From stolen red carpet gowns to viral dress phenomena, 2015 was filled with unforgettable gowns that will forever be engraved in our fashion books.
Below are 10 of the most memorable dresses that made headlines this year:
1. Lupita Nyong’o’s Oscars dress
The Oscars are always full of glamorous celebrities dressed in head-to-toe expensive designer garb. One particular dress caught the eye of some petty criminals and turned this into an after-Oscars saga that we will never forget.
Lupita Nyong’o stood out on the red carpet by wearing a breathtaking custom-made Calvin Klein gown adorned with 6,000 pearls at the 87th Annual Oscars held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on February 22, 2015 (Credit: WENN)
The stolen dress was a Calvin Klein couture gown embellished with pearls and worn by Lupita Nyong’o. The thieves later returned it because, as it turns out, the pearls were all fake!
In 2015, Lupita Nyong’o’s custom-made Calvin Klein gown, adorned with 6,000 pearls and valued at $150,000, was stolen from her hotel room (Credit: WENN)
2. Kyemah McEntyre’s prom dress
One of our favorite Cinderella moments from 2015 is Kyemah McEntyre’s prom story.
Kyemah McEntyre gained widespread attention in 2015 when she designed and wore a stunning African-inspired prom dress that featured a vibrant, colorful print and a flowing, full-length skirt, which quickly went viral on social media, and she was praised for promoting cultural diversity and self-expression (Credit: Kyemah McEntyre’s Instagram)
The talented girl was often bullied and called names, but redemption came when she rocked a self-made couture printed dress that earned her the title of “Prom Queen” and also pretty much launched her career.
When it comes to prom dresses, we often envision the predictable designs in safe colors, but for Kyemah McEntyre, her red, patterned, low-cut, and full-skirted gown was a show-stopper that could have easily graced the red carpet, as she shared on social media with the caption “This is for always being labeled as, ‘ugly’ or ‘angry.’ (Credit: Kyemah McEntyre’s Instagram)
3. Rihanna’s Met Gala dress
One of Rihanna’s best looks of all time was her scene-stealing Met Gala ensemble.
Rihanna in a stunning yellow dress by designer Guo Pei at the 2015 Met Gala held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 4, 2015 (Credit: WENN)
When RiRi stepped onto the red carpet wearing an unbelievably stunning yellow dress coat decorated with luscious fur and beautiful embroidery, everyone stood at a standstill.
Upon wearing the dress, Rihanna told the designer that it felt like a dress meant for the queen of China (Credit: WENN)
Chinese designer Guo Pei made the gown. During her interview with “Access Hollywood” in July 20202 to promote her Fenty Skin line, Rihanna opened up about her challenges with her iconic yellow dress at the 2015 Met Gala.
She said, “That night, the choreography of getting in the car and getting out, like, we had to choreograph it. Who sits at the door? Where does the coat go? Where do I sit?”
Rihanna further revealed her insecurities about wearing the dress, stating, “I remember being so scared to get out of that car because I felt like, ‘I’m doing too much.’ I was driving past the red carpet, and I was just seeing, like, gowns, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, I’m a clown. People are going to laugh at me. This is like, too much.’ I thought that. I circled like, three times, I’m not even joking. And finally, I was like, ‘Whatever, let’s go. Let’s just go. Let’s just go.’ I know. I don’t regret it.”
Rihanna’s dress, which was made from lots of gold thread and fox fur, took about 20 months to construct and weighed around 55 pounds (Credit: WENN)
4. Kendall Jenner’s Calvin Klein dress
Kendall Jenner made an unforgettable entrance at the amfAR Gala in Cannes, France, when she twirled and turned in a custom Calvin Klein Collection dress.
Kendall Jenner revealed her midriff in a dress from the Calvin Klein Collection at the 68th Cannes Film Festival – amfAR’s Cinema Against Aids Gala at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes Cannes, France on May 21, 2015 (Credit: WENN)
The purple number had a gorgeous skirt and a bandeau-styled top. This look cemented Kendall as the one with the best and classiest style among the Jenner-Kardashian clan.
Kendall Jenner wore a mauve Calvin Klein Collection crop top and skirt with a long train to the 2015 amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Gala (Credit: WENN)
5. Jaden Smith’s Topshop striped dress
Everyone already knows that the Smith family is far from conventional, and Will and Jada let their kids do pretty much whatever they want.
Jaden Smith made headlines when he posted a photo of himself wearing a Topshop sweater dress for women.
Jaden Smith’s Instagram post where he’s wearing a Topshop women’s striped sweater dress — posted on April 10, 2015 (Credit: Jaden Smith’s Instagram)
6. Cinderella’s gown
The Cinderella movie remake shown this year received a lot of flak because people noticed that the Disney princess’ waist was so impossibly tiny. Producers quickly defended the appearance, explaining that the corset and camera angle contributed to the waist’s seemingly exaggerated smallness.
Lily James denied rumors that CGI was used for slimming down her waist for the role of Cinderella, explaining that she worked hard and even went on a liquid diet to transform her figure (Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
7. Caitlyn Jenner’s Versace wrap dress
Caitlyn Jenner chose to wear a sophisticated Atelier Versace wrap dress for one of the biggest moments of her life — the acceptance of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2015 Espy Awards.
Although there were some controversies surrounding Caitlyn’s receipt of the award, we can’t deny that she looked great in that gorgeous white dress.
Caitlyn Jenner has shared the story behind the white Atelier Versace gown she wore to receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs, explaining that Donatella Versace reached out to her and designed the dress (Credit: Caitlyn Jenner’s Instagram)
8. Kim Kardashian’s naked dress
The naked dress was such a big hit this year that everyone from Beyonce to Jennifer Lopez was wearing the sheer trend—even on the red carpet.
Kim Kardashian in a backless Roberto Cavalli white gown designed by Peter Dundas at the ‘China: Through The Looking Glass’ Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015, in New York City (Credit: WENN)
Unsurprisingly, Kim K. had a lot of dress moments this year. Still, one of her most unforgettable red carpet looks of 2015 was the Roberto Cavalli sheer gown decorated with intricate beading and wispy feathers.
While the dress was quite revealing, it looked surprisingly glamorous on her.
Kim Kardashian’s dress exuded drama with its body-con allure and intricate lacy beading that flowed into a long train of wispy feathers (Credit: WENN)
9. Taylor Swift’s Grammy dress
Taylor Swift (and her gang of good-looking celeb BFFs) pretty much ruled 2015.
Taylor Swift made a glamorous appearance on the red carpet wearing a custom blue Elie Saab gown featuring a revealing slit up the front of the skirt at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 8, 2015 (Credit: WENN)
One of the best and most beautiful dresses T. Swift sported this year was the stunning Elie Saab gown, which featured a mullet-style hemline and a gorgeous gradient turquoise color.
Taylor Swift made a bold fashion statement at the Grammys red carpet by wearing a layered Elie Saab dress in a trendy high-low style, a departure from her usual curve-hugging attire (Credit: WENN)
10. #thedress
The most unforgettable dress moment of 2015 was the viral phenomenon that gripped the world. A particular dress photo became viral because of its phantom colors, which started a color debate — was it blue and black or white and gold?
Celebrities and experts chimed in on #thedress, made rounds on social media, and even doctors and researchers tried to explain the mysterious phenomenon.
The dress is from Roman Originals and comes in a variety of colors. It is currently on sale on the retailer’s website.
Roman Originals Royal Blue #TheDress Lace Bodycon Dress, £50.00
The dress in question was a simple, off-the-rack dress that was being sold by a British retailer called Roman Originals