Our 10 Favorite Style Moments of 2024
From athletes popping out at the most stylish Olympics in history to rappers dominating luxury and streetwear, here are our picks for the most important fashion moments of the year.
A lot happened in 2024, maybe more than we can and should manage. On the bright side, fashion across retail, music, sports, and the internet never ceased to keep us on our toes (in a good way). This was the year that continued to bring together high and low fashion, musicians with designers, brands with athletes, and beauty gurus with runways and racetracks. Below, see our recap of our favorite and most memorable style moments looking back on the last 12 months.
Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Music Video
As if the song wasn’t big enough, the music video for Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” was the ultimate victory lap. Not only did it solidify K-Dot as the winner of his summer rap war with Drake, it also cemented him in the conversation as one of hip-hop’s best-dressed individuals. Throughout the video, Kendrick sported plenty of memorable looks, most of them courtesy of Martine Rose. “Not Like Us” was also a vehicle to spotlight various Los Angeles-based designers such as Ghetto Rodeo and Kaló Soil. The video was monumental not only for Kendrick Lamar, but the entire West Coast. –Mike DeStefano
Pat McGrath Beauty at Maison Margiela’s Artisanal Show
John Galliano’s 2024 Maison Margiela Artisanal show is heralded by many in the industry as the best of not only the year, but of the decade. Besides the phenomenal and fantastical clothes that harked to 1930s Parisian grit and glam, what caught the attention of showgoers and internet onlookers the world over was the models’ glass-skin makeup. Beauty mastermind Pat McGrath—who’s had a longstanding working relationship with Galliano since his tenure at Dior in the ’90s—covered the models’ faces in a porcelain-like sheen, concocted by McGrath herself blending water, peel-off cucumber masks, and serums from her eponymous brand. Beauty creator @not_another_hanna recently teased the 2025 release of a Pat McGrath cream that would yield a similar effect on the skin, fueling the fire for the viral beauty moment. We can’t wait to test it out for ourselves. –YJ Lee
The Paris Olympics
Even if you don’t follow sports, this year’s Summer Olympics in Paris had enough viral style moments to keep everyone visually entertained. Pharrell and Snoop Dogg opened the ceremony by walking in the Torch Relay, and heavy-hitting designers such as Telfar, Berluti, and Stephane Ashpool participated in the making of various countries’ national team uniforms. We can’t forget the actual athletes’ style choices either, from Jordan Chile and Nyara Saballi’s blingy grills and Noah Lyles’ pearl braids, to Sha’Carri Richardson’s nail sets. Kim Yeji, the Korean Sharpshooter, had so much aura that she landed an ambassador deal with Louis Vuitton afterwards. The 2024 Paris Olympics was by far the most fashionable Olympics yet. –YJ Lee
Tyla’s Met Gala Sand Dress Designed by Balmain
We can’t leave out the Met Gala when talking about the best style moments of any year. This year’s dress code was based on J.G. Ballard’s ‘The Garden of Time,’ a 1962 British novella about a count and countess who live in an opulent villa with magical flowers. For the theme, Tyla pulled up to the Met steps in a custom Balmain gown covered in sand and micro crystals, trailed out into a mermaid train. The inspiration for the strapless dress was ‘sands of time,’ crafted by casting and molding layers of actual sand onto Tyla’s body. The molded bodice restricted her movement, and photos of bodyguards carrying a stiff Tyla up the steps went viral. Later in the night, Olivier Rousteing, creative director of Balmain, cut the dress into a mini, adding to the social media craze. –Shinnie Park
Marc Jacobs’ 40-Year Anniversary
If you want a masterclass in internet marketing, look no further than Marc Jacobs’ 40th-year activations. The brand released a series of short-form videos celebrating its anniversary, featuring Marc himself, as well as friends of the brand such as Lil Uzi Vert and Kai Cenat. Their viral marketing clearly worked; the MJ Tote Bag and Snapshot camera crossbody are suddenly everywhere and relevant again to a new generation of customers. There were also a number of notable collaborations throughout the year, including ones with Nigo, Kim Jones, and Denim Tears. It’s a moment that combines the Marc Jacobs' brand legacy with cultural storytelling and humor. –Shinnie Park
The “I Ain’t Fresh?” Guy on X
Back in March, Arlington, Texas resident Derrick Lambert was just getting some Whataburger when a phone camera got pointed in his direction. A group of women tried to clown him for his outfit: a blue-striped Ralph Lauren polo, creased jeans, and baby blue New Balance 574s. His confident retort: “I ain’t fresh?” The footage ended up on X, and a new internet sensation was born. Tens of thousands of people online quickly came to the defense of Lambert and his fit. Following the viral moment, Lambert got tapped by LRG to star in a campaign, sell a limited-edition T-shirt collab, and sit courtside at an NBA game. So often we see social media perpetuating negativity, so it was nice to see the timeline rally for Lambert and his classic Southern swag. –Mike DeStefano
Louis Vuitton Dawn
Dawn Staley is one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time. She led the South Carolina women’s basketball team to a national championship in April. While that’s an incredible accolade, right now we’re here to celebrate her incredible courtside fits. The Philadelphia native stayed dripped in Louis Vuitton throughout March Madness, from metallic silver leather jackets to Trainers covered in Tyler, the Creator’s Craggy Monogram. Pharrell even blessed her with a Speedy bag from his debut LV Men’s collection to thank her for the support. We hope this linkup was the start of a conversation to get Staley in an official campaign soon. Shoutout to Louis Vuitton Dawn. –Mike DeStefano
Young Thug’s Courtroom Fits
Now that Young Thug is free, we think it’s an appropriate time to show some love to his courtroom style throughout the trial, which ran the gamut from classic menswear to modern streetwear looks. He remixed traditional suits with custom embroidery on the lapel that read “Truly Humbled Under God,” which his legal team argued “Thug” stood for as an acronym. There were also button-ups stamped with Matty Boy’s Sex Records logo, and Sp5der leather jackets and hoodies that paid homage to his girlfriend Mariah the Scientist. Even in trying times, Thugger was able to add to his résumé as one of hip-hop’s style icons. –Mike DeStefano
Tyler, the Creator’s Louis Vuitton & Supreme Collaborations
Tyler started the year strong with a full Louis Vuitton collaboration which released in February, and put his own stamp on Supreme by joining the ranks of the brand’s iconic portrait tee series in August. Both of those collaborations got his fans—and a good portion of us at the Complex offices—excited enough to mark our calendars and impatiently count the days for their drops. They were also global business ventures that propelled Tyler’s style influence on a whole new level of streetwear and luxury loyalty. Which is why, we named him one of our best-dressed rappers of the whole year. –YJ Lee
Zendaya’s Dune: Part Two Press Tour
Zendaya’s Dune: Part Two press tour in February was a cinema-meets-fashion spectacle that had our eyes glued to every red carpet. With Law Roach’s stylistic direction, Zendaya served a lineup of looks that felt straight out of Arrakis, yet completely fresh and modern. In London, she went full sci-fi glam in a vintage Mugler cyborg-inspired catsuit from its Fall 1995 couture collection, looking like a chrome-dipped warrior. Then there was Paris, where she stepped out in a gold two-piece Louis Vuitton set that looked like it was plucked from the Bene Gesserit’s couture wardrobe. And the Seoul moment: Zendaya and co-star Timothée Chalamet showed out by donning matching Juun.J leather boiler suits—hers in a soft salmon shade, and his in a faded grey-blue. Every look told its own story, and together, they made the press tour feel less like promo and more like a cultural moment. –Shinnie Park
