Cardi B is nothing if not a character, so we probably should’ve expected that for her hosting debut at the 2021 American Music Awards, she’d lean all the way into the drama—starting with the red carpet. The “WAP”-stress donned a curve-hugging, strapless black column dress and black tulle veil from legendary fashion house Schiaparelli, which dubbed it “Cardi Couture.” But it was the entertainer’s accessory game that really, er, turned heads.
Beneath her veil, Cardi wore a custom—and dare we say, slightly creepy—golden face mask with Swarovski crystal-embellished piercings, as described by Schiaparelli’s official Instagram account. As if that wasn’t dramatic enough, the mask was paired with evil eye-inspired “chandelier earrings with surreal anatomical features”—specifically, dangling fingers—and black opera gloves with pierced golden nails.
Surreal for sure—Cardi looked like she’d stepped out of a Salvador Dalí painting. But the rapper, who also took home a statuette for her single “Up,” would wear seven more outfits throughout the evening, to the delight of her loyal fanbase. The peacock-tattooed mom of two and stylist Kollin Carter were clearly feeling plumage for the festivities; among the looks was a showgirl-inspired floor-length feather headdress paired with a crystal embellished velvet dress by Alexandre Vauthier. Feathers appeared yet again on another headpiece, and later on a gown by Jean-Louis Sabaji, while a custom haute couture chartreuse chiffon gown by Jean Paul Gaultier featuring a winglike cape was a definite standout.
Closing the circle on the night’s drama, Cardi’s final look was a sculptural, crystal-embellished, hooded gown by London-based designer Miss Sohee. The luminescent look was inspired by “the volumes and curves of seashells,” as the designer told Vogue.
Of course, Cardi wasn’t the only star making a style statement on Sunday night. Irreverence seemed to abound on the red carpet and in the press room, as did skin—Winnie Harlow, Chloë and Halle Bailey all rocked strategically revealing designs. Not to be outdone, several men also had fun with the evening’s fashion—including New Edition, who gave us the throwback boy band coordination we didn’t know we needed, as did Silk Sonic, who once again rocked matching velvet Gucci suits. But leave it to Billy Porter to seriously show out, continuing his penchant for outrageous headwear with an actual umbrella atop his head, perfectly matched to his turquoise pantsuit.
As always, we’ve rounded up all the Black-tastic madness on the AMAs’ red carpet; you can revisit the fashion below.