Teyana Taylor, the 34-year-old singer known for her award-winning performance in A Thousand and One, became the talk of the night at Thursday’s TIME100 Next 2025 gala in New York City.
She arrived wearing what many online described as one of the most daring red carpet looks of the year, with a sheer black creation from Haider Ackermann for Tom Ford’s Spring 2026 collection.
Highlights
- Teyana Taylor stunned at the TIME100 Next 2025 event in a sheer Haider Ackermann look.
- The revealing design left little to the imagination and quickly divided viewers online.
- While some praised her confidence, others expressed exasperation at the fashion trend.
The look, which walked the runway just last month, was held up by a single, narrow strap running up the center of her torso and wrapping around her neck. Beneath the transparent fabric, a high-waisted thong was completely visible.
“Did the US run out of tape?” a user on X wrote, echoing the sentiments of many who were put off by the outfit.
Teyana Taylor turned heads at the Next 2025 gala in a dress that left little to the imagination
Image credits: Getty/Michael Loccisano
Taylor paired the see-through skirt with an open black blazer, leaving her midsection fully exposed. Her hair and makeup were kept minimal, letting the outfit speak for itself.
The performer, who has been traveling internationally to promote her new Hulu series All’s Fair, has never been one to play it safe on the red carpet, with examples ranging from her corseted Thom Browne look at the 2023 Met Gala to her sculptural Christopher John Rogers gown at the CFDA Awards.
Image credits: Getty/XNY/Star Max
But Thursday’s appearance marked a new level of boldness even for her.
“Her body is insane,” one commenter wrote. “That is a very daring, risqué look, but she can definitely pull it off.”
Others were far less forgiving. “Beautiful woman,” another said. “But the ‘look’ screams desperation.”
While fans praised her confidence, critics called the look a publicity stunt meant to dominate headlines ahead of her show’s release.
The dress is part of a larger trend of female celebrities opting for revealing, form-fitting outfits for high-level events
Image credits: Getty/Kristina Bumphrey
Taylor’s look comes amid what fashion outlets such as Vogue and WWD have described as the growing popularity of revealing, semi-translucent, and form-fitting dresses.
The red-carpet trend is defined by sheer fabrics and exposed silhouettes. Once dominated by illusion mesh and sequins in the 2010s, it has now evolved toward full transparency, embraced by stars like Florence Pugh, Dua Lipa, and Julia Fox.
Taylor joined a growing roster of celebrities embracing the aesthetic this week alone.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris’s stepdaughter Ella Emhoff attended the Wall Street Journal Innovator Awards in a sheer lace Helsa gown, while Sydney Sweeney turned heads at Variety’s Power of Women event in a translucent corset dress by Christian Cowan.
Image credits: Getty/Mike Coppola
At the same time, Kristen Stewart appeared in Los Angeles wearing a see-through lace piece by Rhea Costa.
Dakota Johnson, seen as one of the movement’s most consistent supporters, recognized the backlash the trend has received from a segment of the audience, who long for a time of more elegant and conservative looking outfits, but dismissed it altogether.
“I really don’t care,” she told Vogue Germany. “If I find a beautiful dress that I feel comfortable in, of course I want to wear it.”
Taylor’s appearance was part of a larger fashion shift toward body exposure as a form of elegance
Image credits: Getty/Gilbert Carrasquillo
Online, however, the reactions were as expected for these types of outfits. The look divided audiences almost instantly, drawing everything from admiration to open disgust.
“Poor girl. So desperate for attention,” one user wrote.
“Good grief,” another replied.
“She can definitely pull [the look] off,” countered a fan. “She has a great body.”
“I thought it was a Halloween costume at first,” another added. “No class.”
Image credits: Getty/Frazer Harrison
“She’s no Sydney Sweeney…” a viewer argued.
Others decided to find humor in the trend.
“This makes Victoria’s Secret look demure and tasteful,” one joked. “This is corner-of-the-street wear.”
Whether the trend continues or fades away remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain, it will continue to divide viewers.
"Not classy." Netizens debated whether these types of dresses were appropriate
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