Beyond The Tux: 7 Red Carpet Menswear Power Moves!

Remember when menswear on the carpet meant a safe tux? Not anymore. Today, guys are taking real risks, bringing more personality, and rewriting the dress code. Menswear on the carpet has become bolder and way more fun. In this article, we’ll spotlight 7 "power moves” on red carpets and who designed them, and who rocked them!

CONAN GRAY

Main Character Energy every time, there’s plot, he’s authoring a mood. You can tell the era at a glance -- he wears the album, not just the outfit. If there’s a line, he redraws it, and makes it pretty.

MTV Video Music Awards (September 2025) – Appeared as a main show performer and stole the red carpet spotlight. Conan arrived in an elaborate nautical-themed gown by avant-garde designer Erik Charlotte, embracing full maritime fantasy. The design fused a navy sailor uniform concept with high fashion: a structured puff-sleeve bolero jacket over a drop-waist corseted top, cascading into a multilayered ruffled skirt reminiscent of frothy waves. He topped it off with a feather-trimmed sailor hat and wore towering white platform boots by Roker. The look was perfectly matching the theme of his new album Wishbone, styled by Katie Qian. Nearly 30 pounds of (mostly) denim went into the gown’s construction.

Met Gala: “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” (May 2022) – Made his Met Gala debut wearing custom Valentino designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli. The look featured a flowing floor-length cape and a sheer, crystal-embellished blouse. Styled by Katie Qian, Conan honored his promise to avoid a boring tux, opting instead for a dramatic, gender-fluid ensemble.

Met Gala: “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” (May 2023) – Conan turned the Metropolitan Museum steps into his own runway moment, wearing a custom Balmain creation by Olivier Rousteing in tribute to Karl Lagerfeld’s enduring legacy. The look reimagined Lagerfeld’s sharp tailoring with romantic drama: an off-the-shoulder fringed tweed redingote jacket, dripping in hand-embroidered pearls and sequins, layered over a pristine high-collared shirt and slim tie. The silhouette flared into quilted leather trousers, balanced by a pearl-studded black fan — a nod to Lagerfeld’s ever-present accessory. Styled with effortless theatricality, the ensemble struck a perfect harmony between rock star glamour and couture reverence.

TROYE SIVAN

He plays with exposure and restraint, proof that sometimes less really is more. He turns minimal fabric into maximum impact.

Met Gala: “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” (May 2024) – Troye hit the steps in custom Prada with stylist Marc Forné, playing the part of "classic from the front, chaos in the back". What reads like a sharp shirt-and-trouser combo turns into a reveal the second he turns around: the shirt is open-backed and held by two slim straps. It’s sly, a little subversive, and perfectly Troye. The beauty details (yes, the eyebrow tweak) finish the wink.

amfAR Gala, Cannes (May 2023) – For one of Cannes’ biggest nights, he went Ferragamo by Maximilian Davis: soft drape up top, structure below. The fluid, semi-sheer top wrapped like a scarf while tailored black trousers and square-toe boots kept it grounded. It’s eveningwear with a sigh to it; elegant, airy, and quietly daring.

TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET

Effortlessly unpredictable, he makes leather, satin, or nothing at all feel like the obvious choice.

Dune: Part Two New York Premiere (February 2024) — Chalamet, styled by Ryan Hastings, went head-to-toe leather at the film’s New York premiere, wearing a Prada caramel-brown leather shirt with black leather trousers. The loose, matte leather top contrasted with his sleek skinny pants, creating a bold silhouette, while the rich desert-hued brown nods to Dune’s Arrakis setting. Finished with black boots and Chalamet’s signature shades, the look had an effortless cool factor – a fashion risk that paid off, ensuring no one could be bored by his red carpet style.

CinemaCon (April 2023) — Styled again by Ryan Hastings, Chalamet rocked an archival Helmut Lang leather “bulletproof” vest (from the Fall/Winter 1998 collection) layered over a white tee, paired with black Rick Owens leather pants (Fall 2014) complete with built-in moto-style knee pads. The glossy black leather textures and body-skimming cut gave him a futuristic, biker-chic edge – perfectly in tune with Dune’s sci-fi vibe – while cementing Chalamet’s status as a fearless fashion risk-taker on the promo circuit.