FKA Twigs, Addison Rae and Others Embrace Playful, Daring Fashion on Grammys Red Carpet

Grammy Awards are displayed at the Grammy Museum Experience at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Oct. 10, 2017. (AP)
Grammy Awards are displayed at the Grammy Museum Experience at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Oct. 10, 2017. (AP)
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FKA Twigs, Addison Rae and Others Embrace Playful, Daring Fashion on Grammys Red Carpet

Grammy Awards are displayed at the Grammy Museum Experience at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Oct. 10, 2017. (AP)
Grammy Awards are displayed at the Grammy Museum Experience at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. on Oct. 10, 2017. (AP)

Addison Rae, Sabrina Carpenter and FKA twigs were among the music stars delivering fresh takes on red carpet style at the 68th Grammys.

The Grammys are a night of rule-breaking looks and memorable fashion statements where artists shed the traditional playbook of red carpet dressing and take style risks, The Associated Press said.

Stars respectfully toned down their attire last year, choosing instead to go with more subdued or all black looks in light of the destruction left by the Los Angeles wildfires.

This year, some stars embodied their on-stage music personas on the carpet and played around with new looks while others stuck with more traditional evening wear looks.

Tyla may have a song titled “Chanel,” but she went with Dsquared² for the red carpet. The South African singer wore low-cut cream look that featured a long-feathered train and gold beaded detailing. She styled the look with a loose updo and braids.

Stars take playful approach Red carpet attendees took playful approaches to their looks Sunday.

The British rising stars Lola Young and PinkPantheress who are shaking up the music industry with their individual sounds both opted for vastly different Vivienne Westwood looks Sunday.

Best new artist nominee Young, who is back after taking a brief hiatus last year, sported an army green sweatsuit printed with children’s toys on the carpet. PinkPantheress opted for a signature corseted off-the-shoulder gown draped with the Union Jack symbol.

Zara Larsson glowed on the carpet in her sunny yellow bra top and maxi skirt sequined set. The “Midnight Sun” singer made reference to the song with her radiating look.

In keeping with her theme, the Swedish singer wore a circular ray around her skirt while performing at the Grammy’s Premiere Ceremony before removing the rays for her walk down the carpet.

FKA twigs brought her album “Eusexua” to life on the carpet wearing a beige sheer flowy Paolo Carzana dress which she paired with a book and an orchid. The artist told Variety that the book is part of the lore of her “Eusexua” album for which she won best dance/electronic album early in the night.

The Grammys carpet is a chance for up-and-coming artists to shine among industry legends and their peers.

Coordinating on the carpet British girl group Flo, a first-time nominee, paid homage to Destiny’s Child with their matching sets. Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma and Renée Downer each wore coordinated beaded black and royal blue ensembles. Destiny’s Child famously wore matching green lace cut-out looks at the 2001 Grammys where the group won two awards for “Say My Name.”

Flo brought back that synergy with their unified aesthetic.

“We actually have a sixth sense and a lot of things we just agree on,” Quaresma told The Associated Press.

Former Destiny Child member Michelle Williams arrived on the carpet in a black sheer gown embellished with gold leaves and a black satin train from Jean-Louis Sabaji.

Love bugs Yungblud and Jesse Jo Stark took a risqué approach to their coordinated attire. Yungblud showed off his bare chest under a leather Chrome hearts jacket with a detachable animal print collar. Stark wore a leather halter dress. Yungblud won his first Grammy for best rock performance for “Changes,” alongside Nuno Bettencourt and Frank Bello.

Some stars accidentally took coordinating too far by wearing the same looks. Two stars had a fashion face-off at the start of the night with singer Ledisi and TV host Jasmine Simpkins both flaunting the same off-the-shoulder pink peach dress with sparkly tinsel.

Rising stars take center stage

This year, a fashionable bunch of artists make up the hotly contested best new artist category. Rae aptly has a song titled “High Fashion.” The newcomer wore a structured white custom Alaia dress with a neckline that plunged down to her navel.

Rae appeared in the “12 to 12″ music video for another nominee in the category, Sombr, who sparkled on the carpet in a shimmering silver Valentino suit paired with a lace undershirt.

Carpenter also paid tribute to designer who died in January. Carpenter once again brought Old Hollywood glamour to the carpet with her chic custom Valentino white shimmering gown fitted with a sheer bolo jacket.

Unlike the tuxedos at other award shows, male Grammy nominees often shake things up. Singer-songwriter Darren Criss was one of the first to arrive shortly after the carpet opened. Criss, who is hosting the Grammys premiere ceremony, donned a shimmering lace suit from Tanner Fletcher with an off-white silk cravat shaped into a bow. He paired it with his signature painted nails.

Chappell Roan, who won best new artist last year, donned a yellow tulle archival Jean Paul Gaultier couture gown printed with Degas’ famous ballerinas on the carpet. She later wore several other looks throughout the ceremony.

Some at the Grammys sought to draw attention to protests over the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in cities. Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Kehlani and Rhiannon Giddens were among the artists wearing protest apparel on the Grammys red carpet.



Valentino Mixes 80s and Baroque Splendor on Rome Return

Models present creations from Valentino's Fall/Winter 2026/2027 collection at Palazzo Barberini, in Rome, Italy, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
Models present creations from Valentino's Fall/Winter 2026/2027 collection at Palazzo Barberini, in Rome, Italy, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
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Valentino Mixes 80s and Baroque Splendor on Rome Return

Models present creations from Valentino's Fall/Winter 2026/2027 collection at Palazzo Barberini, in Rome, Italy, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
Models present creations from Valentino's Fall/Winter 2026/2027 collection at Palazzo Barberini, in Rome, Italy, March 12, 2026. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

Italian fashion house Valentino returned to its roots Thursday with a 1980s-inspired catwalk show in one of Rome's most spectacular venues, two months after the death of founder Valentino Garavani.

Around 700 people including Hollywood star Gwyneth Paltrow were invited to the show held in the galleries of the Palazzo Barberini, a Baroque palace now home to masterpieces by Caravaggio, Raphael and many others.

Valentino, known for dressing some of the world's most glamorous women, normally shows in Paris, despite having been established in the Italian capital in 1960.

But creative director Alessandro Michele chose to return to the Eternal City for his fall/winter 2026-27 collection, the first for ready-to-wear since the founder's death aged 93 on January 19.

Under Pietro da Cortona's spectacular ceiling fresco, "The Triumph of Divine Providence", male and female models walked out onto fake grass in outfits heavily inspired by the 1980s.

There were strong shoulders, cinched waists and mini-skirts, accessorised with glittering oversized jewellery, including giant pearls and chunky pendants.

Michele, who took over in 2024, said that during the late 1980s and 1990s "Valentino was still working like crazy and making, from his hands, beauty".

It was a time of "positivity" and "empowerment", when women in particular were becoming more in control of their bodies, he told reporters backstage.

Working with pleats and draping the fabrics around their bodies, Valentino "was building the idea of a goddess... putting women in the centre of the world".

The final dress of Michele's collection Thursday, a longsleeved gown with a deep cut at the back, was a showstopper in the house's signature red.
"Red is very difficult to manage," Michele admitted, but said it was crucial to the brand.

- Perfect world -

The models reached the galleries via Francesco Borromini's helical staircase, one of two in the palazzo, the other a square design by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Commissioned at the same time, they reflect the palazzo's ability to have "divergent forces cohabit without neutralizing one another", Michele said in the show notes.

Along the same vein, the collection -- entitled "Interferenze" (interferences) -- demonstrated contrasts between "code and deviation, lightness and gravity", he wrote.

Valentino, who dressed A-listers from Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor to Princess Diana and Julia Roberts, became synonymous with glamour and beauty.

Speaking to reporters, Michele said the designer made things that were "perfect", but "we no longer live in that perfect world".

"I do it my way, because I am the interference myself," he said.

- Very important clients –

The invite-only, black-tie show was a lavish affair, with many guests invited to a dinner afterwards, and brought to the venues in official cars.

It was broadcast live on Valentino's social media channels and on big screens around Rome, Milan and Naples -- but it was those inside the room who the house wanted to wow.

Of the estimated 700 guests invited, 200 were journalists and VIPs, with the rest VIC -- very important clients, according to a Valentino insider.

Like other fashion houses, Valentino has been buffeted by the myriad of challenges facing the wider luxury industry, from slowing demand to inflation and geopolitical uncertainty.

Michele helped transform Gucci during his seven years there, and Valentino is hoping he will do the same for them.

The label is 70 percent owned by Qatar investment fund Mayhoola, while French luxury group Kering has a 30 percent stake.


South Sudan Models Dominate Global Catwalks but Visas a Problem

Professional models from the Juba-based modelling agency Jubalicious practice their catwalking during a modelling training session at a hotel in Juba on February 19, 2026.  (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP)
Professional models from the Juba-based modelling agency Jubalicious practice their catwalking during a modelling training session at a hotel in Juba on February 19, 2026. (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP)
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South Sudan Models Dominate Global Catwalks but Visas a Problem

Professional models from the Juba-based modelling agency Jubalicious practice their catwalking during a modelling training session at a hotel in Juba on February 19, 2026.  (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP)
Professional models from the Juba-based modelling agency Jubalicious practice their catwalking during a modelling training session at a hotel in Juba on February 19, 2026. (Photo by Luis TATO / AFP)

Heels click on cracked paving stones as fantastically long-limbed men and women practice moves they hope will whisk them away from South Sudan, one of the fashion world's favorite scouting locations.

Many hope to follow in the footsteps of their compatriot Awar Odhiang, who went from a refugee camp in Ethiopia to closing Chanel's Paris Fashion Week show last year.

South Sudan has been mired in conflict, poverty and corruption since its independence in 2011, but the success of its models has been a ray of positivity.

No less than nine of the top 50 models currently listed on Models.com are originally from the east African country.

"Paris, Milan, London -- the fashion industry is dominated by South Sudanese boys and girls at the moment," said Doris Sukeji, founder of the Jubalicious modelling agency in the capital Juba.

"Mostly it's the skin color. That is how most of the South Sudanese get signed. They are looking for very dark models," she said.

One of the first to blaze a trail was Alek Wek, scouted in London in the 1990s after her family fled an earlier war.

It was an image of Wek on her mother's Facebook feed that inspired Yar Agou, 19, now signed with Jubalicious.

"Damn! I saw her and I thought that is me one day if God is there. I want to make it like her," she told AFP in Juba.

All skinny-long limbs and charming attitude, Agou has what it takes for the runway, but politics is standing in the way of her dream.

She was supposed to be working at the recent Milan Fashion Week, but her visa was rejected at the last minute. For now, she is working as a cleaner, hoping there will be more opportunities.

- 'Heartbroken' –

Successful models can earn tens of thousands of dollars in a season, a life-changing amount in South Sudan where 92 percent live under the poverty line.

But Sukeji said seven men and women had been rejected for visas in recent months despite having work sponsors, as the climate against immigrants hardens in the West.

"You get heartbroken," she said.

Bichar Hoah, 24, raised by a single mother in Kakuma refugee camp in neighboring Kenya, was recently rejected for a European visa.

"There are some people who discourage us by saying that we tried and failed... (but) I want to represent South Sudan as a model," he said, hoping to change the narrative around his country.

- 'A chance' –

But even those who make it abroad face immense challenges in an industry known for relentless turnover.

Clients constantly want "new faces," Sukeji said.

There are added challenges in a conservative country like South Sudan.

As well as physical requirements -- tall but not above 5 foot 11 (1 meter 80) for women -- Sukeji must also contend with families who view modelling as a cover for prostitution.

"I always ask them to give the boy or the girl a chance," she said.

She brings them in for free training, which can take up to three months, taking a 10-percent cut if they get work.

Her trainer, drilling the models with the precision of a military sergeant when AFP visited, said many were like "newborn babies" when they started.

But as the young models gathered on a Juba rooftop to practice their struts, there was hope for a future beyond South Sudan's poverty and ever-present threat of war.

"One day, really, South Sudan will change," said Agou.

All hope they can emulate the likes of Anyier Anei, who landed international modelling gigs and recently starred in French film "Coutures".

"Failure is less frightening than having dreams you never try to achieve," Anei told Harper's Bazaar recently. "Even with fear, you have to take that risk."


Zalando Says AI Drives Productivity and Expects Higher Profit, Shares Jump

FILED - 22 October 2013, Thuringia, Erfurt: A general view of the logistics center of online retailer Zalando in Erfurt. Photo: Marc Tirl/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
FILED - 22 October 2013, Thuringia, Erfurt: A general view of the logistics center of online retailer Zalando in Erfurt. Photo: Marc Tirl/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
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Zalando Says AI Drives Productivity and Expects Higher Profit, Shares Jump

FILED - 22 October 2013, Thuringia, Erfurt: A general view of the logistics center of online retailer Zalando in Erfurt. Photo: Marc Tirl/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
FILED - 22 October 2013, Thuringia, Erfurt: A general view of the logistics center of online retailer Zalando in Erfurt. Photo: Marc Tirl/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa

European online fashion retailer Zalando said on Thursday its use of artificial intelligence was making its business more efficient and productive, as it forecast full-year adjusted operating profit to grow in 2026 and launched an up to 300-million-euro ($346 million) share buyback.

Zalando shares jumped 7% in early trading as investors welcomed the positive outlook, providing some succour to the stock that had tumbled sharply from peaks in 2021 when the pandemic boosted online shopping.

Zalando ⁠said AI-generated product ⁠images were saving money and time on ad creation and enabling it to publish 70% more content, while an AI virtual try-on was also helping shoppers pick their correct size, reducing size-related returns - a major headache for online shopping platforms.

Analysts said concerns had been growing over the risk to Zalando from AI, with some worried consumers could use large-language models like ⁠ChatGPT to research products and shop online, bypassing the company's platform.

The Berlin-based company, which sells clothes, shoes and accessories from thousands of brands including Nike, Hugo Boss, and Coach, expects adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of 660 million to 740 million euros in 2026, compared with 591 million euros in 2025.

"We are providing our customers and partners with experiences and services that seemed impossible just a few years ago while making our own operations more efficient," Robert Gentz, co-CEO of Zalando, said in a statement.

Zalando, whose business-to-business arm sells services to other retailers and ⁠brands, also announced ⁠its software unit Scayle signed a deal with Levi's to run its worldwide ecommerce, which JP Morgan analysts said investors would welcome given the brand's status and size.

The company expects gross merchandise volume growth of 12% to 17% in 2026, after GMV - a key revenue metric measuring the value of all goods sold - grew 14.7% to 17.56 billion euros in 2025.

Zalando's active customer numbers increased to 62 million in 2025 from 51.8 million in 2024, while the average order value was 62.8 euros, up from 61 euros a year earlier.

The company said it would repurchase up to 20 million shares with a total price of up to 300 million euros.