Katy Perry arrived at Los Angeles' Lucas Museum of Narrative Art looking ready for a futuristic fashion moment, but some social-media commenters had a much stranger comparison in mind. Her dramatic white Christian Siriano gown sparked jokes about toilet seats as the singer posed on the red carpet with boyfriend Justin Trudeau.
The couple attended the museum's opening night gala on Saturday, 19 September, where Perry's unusual silhouette quickly became one of the most talked-about details of her look. While some commenters praised the outfit, others fixated on its sculptural shape and jokingly asked whether the singer had turned up in a giant toilet seat.
Katy's Unusual White Gown
Perry wore a white velvet gown from Christian Siriano's Spring 2027 collection, featuring a dramatic sculptural neckline and gathered detailing around the hips. The strapless design then fell into a long, draped skirt, creating an architectural shape that stood out against the red carpet.
The singer kept the rest of her styling relatively simple, wearing silver open-toed sandals, a delicate diamond bracelet and her long dark hair in a centre part. The structured gown was also notably fresh from Siriano's latest collection, which had debuted at New York Fashion Week only days before the museum event.
The Toilet Seat Jokes Begin
Images of Perry's look soon circulated on X, where some commenters focused on the unusual outline around her upper body. One person joked that she looked like a giant toilet seat, while others asked, 'Is the toilet seat up, or down?' and referred to it as the 'toilet seat dress'.
She looks like a giant toilet seat!
— Dora Etoile (@DoraDuRoi) September 20, 2026
Those remarks were social-media jokes and opinions rather than descriptions of the designer's intention. Another commenter compared the shape to a maxi pad, showing just how unusual the silhouette appeared to some viewers when photographed from particular angles.
Is the toilet seat up, or down?
— Trump Republican (@4547Republican) September 20, 2026
The Shape Created A Double Take
The reactions were largely centred on the gown's sculptural construction rather than Perry herself. Its raised neckline and curved structure created an almost floating effect around her chest, while the ruching at the hips added another layer of volume to the otherwise narrow silhouette.
Fashion commenters also had differing reactions to the construction, with some praising the asymmetrical structure and fabric while others questioned the folds and texture. The varying opinions highlight how dramatically the gown's appearance could change depending on the photograph and viewing angle.
Perry Matched the Museum
There was also an unexpected reason the architectural gown made sense for the occasion. Perry's sculptural look suited the futuristic Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a new Los Angeles institution designed around storytelling through visual art and housed in a striking building designed by architect Ma Yansong.
The museum's opening gala brought together a huge list of stars, including Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise. Perry therefore arrived at an event where dramatic fashion was very much part of the evening, even if her gown generated some particularly unusual online comparisons.
Justin Trudeau Stepped Aside
Perry's appearance with Trudeau also generated attention after footage showed her quietly speaking to him while they posed together. A lip-reading interpretation reported by The Express suggested she said, 'I wanna do this solo', before Trudeau appeared to reply, 'Of course' and moved out of the frame.
Katy Perry literally tells her boyfriend Justin Trudeau to move out of the way like he's a little child so she can take a photo by herself, and he quickly scurried away!
— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) September 20, 2026
I can't believe that little cuck used to be the prime minister of Canada! 😂 pic.twitter.com/89kVBX72M1
The footage does not establish that Perry was ordering Trudeau around or treating him like a child, despite some exaggerated commentary accompanying the clip online. Other photographs from the evening showed the couple smiling and posing together, making the viral interpretation of the exchange considerably more dramatic than the visible interaction itself.
A Very Katy Red Carpet Moment
For Perry, the evening ultimately delivered exactly the sort of eye-catching fashion moment that a major museum gala can produce. Her white Siriano gown was distinctive enough to attract genuine fashion praise while also inspiring some decidedly less glamorous comparisons from social-media commenters.
The singer and Trudeau appeared affectionate throughout the event, posing together before Perry took several photographs alone in the statement gown. Whether viewers saw an avant-garde museum-inspired creation or simply a very expensive toilet-seat joke, the unusual silhouette certainly ensured Perry did not blend into the crowd.
