Emily Ratajkowski rarely steps onto a red carpet without making a statement, and her appearance at the 2025 Fashion Awards was no exception. This time, however, the conversation leaned more toward what the look could have been rather than what it achieved. The model attended the event to help debut H&M’s upcoming collaboration with Stella McCartney. However, it was her minimalist black minidress that sparked the most chatter of the night.
Emily Ratajkowski’s Stella McCartney minidress for Fashion Awards is a fail
Emily Ratajkowski arrived wearing a black satin Stella McCartney minidress that, despite its body-skimming silhouette, fell flat for a night built around fashion spectacle. The design itself leaned heavily on minimalism with a micro hemline, a fitted silhouette, and softly draped sleeves intended to add dimension.
On a casual night out, the dress would easily work. On one of the biggest fashion carpets of the year, it simply didn’t deliver the drama or craftsmanship expected. The problem wasn’t confidence or fit — both trademarks of Ratajkowski’s style — but rather the lack of ambition in the design and styling.
The Fashion Awards typically inspire structural gowns, couture-level detail, and inventive textures. By comparison, this minidress felt far too understated, bordering on basic. Satin has its place, but here it read more ready-to-wear than red carpet-ready. Even the draped sleeve accents, clearly intended to elevate the simplicity, didn’t add enough presence to counter the dress’s overall simplicity.
That said, the minimalism did work in one meaningful way. It allowed her natural beauty and confidence to take center stage. Her hair, worn long and straight with a middle part, added to the clean, unfussy aesthetic. Moreover, Ratajkowski’s makeup was soft yet striking, keeping the focus on her features rather than competing with the outfit.
What ultimately kept the look from landing was not a lack of style, but a missed opportunity. With a collaboration as buzzworthy as Stella McCartney x H&M — and an event as fashion-forward as this one — a more daring silhouette or bolder design choice could have made the moment unforgettable.
Still, even in a dress that didn’t quite meet the red carpet brief, EmRata carried the look with undeniable poise. Few can make minimalism feel this effortless, and that, at least, is always worth noting.
Originally reported by Zahrah Patel on theFashionSpot.
