Naked Truths

The naked dress evolved from a tool of provocation and statement-making to a reliable press opportunity and, eventually, a red carpet staple. But in a cultural moment where nudity is more accessible than ever, and women's bodily autonomy feels increasingly under threat, what role does a raunchy dress now play—and where does it go from here?

- By Ella Sangster

Much was controversial about Marilyn Monroe's 1962 performance of Happy Birthday, Mr President, sung to John F Kennedy just over a week before his 45th birthday.

In addition to the direct, sultry tone of her tune, there was the 'issue' of Marilyn's dress: A custom design by Bob Mackie and Jean Louis, made from fabric that matched her skin tone exactly, and encrusted with more than 6,000 hand-sewn crystals. The dress—or rather, Marilyn's illusion of nudity-caused a scandal, to say the least.

When Kim Kardashian wore the same dress to the Met Gala in 2022, loaned from Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum in Hollywood, California (which had paid $4.8 million for it in 2016), the gown became the centre of scandal once again. This time, it wasn't its naked appearance that caused a stir, but rather the fact the dress had been worn at all.

In fact, the dress' naked look would hardly have stood out on the red carpet at that year's Met, were it not for its historical significance (despite once being considered sordid, the garment is now something of a cultural artefact). Kelly Rowland, Lily James, Iris Law, and many more wore sheer, skin-baring or near-naked looks that year. The surrounding galas saw Zoë Kravitz, Emily Ratajkowski, Beyoncé, Kendall Jenner, and Jennifer Lopez don nude-look gowns. The style of garment became so common that online you can find myriad articles from major fashion magazines proclaiming it a “Met Gala staple.” But it's more than that: The naked dress is omnipresent at almost all red carpet events in modern Hollywood.

THE RED CARPET REBRAND