Madonna’s relationship with the MTV VMAs stretches again to the inaugural ceremony in 1984, making her return to the stage for the primary time in 23 years one of many evening’s largest moments.
Opening the 2026 ceremony, Madonna carried out materials from Confessions II, with Sabrina Carpenter becoming a member of her for Deliver Your Love earlier than Charli XCX appeared for Danceteria Afterhours.
Madonna stayed with certainly one of her most well-liked labels, Saint Laurent, sporting a black satin double-breasted mini trench over a burgundy bodysuit with fishnet tights. The unique Saint Laurent lace-up boots from her Confessions on a Dance Flooring period added an archival aspect from 2005. Anthony Vaccarello additionally dressed Madonna for her FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show performance in July, so the label continues to be a fixture in her present efficiency wardrobe.
After sporting Saint Laurent on the red carpet, Charli XCX switched to Dsquared2 for her efficiency with Madonna.
The black mini costume, fishnets, garters, leather-based gloves and platform pumps felt notably apt for a duet with Madonna. Her affect will be traced via generations of pop stars who adopted her, and Charli’s lingerie-inspired stage look felt like a pure reflection of that legacy whereas remaining utterly in line with her personal model.
Sabrina Carpenter joined Madonna on stage sporting Dolce & Gabbana, and her signature retro efficiency model discovered an apparent reference to Madonna’s personal historical past.
The white shirt, high-waisted briefs, suspenders and beret performed into the classic showgirl aesthetic Sabrina has made central to her stage wardrobe, however seeing it alongside Madonna highlighted simply how a lot of the trendy pop-star vogue playbook she helped write.
