Raw Meat, Abracadabra, and Everything in Between – A Time Capsule of Lady Gaga’s Iconography
BY: BRIANNA PEREZ GOLINI
Photo by Lauren Dukoff
Lady Gaga introduced herself to the world in a bright yellow lip, blonde banged wig, and chunky black sunglasses. In 2008, she not only debuted The Fame, but also avant-garde fashion, theatrical performances, thought-provoking imagery, and of course, a challenge of the norm – all too ahead of our time. When scandal and controversy were all that people took from her eccentric fashion, it also demanded notoriety and attention to the dynamic messages and conversation she was trying to provoke. Lady Gaga is more than a pop star. Her kitsch image and eccentricity packed an extra punch when the 2010’s hadn’t yet been on the cusp of acceptance or inclusion. Her boldness and willingness to challenge conventions have inspired countless artists and paved the way for greater freedom of expression in the music industry, so let’s take a walk down memory lane to highlight some iconic looks and their lasting legacies.
A Star is Born, 2007
Photo by Jason Squires Photo by Getty Images
Lady Gaga sporting sequins and her dark natural hair in 2007. She rocked a disco ball bra, silver-belted underwear, and lace-trimmed fishnets at her first Lollapalooza performance. In the set, Gaga performed the unreleased "Dirty Ice Cream," "Brown Eyes," "Summerboy," "Boys, Boys, Boys," and her colossal hit "Paparazzi," which wouldn't be released until a year later.
Alongside DJ, artist, and musician Lady Starlight, whom Gaga worked with in her New York club scene days, the two are unrefined and sleazy, dancing like no one’s watching (while thousands watch), blowing fire out of hairspray cans, and parading around the stage, creating an iconic performance without a vast budget or assistance from the momentous fame she would soon possess. Watch pop culture history being made here.
Beautiful, Dirty, Rich Disco Heaven, 2008
Photos by Getty Images
When the world first saw Gaga in 2008, after the release of her debut album The Fame, she was all about the futuristic disco look, wearing hooded bodysuits and architectural dresses.
With a Party City-looking wig and a dream, Gaga’s unique sound attached to the irresistible urge to dance, would top the charts.
Regardless of the commercial success, The Fame immortalizes 2010s nostalgia with iconic looks to match.
I can't live without you! I can’t breathe without you! Without you, I have nothing! 2009
Photos by Getty Images
The Fame Monster, the reissue of her debut album, explores Gaga’s fascination with monster movies and the dichotomy between death and sex, which is quite evident in her 2009 outfits’ displays of red, blood, and a firework-shooting metal bra.
The red lace Alexander McQueen one piece with a matching crown-like hat was a representation of her “eternal martyrdom” and a continuation of the storyline behind her VMA’s performance of “Paparazzi.”
The set is pure and angelic during the performance, and the vocals are sung with an incredibly emotional and gut-wrenching cadence. As blood leaks from her white bejeweled two-piece costume, her character, the princess, is killed by the paparazzi as she longingly expresses her devotion.
The sparkler top effect was created by battery-operated and remote motorized wheels grinding against each other to produce sparks. Gaga wore the accessory in a performance as commentary on how the female body and entity can be used as a weapon.
Mortality, 2010
Photos by Getty Images
At the 2010 BRIT Awards, Gaga paid tribute to Alexander McQueen, who had recently committed suicide. She had initially planned a different performance, but changed the concept last minute to an acoustic piano performance of "Telephone," in honor of McQueen.
Perhaps the most iconic and bizarre moment on Gaga’s fashion timeline was when she wore a dress made entirely out of raw beef to the 2010 MTV VMAs with meat boots to match.
She managed to outdo herself, even Cher looked taken aback as she presented Gaga with the award for Video of the Year for “Bad Romance”.
The raw meat look was condemned by animal rights activists and conservative parents everywhere, but the hurricane of controversy this outfit stirred also allowed Gaga to speak on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the fight for gay rights. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” forbade people in the US military from disclosing or discussing their sexual identity.
Gaga revealed her political acumen to be as savvy as her performance quality as she spoke out for a repeal of the policy at a rally in Maine. She declared her sexuality as well as the following statement: “Equality is the prime rib of America, but because I'm gay I don't get to enjoy the greatest cut of meat my country has to offer.”
The dress was also a statement on her identity, and her refusal to solely be seen as a sexual being and be reduced to a “piece of meat”. The raw meat dress reflects mortality and the fleeting nature of life when one is belittled and discriminated against because of their identity. The dress was preserved as jerky for display in museums, but its lasting shock value in society and music culture will be preserved eternally.
Photo by Getty Images
“Pop culture was in art, now art's in pop culture, in me”, 2013
Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for MTV Photo by Alex Davies/FilmMagic Photo by Getty Images
Gaga's ARTPOP era was a bold and eclectic period in her style journey, characterized by a mixture of art imitation and futuristic high-fashion elements.
Her image during ARTPOP blended pop culture with high-concept art through metallic fabrics, unique makeup and accessories, and structured designs. This highlighted her theme of living in a postmodern world where technology and art collide.
Her outfits included sharp, angular cuts, with bold silhouettes that made her look exactly like a living piece of modern art, playing into the ARTPOP theme of fusing pop music with artistic expression.
Gaga worked with several high-profile designers during this era, incorporating their visionary designs into her performances and public appearances.
Versace’s opulent, bold styles made several appearances, including custom-made gowns and edgy accessories that fit Gaga's mix of high fashion and experimental visuals.
Some of her more deconstructed looks came from Maison Martin Margiela, showcasing exaggerated silhouettes and deformed, abstract designs.
Even after his death, Gaga continued to embody Alexander McQueen’s vision of combining beauty with strange, unsettling elements.
Known for his vibrant, pop-culture-inspired aesthetic, Jeremy Scott's designs for Gaga showcased exaggerated prints and bold color choices, which matched the tone of the ARTPOP album.
Gaga made use of bright, primary colors and graphic patterns that mirrored Warhol's style. In some of her outfits, she seemed to take on the role of an icon inside of a painting herself. She wore several bodysuits that were often adorned with intricate embellishments or cutouts, revealing parts of her body in unconventional ways.
From larger-than-life headpieces to chicken nugget helmets that obscured her face, her headwear choices were often unconventional and artistic, adding to the surreal world she was creating.
2013 and the release of ARTPOP was a highly artistic and experimental time where fashion was not just a way of dressing, but a central element in artistic expression. Gaga embraced kitschy and bold looks, often challenging beauty norms, reflecting her ever-evolving persona as both a pop icon and a modern artist.
Photos by Lady Gaga, Getty Images
The "Applause" music video, released before ARTPOP, leaned heavily into its theme of the intersection of art and pop.
The music video’s many looks referenced iconic works of art, including Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal and Sandro Botticelli's The Birth of Venus.
Cheek to Cheek, 2015
Photos by Lady Gaga, YouTube;Jon Kopaloff, FilmMagic; Lester Cohen,Getty Images; Kevin Mazur, WireImage
The 2015 Oscars were just a few months after the release of Cheek to Cheek, Gaga's old-school release of jazz standards with Tony Bennett. The moment marked another rebirth for Gaga, who showed up to the Academy Awards looking a little more tame than usual.
During this time Gaga began stepping out in more classic silhouettes. She wore two stunning textured Alaïa gowns to the Academy Awards, both on the carpet and on the stage for her The Sound of Music tribute performance.
Million Reasons, 2016 & 2017
Photos by Lady Gaga, YouTube; Jon Kopaloff, FilmMagic; Lester Cohen, Getty Images
In 2016, Gaga's fashion evolved dramatically, reflecting both a shift in her musical and public persona as well as her growing interest in more classic, glamorous aesthetics. While she still embraced her love for bold, artistic fashion, 2016 furthered a period of transition, blending sophistication with elements of her expressive and one-of-a-kind pop-icon status.
At the 2016 Academy Awards, she wore a custom white Brandon Maxwell jumpsuit. The striking piece featured a floor-length train that was understated yet elegant, revealing herself in a sophisticated air that was more reminiscent of classic Hollywood glamour.
She was seen in softer, more refined hairstyles like sleek updos, soft waves, or a simple bob, and a natural, polished makeup look, moving away from the more dramatic and abstract styles she had worn before.
The release of her album Joanne in late 2016 influenced her fashion significantly, signaling a departure from her more eccentric ARTPOP and Born This Way looks. The Joanne album, which was a step away from her electronic pop-heavy sound, saw Gaga adopting a more country-inspired, casual style through Americana fashion: cowboy and wide-brimmed hats, fringe, and boots.
One of the standout fashion moments of 2016 was Gaga’s performance at the Super Bowl 50 Halftime Show. For her entrance, she wore a custom Versace outfit featuring a gold-embroidered, tailored bodysuit, paired with knee-high boots, bedazzled football pads and matching micro-shorts.
Today I Wear The Pants, 2018
Photos by Getty Images
Gaga was honored as one of ELLE's Women in Hollywood in 2018. For the ceremony, she opted for an exaggeratedly oversized yet chic Marc Jacobs suit.
At the podium, she delivered a vulnerable speech, beginning with her process of trying on 10 or so dresses but ultimately choosing an oversized men's suit made for a woman.
Gaga has always been an advocate for gender expression, and by wearing a suit, she continued her history of defying the rigid boundaries of gender expression. Her choice to embrace a masculine look challenged the idea that women need to wear traditionally feminine clothing to be seen as glamorous or powerful, especially for high-profile events.
She demonstrated that femininity and masculinity could coexist, allowing her to embrace a broader, more fluid range of personal expression.
"In this suit, I felt like me today. In this suit, I felt the truth of who I am well up in my gut. And then wondering what I wanted to say tonight became very clear to me."
She continued by sharing her story as a survivor of sexual assault, a woman with chronic pain from fibromyalgia, and simply as a woman raised to live in a man's world. "I decided today I wanted to take the power back," she said. "Today, I wear the pants."
Here to Cause Mayhem, Today
Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer, Getty Images; Frank Lebon, Vogue; Arturo Holmes, Getty Images
In the beginning of March, Gaga’s ever-mutating persona brought us a dark, sleazy, and dramatic return to pop with her new album Mayhem. Her new look, in correspondence with this new era, is made up of bleached brows, jet-black hair, and goth-club high priestess energy.
Gaga tells Vogue she finally allowed herself to create a body of work without any limitations. “We are all asked to define who we are and explain ourselves. I’ve had a really hard time with that in my career,” she says. “I’ve found it really hard to answer those questions. So, I allowed myself to be lots of contradictory things.” The same can be said about the look and universe she’s building with Mayhem.
24 March 2025