The 2026 Billboard Women in Music red carpet, held at the Hollywood Palladium, became a living archive of fashion history—one where the foundations of lingerie, from boning to bustiers, took center stage. Host Keke Palmer, styled by Molly Dickson, arrived in a Monse spring 2026 minidress that echoed the disco-era glamour of Tina Turner. Its exposed boning and semi-sheer bodice recalled the structural corsetry of the 19th century, when whalebone and steel were used to shape silhouettes—a precursor to the liberated, crystal-tasseled designs we see today. Teyana Taylor, honored with the Visionary award, chose Ashi Studio’s spring 2026 couture, a strapless gown built around a bustier corset bodice. This silhouette traces its lineage to the 16th-century Spanish farthingale, later refined into the Victorian corset, which both constrained and empowered women’s forms. Taylor’s exaggerated hips and ornate embroidery nod to that tension between structure and artistry. Tyla’s Javier Collazo dress, with its plumage and cutouts, played with the idea of the négligée—a 1920s boudoir staple that evolved from private lingerie to public statement. Zara Larsson’s vintage Versace from 2006, with its floral motifs, echoed the botanical prints popularized by 19th-century French corset makers like Léoty. Even the accessories told a story: Cartier bracelets, a nod to the jeweler’s early 20th-century Art Deco pieces that adorned the corseted elite. On this red carpet, lingerie’s history—from structural undergarments to wearable art—was not just visible; it was celebrated.
Originally reported by WWD