At the 2015 American Music Awards held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, Ellie Goulding showcased one of the era’s most daring red carpet trends: the “naked” illusion dress.

The British singer joined Julianne Hough on stage to present the Best Hip-Hop/Rap Album award, wearing a high-glamour, architectural piece from the Alexandre Vauthier Fall 2015 collection.

The one-shoulder mini dress utilized a nude sheer underlay and gold metal tubular beads to create a striking cutout effect.
While the “flesh-baring” aesthetic was a bold choice for the event, the look remains a notable example of Vauthier’s signature fringe detailing and shredded hemlines.

To balance the intricate textures of the dress, Goulding opted for minimalist accessories, focusing instead on a pair of architectural Casadei heels that added significant height to her frame.
A slicked-back hairstyle and soft makeup, including pink lipstick, completed her look.

Ellie’s metallic Casadei sandals complemented her risqué dress well. The shoes are made of black leather with gold and silver leather panels, cutout details, open toes, back zip fastenings, and about 4.5-inch heels.
The British singer is a fan of the Italian luxury footwear brand founded in 1958. At the 2015 Glamour ‘Woman of the Year’ Awards, she turned heads in a black Barbara Bui Fall 2015 dress and Casadei mesh strap sandals. Goulding also opted for Casadei heels at the 20th MTV Europe Music Awards.
Her feet are framed by metallic black, gold, and silver leather panels layered over sheer mesh, revealing a natural pedicure through the open-toe Casadei stiletto sandals
The architectural zip-front heels highlight her softly polished toes, while geometric cutouts and a slender high heel add sharp structure against the red carpet backdrop
More Casadei Moments: Celebrity Styling That Puts the Shoes First
From Ellie Goulding’s metallic cutout sandals to the label’s razor-sharp Blade stilettos and bold platforms, Casadei consistently delivers sculptural heels that elevate red-carpet looks—explore more standout Casadei shoe stories below.
👠 Explore Casadei Shoe & Fashion Stories on Your Next Shoes:
- ⚡ Jennifer Lopez vs. Naomie Harris in Casadei “Blade” heels — a celebrity face-off spotlighting the razor-sharp steel stiletto that made the Blade a red-carpet icon.
- 🖤 Olivia Palermo’s Casadei love affair at Milan Fashion Week — a style-file on her repeat Casadei moments, from statement boots to sleek heels.
- ✨ Selena Gomez’s Revival-era look with Casadei Blade pumps — Camilla and Marc minimalism finished with sharp, leg-lengthening stilettos.
- 🎤 Fergie’s NBA All-Star anthem look in Casadei Blade sandals — performance styling anchored by statement sandals and a towering heel.
- 👢 Olivia Wilde in Casadei “Rock” platforms — a power-shoe breakdown of bold platforms that bring height and attitude.
- 🧩 Kristen Wiig’s Casadei graphic pumps with Valentino — a red-carpet pairing that lets statement heels do the heavy lifting.