Haute Fetish style is the byword at Gaultier & the Grammys

HAUTE FETISH STYLE IS THE BYWORD AT GAULTIER & THE GRAMMYS

The last week of January and first week of February saw two international events taking place that provided memorable showcases for high-end fetish-inspired fashion, or ‘haute fetish’ style, as we’re increasingly coming to regard it.

On Wednesday January 29, as part of Paris Couture Fashion Week, Maison Jean Paul Gaultier hosted its Spring 2025 Collection guest-designed by Ludovic de Saint Sernin. The collection features lots of styles incorporating proper corsets (ie not those whimpy ‘fashion corsets’) and — get this — includes some striking outfits made from textured crocodile-print latex.

Some observers may have been tempted to wonder whether the beautifully tailored and detailed latex garments (as shown above) were perhaps a challenge to newish Parisian latex brand Avellano, whose promotion of latex as high fashion (at high fashion prices) has garnered a lot of attention in recent years.

Top image: Haute Fetish style was a prominent feature of the Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2025 Collection by guest designer Ludovic de Saint Sernin, launched in late January during Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. As well as gorgeous corset-based, skirted creations (above centre), the collection also featured textured crocodile-print latex (above left and right)  

More of the corset-based styles created by Ludovic de Saint Sertin for Gaultier – including, right, the outfit worn by Charli XCX on the red carpet ahead of her Grammys performance

Then on Sunday February 2, Los Angeles hosted the 2025 Grammy Awards, which in recent times have been fertile ground for spotting latex and other kinds of haute fetish style in the performances, on the red carpet, and at various social gatherings around the ceremony itself. Among this year’s award nominees were many female artists previously or currently associated with latex-wearing, including Beyoncé, Chappell Roan, Charlie XCX, Taylor Swift and Raye.

But in terms of what folk were seen wearing, this year’s Grammys followed the trend — observed last year at such events — of haute fetish style still being strongly embraced by celebs, but leather and corsetry increasingly becoming the preferred way to do it.

Back at the Gaultier show, the new Ludovic de Saint Sernin-designed collection, titled Naufrage (French for ‘shipwreck’), certainly maintained what Grazia called his “deeply sensual and gloriously uninhibited approach to womenswear”. Models — including many top names — appeared as both shipwreck victims and sirens, many in garments combining angular, figure-hugging corsets with whispy, floating skirts or feather dresses. There were recognisable nods to Gaultier’s own design history and his frequent re-interpretation of classic fetish themes.

Latex at the 2025 Grammys was not as popular as in previous years, even though the music scene has embraced it more consistently than fashion industry folk. Above left: Courtney LaPlante in Avellano gown; right: Jourdin Pauline in head-turning Busted Brand gown

One of these Gaultier Spring 2025 styles — a corset and feathers combination — made it to the Grammys five days later courtesy of Charli XCX. Another Grammy contender — Chappell Roan — also wore Gaultier, but a vintage piece.

Scouring the post-Grammys media coverage and Google’s ever-useful image search feature, we were able to discover evidence of only two definite latex appearances at this year’s awards. One was in the form of the sophisticated black latex Avellano gown with floor-sweeping mid-length train (above left) worn by American singer Courtney LaPlante, vocalist with Canadian heavy metal band Spiritbox. The other was the traffic-stopping, skin-tight yellow latex Busted Brand dress (above right) worn by singer Jourdin Pauline of Concentr888 and Rockstar fame.

Leather, on the other hand, managed more of a showing, spearheaded by Lady Gaga, effecting a very credible dominatrix/governess vibe in her severe pageboy hairstyle matched by a boned black leather-bodiced outfit by Samuel Lewis (below centre). Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus (below left) was to be found rocking a considerably simpler black leather style by St Laurent.

Leather – specifically black leather – continues to grow in popularity as red carpet/performance wardrobe at events like the Grammys. Left–right: 2025 leather fans Miley Cyrus in Saint Laurent; Lady Gaga in Samuel Lewis; rapper Doechii’s DJ Miss Milan (Fairy Vibemother)

Elsewhere, Doechii’s DJ Miss Milan (aka The Fairy Vibemother) was photographed offstage in a stunning off-the-shoulder black leather corseted gown whose designer eludes us as they are not credited in any images or reports we could find — including on the DJ’s own Insta page. Don’t you just hate it when that happens?

There was more Grammys haute fetish corsetry to enjoy, too, not least in the form of the revealing-yet-just-about-demure black corseted Christian Siriano gown worn by American model/tv personality/author Chrissy Teigen. Another striking corseted creation was the sparkling gold mesh Lena Berisha gown sported by American rapper/singer/dancer GloRilla. If you’re a corsetry fan and haven’t heard of this US designer, do check her out — she takes tight-waisting to exotic heights!

There was one other trend at the 2025 Grammys that caught the media’s attention: showing too much. The prime culprit this year was Kanye West’s model wife Bianca Censori, who wore a see-through bodysuit that attracted a lot of negative comment — and photographers in equal measure.

Gaultier wasn’t alone in providing corset-based haute fetish looks at the 2025 Grammys. Chrissy Teigen (eft) was snapped in a revealing Christian Siriano gown, while GloRilla (centre) sported a glittering gold mesh corseted gown from Lena Berisha. Meanwhile, erstwhile latex-lover Julia Fox (right) turned up in a Duran Lantink leather jacket, washing-up gloves and, basically, her underwear

Some people probably also thought Julia Fox — incidentally a known latex fan — was going a bit too far with her Grammy’s outfit, which consisted of a Duran Lantink leather jacket over, well, her underwear, with the outfit topped off by some yellow Marigolds. It got her tagged by at least one fashion pundit as one of the event’s ‘worst dressed’ — but we strongly suspect Ms Fox was indulging in one of those satirical statements for which she is not entirely unknown. We certainly hope so!