela metal chain dress. Her gold mesh look was fitted with safety pin accents and featured condensed metal detailing in key areas, ensuring her naked dress remained only nearly naked. Dressed by stylist Bradley Kenneth, Cryus' look was completed with a pair of matching metal panties and Maison Margiela Tabi heels. Not only did the "Flowers" singer offer a fresh and artisanal take on the naked dress, but she also brought hooves to the red carpet.
There was Doja Cat, too, who leaned into the scandalous nature of the style in a completely see-through champagne dress by Dilara Fındıkoğlu. Her sheer style boasted a slim corseted bodice, a thigh-level slit, and a sweeping trail of fabric that pooled at the performer's feet. Doja, being the irreverent dresser that she is, styled her naked dress with cherry red platform peep-toe heels and black-framed Bayonetta glasses.
An alternative interpretation of the naked dress trend is to play with a peek-a-boo of skin and lean more into a nude illusion. A pregnant Sofia Richie Grainge did just that in a semi-translucent black cape gown by Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello. The model's almost-sheer maxi dress offered a slight peek at what was underneath: a simple white bralette and her growing belly. Consider this undeniably chic red carpet moment the latest look to file away into Richie Grainge's maternity style file.
Cryus, Doja, and the quiet luxury queen weren't alone in reworking the naked dress. Heidi Klum opted for a lingerie-inspired gown with nude mesh paneling, while Tyla donned a green Versace number fitted with sheer, skin-baring panels and cutouts.
It's refreshing that, even three decades later, stars still find ways to reinvent sultry red carpet dressing. Doja, for instance, gravitated toward a fully sheer and more scandalous iteration, while Richie Grainge offered a subtle take that merely hinted at what was below. In sum, the 2024 Grammys revealed—pun very much intended—that one's interpretation of a naked dress is entirely personal and can vary by comfort level.
While we don't know her exact reaction, we have a feeling Moss would be proud. Long live the naked dress.
