Bold statement, or a product of misogyny? What Bianca Censori’s ‘naked dress’ says about fashion on the red carpet

EPA/ALLISON DINNER by Harriette Richards, RMIT University Despite the many musical achievements celebrated at this year’s Grammy Awards, it was Bianca Censori’s red carpet appearance that won the award for most headlines. Walking the red carpet with her husband Ye (Kanye West), nominated for best rap song, Censori first appeared wrapped in an oversized black fur coat. As the couple stood to be photographed, she dropped the coat to reveal her outfit: a transparent mini dress with no underwear. In contrast to Ye, dressed head to toe in black, Censori’s nudity was shocking – yet somewhat unsurprising. Censori has become well known for her revealing outfits. In September 2023, Censori was photographed in Florence wearing sheer stockings and clutching a purple throw pillow to her chest in lieu of a top. Later that year, she was spotted in Miami wearing a skimpy metal mesh bikini and hugging onto a large fluffy cat soft toy. In 2024 she was seen in Los Angeles in a clear raincoat with nothing underneath and at a dinner in Italy wearing a sheer poncho, again with nothing underneath. And so-called “naked dresses”, like the one Censori wore to the Grammys, have pushed the boundaries of...