In a world where sheer fashion reigns, did one outfit push the limits?

 

Kanye West and Bianca Censori arrive the Crypto.com Arena for the Grammys. 

Published 8:56 AM EST, Mon February 3, 2025

The naked dress was undeniably the biggest red carpet trend of 2024, dominating major events like the Academy Awards and the Met Gala. Celebrities such as Elle Fanning, Kim Kardashian, Doja Cat, and Charlize Theron embraced the daring look, making it a recurring spectacle. At last year’s Vanity Fair Oscars after-party, the trend showcased both ethereal elegance—exemplified by Jennifer Lawrence’s sheer, Fall-Winter 1996 Givenchy empire-waist dress adorned with clovers—and provocative boldness, as seen in Charli XCX’s gauzy yellow, nipple-baring gown, also by Givenchy.

However, at Sunday’s Grammys, only one naked dress truly captured attention. While most attendees opted for subdued tones and understated styles in light of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, Bianca Censori took a dramatically different approach.

Accompanied by her husband, Kanye West—now known as Ye—Censori initially arrived in an uncharacteristically modest long feather coat. But her demure appearance was short-lived. Within moments, the 30-year-old turned her back to the cameras and dropped the coat, unveiling a barely-there sleeveless mini-dress made of transparent mesh that left virtually nothing to the imagination.

Naked dresses come in many forms, with varying degrees of exposure. The essence of the trend lies in the power of suggestion—sometimes revealing nothing at all. In the late 1990s, Jean-Paul Gaultier made headlines with his trompe-l’oeil prints, featuring hyper-realistic images of the nude human form on blazers and dresses. More recently, designers like Glenn Martens have revived the concept with acid-hued, heatmap-style prints, worn by stars like Bella Hadid and A$AP Rocky.

Even the earliest naked dresses, such as Mae West’s costume in the 1936 film Go West, Young Man or Carroll Baker’s Balmain dress from The Carpetbaggers (1964), relied on strategically placed embroidery to imply nudity without actual exposure. Despite the controversy surrounding them, many of these designs remained relatively modest.

But what happens when a culture that delights in the illusion of undressing takes things to their logical extreme? For someone like Censori—who has frequently been seen in public wearing little more than sheer layers, whether heading to a music studio in a see-through rain jacket or dining in LA in a bra and sheer tights—the step from a naked dress to outright nudity seems minimal.

On the Grammys red carpet, West stood beside Censori in a black T-shirt and pants, his expression concealed behind dark sunglasses. Reports soon surfaced claiming the couple had been escorted out of the event, but a source familiar with the situation refuted the claim. “He was not escorted out,” they told CNN. “He’s a nominee. He walked the carpet and got in his car and left.” CNN reached out to West’s representatives for further comment.

Shortly after the event, the couple shared Polaroid images of Censori modeling the look on social media. In a since-deleted Instagram post, West described his wife’s outfit as “custom couture.” Yet unlike the intricate embellishments of past naked dresses, there was no artistry, no clever draping—just an exposed body. This stark minimalism raises the question: is it fashion, or simply exhibitionism?

West has not confirmed whether he played a role in designing Censori’s outfit, though social media users speculated about his influence on her wardrobe. Others questioned whether she may have violated California’s indecent exposure laws, which prohibit public nudity that could offend or disturb others.

When asked whether Censori’s attire breached any laws, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department told CNN via email that they were “not aware of any incident at the Grammys.” The Recording Academy and CBS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

While Censori’s look has certainly cemented its place in the ongoing evolution of the naked dress, she has taken what was once a whisper of suggestion and turned it into a deafening declaration.