The Coolest Looks Of The Week, From Naomi Campbell To Donald Glover

Body politics and exhibitionists unite this week, in some of the most provocative looks we’ve seen to date.

It’s been a busy week for fashion as the 95th Academy Awards took place on Monday with a parade of mostly elegant looks.

But it was at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party, hosted by editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, that we saw an audacious amount of skin on display. From sheer fabrics (we saw this at the Oscars with Rihanna and Lady Gaga) that rendered almost transparent under the glare of camera lights to the chest-enhancing bodices and strategically placed feathers and flowers that made us pay attention.

These may not be the coolest looks of the week given their polarising nature, but they do prompt conversation around body agency in an era when trans rights and women’s rights are being infringed upon, especially in America.

Some might see the below display at its most reductive — sexy clothes to attract attention. However, given its wearers, who are all creative, intelligent, famous faces, the looks are anything but gaudy. Rather, they represent a sense of confidence and defiance in an age of increasing censorship and surveillance.

Hunter Schafer (above)

Possibly one of the most polarising looks we’ve seen at an Oscars event, the Euphoria star’s choice of a Ludovic de Saint Sernin-designed outfit from his debut collection for Belgian stalwart Ann Demeulemeester was a considered choice. A bias-cut white silk skirt and a single ivory-coloured feather bandeau strategically worn around her chest reinforced the collection’s inspiration of “authorship and autobiography”, with the designer describing the feather bandeaus ‘quills’ in the show notes. It’s a message that may not have been clear in the runway presentation in Paris earlier this month, but on Hunter it was crystal clear. As a trans woman whose fame is connected to her gender identity, this was a defiant choice of outfit that further supports self-expression, and self-love.

Adwoa Aboah

A symbol of sensuality, J.W. Anderson’s anthurium-inflected spring/summer 2023 collection for Loewe is a play on the avant-garde world the Spanish heritage brand is synonymous with. The model, actor and activist adds some Grecian goddess vibes to this look with plaits (also seen on Lady Gaga and Ashley Graham at the Oscars), a beauty story worth exploring this year.

Tessa Thompson

Also opting for a bust-enhancing surrealist gown is Tessa in this Moschino pre-fall 2023 look with complementary opera gloves.

Alton Mason

The top model took a risqué chance with this Valentino ensemble in a classic red hue. The monochromatic look is one we’ve been seeing lately, and this extreme take on the trend, with its exposed chest, is another example of how radical menswear has shifted in recent times.

Naomi Campbell

Even at 52, the supermodel is still one of the most in-demand models of our time and her off-runway presence continues to command attention. For the Vanity Fair party, she selects this textural Schiaparelli spring/summer 2023 couture gown and Briony Raymond jewellery, styled by Carlos Nazario.

Donald Glover

The Atlanta star is one of our favourite style stars, often adding an element of the 70s in his outfits. This Alexander McQueen number combines everything the British brand does well — tailoring with an unconventional bent. Strategic cut-outs and a plunging neckline add a new sense of power away from a traditional tuxedo.

Janelle Monae

The singer and actor slipped out of her black and orange Vera Wang Oscars look and into this custom Area gown with a beaded bodice and complementary beaded headpiece. The drama is in its jet-black velvet skirt and exposed cut-out hips, a risk that paid off.

Laura Harrier

Also opting for dramatic black, the actor and model had one of the better opaque looks of the night in an elegant Saint Laurent gown with matching opera gloves. A clean-cut approach with slicked-back hair gave this looks a contemporary feel.

Ashley Graham

Another Oscars guest who had a quick change, Ashley went from presenting duties in custom Alberta Ferretti to this see-through Dolce & Gabanna number. While the brand has courted controversy in recent times, for the sake of this sheer/body observation, we couldn’t look past this look.

Jodie Turner-Smith

The British actor’s harlequin gown with sheer panels from Gucci fits her like a glove and adds a sense of much-needed glamour and embellishment on an otherwise minimalist Oscars night.

Ciara

From Texas to Hollywood, Ciara’s barely there Dundas gown is in keeping with her usual style of celebrating the body. After receiving much criticism for the look, the singer hit back on what she calls ‘selective outrage’ on TikTok this week in light of the comments, with a video of her covered in a bedsheet with the clip’s title reading: ‘POV: How I’m pulling up to Vanity Fair next year.’