By Thalia Lauzon
Boston University News Service
Dressed in outrageous textures, rich colors and countless sparkles, streams of celebrities flooded the red carpet outside Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena for “Music’s Biggest Night” Feb. 5, leaving lasting impressions in their wake for future emerging professionals in music and fashion.
From Cardi B’s sculptural Gaurav Gupta Couture dress that wrapped the singer head to toe in surreal rivers of structured crimps, to best new artist nominee Måneskin sheathed in orange and brown Gucci vintage edge, the 65th Grammy Awards saturated screens with a technicolor showcase of designer brands and hundreds of hours of work.
“Fashion is celebrated at a whole other level at these events,” said Simran Seth, co-director of professional development of Boston University’s Fashion & Retail Association. “I love when I can see a brand put a style on the map.”
Seth, a business administration major at BU, aspires to enter the fashion industry through marketing and product development and eventually work at the Grammys.
“Especially when I see new designers emerging, it proves that the possibilities are endless,” Seth said. “I think fashion now hasn’t become synonymous with a couple of brands, but really more of a community that has a creative passion. I love the commitment people have because I feel like I share that love and commitment to work with such a diverse variety of people.”
Indian fashion designer Gaurav Gupta, who created rapper Cardi B’s electric-blue ensemble, is branded for his fantastical and futuristic designs that innovate fashion today. However, a rise in ‘90s trends may also be on the horizon based on other high-fashion moments at the 2023 Grammy Awards and the typical 30-year trend cycle, said Ryan Hsu, a historical fashion design enthusiast and music production and engineering student at Berklee College of Music.
“I see celebrity fashion as confirmation of a trend’s presence,” said Hsu. “It’s not always the case, but since celebrities usually go through careful review of their wardrobe, when they wear a trend, it’s a signal that they find it safe, forward moving, or acceptable by the general public.”
Hsu looks to become a solo musician who has a brand in historical fashion design as he continues to review trends and celebrity influences on popularity.
“It serves as a reminder for me to care about the overarching artist’s brand image,” Hsu said. “I find that fashion and music are a strong pair bringing both visual and aural arts together to convey a larger idea, theme, personality.”
The night’s big winner of Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album Harry Styles, wore an EgonLab x Swarovski jumpsuit featuring 250,000 Swarovski crystals in nine different colors. The shining crystals were laid out from thick shoulder straps to retro bell bottoms in a patchwork pattern, connecting the singer’s recent tour styles with his upbeat “Treat People with Kindness” brand and emphasizing the performer’s legacy as a sparkling visual and musical artist.
“It was his party,” Seth said.
