Doja Cat arrived at the MTV Video Music Awards red carpet Monday night in a printed Balmain gown with a plunging neckline and off-the-shoulder silhouette, pairing the look with hot-pink statement earrings, peep-toe platform heels and a crystallized Judith Leiber Couture lipstick clutch priced at $5,995. The 29-year-old singer applied red lipstick on the red carpet and posed for photographers before the broadcast.
Nominated this year for song of the summer for "Jealous Type," Doja Cat is scheduled to perform the song live for the first time during the VMAs broadcast. She is also a nominee in the best K-pop category for "Born Again," her collaboration with Lisa and Raye.
Doja Cat is a frequent presence at the VMAs. She served as host and performer in 2021, wearing several avant-garde costumes throughout the evening, and in 2023 adopted a more minimalist red-carpet look in a spiderweb-like Monse design before changing into a different outfit to perform a medley of her hits. Her red-carpet presentation on Monday followed that pattern of dramatic entrances followed by distinct stage attire.
Her makeup choice on the carpet — applying red lipstick before photographs — drew attention alongside the Judith Leiber clutch, a novelty accessory shaped and embellished to resemble a lipstick tube. The clutch's reportedly steep price and ornate design underscore the often theatrical luxury fashion seen at awards-season events.
The VMAs will air live on CBS, MTV and Paramount+ at 8 p.m. ET. Viewers tuning in can expect Doja Cat's first live performance of "Jealous Type" as well as the program's presentation of awards and musical numbers across genres.
Doja Cat's multiple nominations and scheduled performance mark her continued prominence on the pop and streaming charts and her ongoing role in major televised music events. Her red-carpet appearance Monday added to the visual spectacle frequently associated with the VMAs and preceded her participation in the live show later in the evening.