Grammys 2014 Red Carpet Trend
Metallic gowns were very much the order of the day at the Grammys on Sunday, with Taylor Swift stealing the red carpet show in a glamorous silver form fitting Gucci dress. The 24-year-old multi nominated singer looked stunning in the long sleek gown which she teamed with silver drop earrings and platform heels for her arrival at The Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles. ‘I love it – it’s like chain mail,’ she told E!’s Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet when quizzed about her dress. ‘It’s bullet proof. It’s really heavy. it’s all the things you’d expect it to be – it’s like a suit of armour.’
Taylor Swift has been nominated for four Grammys, two for her record Red which received nominations for Record Of The Year and Country Record Of The Year. ‘The fans have given almost every song on the album a life of its own,’ she told Seacrest. ‘They really created longevity that I didn’t expect in this album. It came out over a year ago and the fact that it’s been nominated for Album Of The Year was amazing.’ Meanwhile, British singer Rita Ora cut a stunning figure in a gold Lanvin knee-length dress with long sleeves and strappy sandals.
She teamed the look with a finger full of chunky glittery rings, a Jimmy Choo ‘Cloud’ clutch and brightly coloured nail varnish. ‘I was going to do floor length but it’s 4pm so I thought I’d do something short and kind of cute and glitzy,’ she told Seacrest, later posing with beau Calvin Harris who looked dapper in a tuxedo. The 23-year-old star is taking on her first acting role as Christian Grey’s (Jamie Dornan) sister Mia in the film adaptation of Fifty Shades Of Grey. ‘It’s my first acting role so it’s a big deal for me, she said, hinting that there would be an image change for the role. ‘It’s a surprise. Hopefully you won’t recognise me. It’s sexy.’
Pregnant Ciara dressed her blossoming baby bump in a stunning embroidered bronze Emilio Pucci gown with long sleeves. The singer, who is engaged to rapper and record producer Future, lovingly rubbed her swollen belly as she posed for photographers on the carpet. ‘Three to four fittings were mandatory,’ she admitted to E! about the gown, although she confessed she’d ensured she’d eaten a good meal before arriving at the Staples Centre. ‘I feel really good, really comfortable. I [just] ate a club sandwich and fries,’ she laughed.
Beyonce may not have walked the carpet, but she still managed to impress in her lacy cream floral Michael Costello designed gown with flesh panels. The singer wore her hair in a curly bobbed style with bright red lipstick and matching rings completing the look. The gown was a change of costume from her rather racy leotard she wore on stage with husband Jay-Z for a raunchy performance of song Drunk In Love.
Meanwhile Katy Perry looked stunning in a fairytale Valentino dress decorated with music notes. ‘It’s musical for music’s biggest night,’ she told Seacrest. Her black hair was pulled into a dramatic twisted updo teamed with glittering drop earrings as she posed alongside her brother David Hudson on the carpet. The star has been nominated for two Grammy Awards for her song Roar. ‘It’s so exciting to be here and nominated for that song,’ she said.
Madonna cut an equally striking figure when she arrived with son David both wearing matching suits, white shirts and black ties. ‘We’re both working the Ralph Lauren angle,’ she said. The Queen of Pop walked down the carpet with a black cane and also sported a glittering silver glove and a grill on her teeth. She credited her son with her striking red carpet look. ‘For this look I followed his lead,’ she told Seacrest. ‘He dressed me tonight.’
However, the star wouldn’t comment on reports that she is set to take the stage with Macklemore & Lewis to perform a version of their hit Same Love. Instead, she said cryptically: ‘I feel like history is going to be made tonight.’ Pink also cut a striking figure in a sophisticated strapless structured red gown by Sydney-based designer Johanna Johnson which contrasted with her platinum blonde hair and was a far cry from her usual punky image.
There was also plenty of black and white gowns, with Paula Patton choosing the most memorable with a animal-print inspired frock which featured two zebra heads towards the neckline. She arrived with husband Robin Thicke whose song Blurred Lines, featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I. was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Ariana Grande was one of the few stars to opt for a floral theme, arriving in a strapless black Dolce & Gabbana midi-dress decorated with pink and white flowers. ‘I tried on five dresses but I liked this one,’ she told E! ‘I like being a girl so I can dress in dresses.’
Many stars plumped for blue with Alicia Keys flashing the flesh in an extremely plunging Armani Privé gown slashed to the navel, while Anna Faris looked chic in a sweeping strapless Fitriani midnight blue number. Chrissy Teigen managed to outshine husband John Legend – quite literally – arriving in a sequinned gold glittering plunging gown by Johanna Johnson which showed off her svelte figure to the maximum. It seems that the model ate a small meal before the carpet, so she could fit into her gown. ‘Effing diets,’ she wrote on Twitter. ‘Made John’s pre grammy meal. Tuna salad w spinach and tomatoes and avocado.’
Actor and singer Jared Leto, who has been a staple of awards season this year for his Oscar-nominated role in Dallas Buyer’s Club, arrived with his band 30 Seconds From Mars. He told E! he was enjoying being in the spotlight both for his acting and his music. ‘It’s been fun for the family, fun for the friends. It’s been a blast.’ And at one point, he enjoyed a male bonding moment with Steven Tyler and Smokey Robinson, with the Aerosmith frontman sporting an eye-catching white suit.
The evening was packed with rock legends with Paul McCartney spotted chatting to Pharrell Williams and later catching up to old friend Stevie Wonder backstage. Ringo Starr was also at the bash ahead of his performance with his old Beatles bandmate, while John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono arrived with their son Sean Lennon. Earlier, Kelly Osbourne and Paris Hilton contrasted in differing black and white gowns as they were among the first of the arrivals in the afternoon.
The Fashion Police star covered up in a long sleeved black Badgley Mischka gown with gold ornate design on the shoulders which offset her lavender bobbed hair style to maximum effect, while one of her father Ozzy’s crosses hung down her back. Wannabe DJ Paris, meanwhile sported a white House of Milan dress with daring sheer lace panels at the side with her blonde hair piled into a loose updo.’Killing it in all white,’ she wrote on Twitter, alongside a sultry snapshot of herself in the gown. ‘Loves it.’
Other early arrivals included included Kelly Osbourne fellow E! host Giuliana Rancic who wore a bright orange Alex Perry designed gown. Going into the awards, Jay Z led pack with nine nominations followed by Justin Timberlake, Macklemore & Lewis, Pharrell Williams, and Kendrick Lamar with seven each. Beyonce and Jay-Z, Madonna, Pink, Katy Perry, Paul McCartney, Lorde, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Imagine Dragons and John Legend were all on the performers list.
Celebrities scheduled to present include, Anna Kendrick, Ariana Grande, Marc Anthony, Anna Faris, Jamie Foxx, Neil Patrick Harris, Alicia Keys, Cindi Lauper, Jared Leto, Bruno Mars, Martina McBride, Miguel, Yoko Ono and Julia Roberts. Before the show began, Cyndi Lauper hosted the pre-telecast ceremony where over 70 awards were given out. With about 20 musical performances taking place, the actual show only allows for a dozen or so awards to be given out during the live telecast, hence the need for the earlier ceremony.
