Katy Perry Wears Who Decides War Threadbare Dress at MTV VMAs 2024

Ahead of being honored with the coveted Video Vanguard Award at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, Katy Perry hit the red carpet in a statement look memorializing the moment. For this career-defining milestone, Perry turned to Who Decides War, from their freshly debuted spring 2025 collection.

Hot off the New York Fashion Week runway just days earlier, the look encapsulates the Victorian influences that have shaped the designers’ exploration of historical and modern garment construction. The gown, rendered in delicate ivory hues, featured distressed fabrics, asymmetrical draping and tattered detailing that evoked a hauntingly beautiful take on Victorian-era fashion.

The texture and craftsmanship of Perry’s dress immediately caught attention, embodying Who Decides War’s signature deconstructed style. The blend of draped fabrics with a trailing hemline created a dreamy, ethereal silhouette. Perry accessorized the gown with minimal jewelry, allowing the intricate details of the dress to take center stage, while her sleek, wet-look hair complemented the overall edgy and modern vibe of the ensemble.

Designers Everard Best and Tela D’Amore told WWD the collection is a “180” from their previous work. “In terms of what people are used to seeing from us on the runway, this is a 180 — it’s a graduation,” Best said, adding that “we’re growing up. Of course, we always serve that customer, but at the same time we also make these pieces that serve a customer base that doesn’t want a hoodie or jeans that are embellished and have a lot going on.” 

The MTV VMAs recognize the year’s best music videos, artists and songs. Megan Thee Stallion makes her hosting debut during the 2024 ceremony, held at the UBS Stadium in Elmont, New York on Sept. 11. Katy Perry will receive the honorary Video Vanguard Award, while performers include Sabrina Carpenter, Lenny Kravitz, Eminem and Karol G.