In the early 2010s, no one was doing it quite like Lady Gaga did it. From the outrageous to the flamboyant, her fearless fashion forrays were oftentimes talked about more than her actual performances. These striking looks left an indelible mark in pop-culture, forever solidifying her ostentatious reputation in the larger consciousness. Here’s a look back at some of her most brazen, and talked about outfits over the years.
The Meat Dress
It feels ridiculous to start this list off with anything less than this fabulous ensemble that the singer wore to the 2010 Video Music Awards. The dress, which was designed by Franc Fernandez and styled by Nicola Formichetti, was made almost entirely of raw beef, and was dubbed by the media as ‘The Meat Dress.’ While the singer drew lots of criticism from animal rights organizations, the get-up was named by Time magazine as the top fashion statement of 2010. The dress was equal parts fashion statement and social statement, and Lady Gaga was very vocal about its deeper meaning. “ If we don’t stand up for what we believe in and if we don’t fight for our rights pretty soon, we’re going to have as much rights as the meat on our bones,” the singer stated. “And I am not a piece of meat.” The dress has now found a permanent home in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, after being taxidermied and preserved as a type of jerky. Mmmm… Fashionable AND delicious!
The Kermit Coat
Arguably one of Lady Gaga’s most bizarre outfits was popularly dubbed The Kermit Coat. It was designed by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, and was worn during a 2009 appearance on the German breakfast TV show Punkt. The outfit consisted of dozens of Kermit the Frog puppets, layered over the singer’s body. It was accentuated by a single Kermit head, placed in the singer’s hair. Like The Meat Dress, Lady Gaga saw the outfit as a social statement, stating that her style was ‘a commentary on what it means to be a lady.’ Only Lady Gaga can blend the muppets and feminism.
The Orbit
In a 2009 performance on the late-night comedy show, Saturday Night Live, Lady Gaga dazzled the audience by performing in a large, metal ‘orbit.’ The look, which was designed by Nasir Mahzer, was in motion throughout her appearance, rotating around the star while she belted out her hits. The Orbit was also featured in the music video for ‘Bad Romance’ and features individual rings that can move in either direction. Barring all that, Lady Gaga navigated all of this in stiletto heels… talk about talent!
The Egg
This list could not have been complete without including the egg shaped vessel that carried Lady Gaga into the 53rd annual Grammy Awards. At the 2011 ceremony, the star turned heads by arriving in an egg shaped capsule, being carried on the shoulders of several models. When asked by Ryan Seacrest, the singer claimed to have spent 72 hours in the egg. She spent that time thinking, and really preparing herself for her performance of ‘Born this Way’ at the show. “It was time for me to really prepare and think about the meaning of the song and get prepared for the performance. I really wanted to be born on stage,” she stated. “The creative vessel was helpful for me to stay focused. We had it backstage so that I was able to really stay in this sort of creative, embryonic incubation.” Indeed, the star eventually ‘hatched’ on stage, just in time for her performance. While the star hasn’t shared too much information about what it was like inside of the egg, she has shared that the vessel was temperature controlled. That’s the only egg that I’ve ever heard of with A/C.
