PinkPantheress swapped her familiar Y2K-inspired aesthetic for an archival Nina Ricci gown as she arrived at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles.
The British singer stepped onto the VMAs red carpet on Sunday, 27 September, wearing a burgundy ruffled gown from Nina Ricci's Pre-Fall 2011 collection. The floor-length design featured layers of burgundy polka-dot chiffon, creating a softer and more romantic silhouette than the shorter looks often associated with the singer.
Vintage Gown and a Fishtail Braid
PinkPantheress completed the look with a fishtail braid and understated beauty styling, allowing the vintage Nina Ricci dress to remain the focus of her red carpet appearance.
Fashion publications identified the gown as an archival Nina Ricci piece from 2011. Vogue listed PinkPantheress among the arrivals in Nina Ricci, while Red Carpet Fashion Awards identified the dress specifically as a Pre-Fall 2011 design.
The choice marked a noticeable shift from the nostalgic pop and Y2K references that have frequently accompanied PinkPantheress' public image and music career. Rather than opting for a mini dress, revealing ensemble or heavily embellished look, she selected a long, flowing gown with a distinctly vintage construction.
The burgundy colour also placed her within one of the dominant colour stories of the 2026 VMAs red carpet. BLACKPINK's LISA wore a red ensemble, while Sienna Spiro appeared in a tiered burgundy Valentino gown.
PinkPantheress' Nina Ricci look arrived during a significant night in her career. The singer was nominated for five awards at this year's ceremony, with all five nominations connected to her 'Stateside' remix featuring Zara Larsson.
Receiving Five Nominations
Her nominations included Video of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Collaboration, Best Dance and Best Art Direction. PinkPantheress was among the artists with five nominations, placing her behind Madonna and Taylor Swift in the overall nominations tally.
She ultimately took home the award for Best Art Direction for 'Stateside', adding a VMA to a night in which she was already one of the ceremony's most nominated performers.
The 2026 VMAs were held at Los Angeles' Peacock Theater, marking the awards show's first West Coast ceremony since 2017. Taylor Swift dominated the evening with the inaugural Artist Director Honors, while LISA also collected an award for Best Pop for 'Dream' featuring Kentaro Sakaguchi.
Revival of Archival Fashion
PinkPantheress' red carpet appearance also continued the wider revival of archival fashion at major award ceremonies. Rather than wearing a current-season runway design, the singer turned to a more than decade-old Nina Ricci gown.
The choice was particularly notable because Nina Ricci's current creative direction has also been exploring dramatic, textured dressing. The house's Spring/Summer 2026 collection, designed by Harris Reed, features chiffon, sequins, velvet and jacquard alongside dramatic silhouettes and a rock-inspired aesthetic.
For PinkPantheress, however, the VMAs gown came from considerably earlier in the label's history. The Pre-Fall 2011 dress brought a vintage, feminine quality to a red carpet otherwise filled with sheer fabrics, corsetry, dramatic tailoring and high-impact silhouettes. Red Carpet Fashion Awards described the look as a romantic departure from the shorter, more playful silhouettes commonly seen from the singer.
With her burgundy Nina Ricci gown, PinkPantheress offered a more understated approach to VMAs dressing while still maintaining the fashion-focused image that has become part of her pop identity.
