How 7 Indie Designers Landed Coveted Awards-Season Red Carpet Placements

While the red carpet continues to shine a spotlight on fashion’s biggest luxury brands — especially during awards season — independent and emerging labels aren’t backing down so easily. 

Smaller designers may deal with limited resources and restrictive budgets, but many indie brands still managed to stand out during the 2025 awards season with notable celebrity red-carpet placements: Lady Gaga was a scene-stealer in her “Mayhem”-coded Sam Lewis dress at the Grammys; Ayo Edebiri embraced her sporty side in a Commission tracksuit-dress hybrid at the Sundance Film Festival; Chloe Bailey looked like a living sculpture wearing Gaurav Gupta at the NAACP Image Awards and Andrew Kwon turned a bridal gown into a red-carpet dress for Chrissy Teigen’s Vanity Fair Oscar Party appearance. 

To give an inside look at how these moments came to life, seven indie designers told us about the process of working with celebrity clients and their stylists to land such coveted awards-season placements, and what these achievements mean for smaller brands.

Sheryl Lee Ralph wearing Sergio Hudson, 2025 SAG Awards and NAACP Creative Honors

“We have a great relationship with Ms. Ralph and her stylist Ivy Coco; she wears our clothes regularly. They wanted to evoke strength, but still wanted an element of femininity and they were looking for styles that could tell that story over a couple nights. I immediately thought of my Resort 2025 collection which was heavily menswear-inspired — it was perfect.

“I’m always so grateful when stylists and celebrities decide to go with Sergio Hudson because I know they have other options where they can be financially rewarded. It means a lot when they choose us because it gives us the opportunity to compete on a level playing field with the bigger brands.” —Sergio Hudson

Aidy Bryant wearing Naya Rea, 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards

“Our relationship with Aidy began a few years ago when she purchased a dress from us. Since then, we’ve had the pleasure of dressing Aidy on several occasions. The idea of creating a custom dress for the Film Independent Spirit Awards felt so natural and organic with our existing relationship. Because I’m familiar with Aidy and her style, designing for her was easy. Aidy and [her stylist] Rebecca [Grice] selected a few existing styles that they liked, and we used those as a foundation for the dress, adding a few twists and drama.

“This is precisely what I admire about Aidy and Rebecca. They could easily choose dresses from bigger brands, but they opted for a smaller brand and entrusted us with this opportunity. For a small brand like ours, this means the world. It’s not just about the exposure, but also the experience of creating a custom style for such a special occasion is absolutely priceless for me. I loved every moment and it gives me confidence to continue doing this more often in the future!” —Naya Rea

Ashley Graham wearing Bach Mai, 2025 Golden Globes

“Our 2025 Golden Globes moment with Ashley Graham was such a special moment, but it was actually not even originally intended for the Globes carpet! We had initially made this custom gown for Ashley for another event that she ended up not attending, but she loved the gown and held onto it until she had the perfect event for it. Custom gowns like this are no small feat for a small brand like ours, and I was really touched that both Ashley and her incredible stylist Emily Evans were both really respectful and appreciative of this. We remained patient, and our patience was rewarded when the Golden Globes came around and was the perfect moment for the dress to shine.

“The red carpet — especially [during] awards seasons — is dominated by bigger brands now more than ever. It is so tough as a young brand to compete in this current environment without the same budget or resources, so it’s always a really wonderful achievement when we can have a special moment like this. I am so thankful to the stylists and talents that are willing to support and give young designers a chance.” —Bach Mai

Kelly Rowland wearing Harbison, 2025 Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala

“Kelly [Rowland] is a consummate Harbison girlie, which makes me so happy to say, and [her stylist] Wilford [Lenov] is incredibly supportive by consistently putting her in the collection, for which I adore him. I met Kelly at last year’s Fashion Trust US Awards Gala (where she wore a Harbison white crepe Thalia gown with embellished bra and white duchesse poet-sleeved Galaxy Cape). She gets me, and I love her. She wanted to go sexy for the Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala, and once Wilford saw the Lemongrass Cassiopeia Gown he knew she’d love it. And thankfully they both did.

“It’s an uphill battle fighting for attention and placements on awards season red carpets. But the great equalizer is relationships, so I place my focus there: build authentic connections with stylists and talent who genuinely love what I do. At the end of the day, if a woman (or talent in general) wants a certain moment, no matter how much money she’s being paid or gifts she’s being given by major brands, she’s going to have that moment. A Harbison lover, when forced to choose, will choose personal expression over all else.” —Charles Harbison

Chloe Bailey wearing Gaurav Gupta, 2025 NAACP Image Awards

“Chloe Bailey’s 2025 NAACP Image Awards look was an architecturally sculpted wing gown from our Haute Couture Fall 2024 collection, ‘Jyotirgamaya.’ The gown is a statement of craftsmanship, meticulously draped and sculpted to create a dynamic yet fluid structure. Originally designed in our brand signature color, sand, we reimagined it in black for Chloe, with contrasting sand-colored wings to add depth and movement. The process started with sketching and conceptualizing how we could evolve this piece to make it even more powerful for Chloe. Throughout this journey, we had several calls between our internal team and my dear friend Hema Bose, founder of Maison Bose, our VIP celebrity agency based in L.A., along with Chloe’s stylist Jason Rembert, to align on the final vision. Seeing Chloe embody the gown with such confidence on the red carpet was truly special.

“Having this red carpet moment is always meaningful, it reinforces the space for independent designers, innovation and artistry on such a prestigious platform. Seeing Chloe own the look with such confidence is a reminder of why we do what we do, creating pieces that celebrate individuality and storytelling through couture.” —Gaurav Gupta

Chris Perfetti wearing Tanner Fletcher, 2025 Golden Globes

“The main piece is a cropped sequin jacket. This is actually a plaid pattern printed on top of clear sequin in Italy. I believe [stylist] Kat Cook saw the look on Vogue Runway and Chris came to mind. It looked perfect on him!

“It means a lot to be included during awards season and is hopefully a reflection of the brand’s trajectory. The reason why bigger brands dominate the red carpet is often political. These brands negotiate deals, make custom looks for free and even have contracts with some of the stars. It’s difficult for a small brand like us to participate in those practices. This shows that anyone wearing Tanner Fletcher on the red carpet really likes what they are wearing.” —Tanner Ritchie and Fletcher Kasell, Tanner Fletcher

Chrissy Teigen wearing Andrew Kwon, 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party

“For the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Chrissy and [her stylist] Alana [Van Deraa] initially gravitated toward similar styles in shimmering blue and purple from my eveningwear collections. However, I had a feeling she might also love the same style in white from Collection 6 — my bridal collection […] The Vanity Fair party was on Sunday, and on Saturday night, Alana called to confirm that Chrissy had chosen the white gown from my bridal collection. While this white piece was originally designed as a bridal look, it seamlessly translated into a red carpet moment […] Seeing one of my bridal pieces reimagined for such a prestigious red carpet was an unforgettable milestone for me, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity.

“Having this red carpet moment is incredibly meaningful. I grew up watching these events, admiring the legendary fashion houses that have shaped some of the most iconic looks worn by inspiring women. To now be part of that legacy is almost indescribable — it’s something I have dreamed about for years. As an emerging designer, standing alongside these established fashion houses is both humbling and affirming. It reinforces that my designs are resonating with people and that my vision is finding its place in this space. Moments like this are a reminder that this is just the beginning — there is so much more to come.” —Andrew Kwon

Swipe through the gallery below to see other notable indie designers’ red-carpet placements during the 2025 award season.

Editors’ note: The quotes included here have been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Source: Fashionista.com