BET Awards 2025: From Airbrush Tees to Custom Couture – The Fashion History of the BET Awards
Back in the early 2000s, when the BET Awards were just getting started, the red carpet felt more like a neighborhood block party than a global fashion stage. And that wasn’t shade—it was soul. You could catch airbrush tees with matching Air Force 1s, rhinestoned denim, oversized throwback jerseys, and club dresses straight from the mall. It was real, it was unfiltered, and it was a time capsule of where Black style stood in the culture.
Now? The BET Awards red carpet sits comfortably between Fashion Week and a homecoming step show. Couture gowns, custom suiting, archive pulls, high-concept glam—it’s become a place where celebrities showcase not just what they’re wearing, but who they are.
Let’s take a walk through 25 years of fashion glow-up—from hood-glam beginnings to red carpet royalty.
The Early 2000s: Jersey Dresses, Airbrush Realness & Baby Phat Everything
In the first few years of the BET Awards, the carpet was dominated by Y2K streetwear essentials. Think:
Ciara in a fitted baseball cap and low-rise jeans
Destiny’s Child in matching coordinated prints
Ja Rule in a sleeveless jersey and sweatband combo
Airbrush portraits of deceased rappers on T-shirts (RIP Biggie and ‘Pac tees were everywhere)
The vibe? Club flyer fashion meets summer cookout. The silhouettes were loud. The accessories were a lot. And we loved it.Mid-2000s to Early 2010s: Statement Style & Brand Elevation
By the mid-2000s, the carpet began shifting. Celebs started mixing streetwear with luxury—rocking Louis Vuitton monograms, Gucci belts, and custom fits from Black designers.
Key moments:
Lil’ Kim in fur and floor-length drama
Ne-Yo with a fedora-and-vest uniform that launched a thousand copycats
Rihanna, in 2008, beginning her reign as the red carpet risk-taker we now know and fear
Solange shaking up traditional beauty norms with bold prints and a natural fro
The BET carpet began to say: We don’t just follow trends—we set them.
2010s: The Rise of Couture, Instagram Influence & Personal Brand Fashion
As fashion blogging and Instagram exploded, so did the pressure to turn looks. Suddenly, the BET Awards carpet wasn’t just about looking good—it was about going viral.
You started seeing:
Nicki Minaj’s Barbie drag at full throttle: pink wigs, latex everything, and platform heels that belonged in a museum
Janelle Monáe redefining tuxedo elegance with architectural drama
Zendaya experimenting with archival looks, from 90s Aaliyah to 70s CherTaraji P. Henson evolving from girl-next-door glam to full hosting gown goddess
Designers like Christian Siriano, LaQuan Smith, and Pyer Moss became regular players. Stylists became stars in their own right. The game leveled up.
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2020s: Afrofuturism, Gender Fluidity & The Fashion-Free-For-All Era
Now, anything goes—and that’s the magic of it. You can show up in:
A cowboy hat and chainmail gown (see: Beyoncé, Tyla, Taraji)
Full denim chaps and corsets (hello, Chlöe)
Abstract hair sculptures and silver space suits (Billy Porter, we see you)
Traditional African prints with modern silhouettes (Tems, Burna Boy, and more)
The BET carpet has evolved into one of the only red carpets where Black identity is allowed to be dynamic, shifting, and messy in the best way. It’s a fashion playground. And the world is finally watching.
From oversized jerseys to custom Mugler, the fashion history of the BET Awards tells a bigger story: of self-expression, of growth, of a culture dressing itself on its own terms. No rules. No apologies. Just Black style—elevated, evolved, and always extra.Watch the BET Awards 2025 on June 9th at 8 PM on BET.
