When Doja Cat steps onto a red carpet, you know it won’t be boring. This year at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, she gave everyone something to talk about. The 29-year-old rapper didn’t just wear lipstick; she applied it and then took a bite, munching it down right in front of the cameras.
The scene unfolded on Sunday, September 7th, at New York’s UBS Arena. Doja was dressed to impress in a pastel mini-dress from Balmain. She completed her look with bright yellow platform shoes, stunning Chopard jewelry, and a Judith Leiber Couture clutch that looked just like a lipstick tube.
Then came the real showstopper. She pulled out a tube of vibrant red lipstick. After putting it on, pictures and videos, including those shared by iHeartRadio, showed her biting into the lipstick. She even chewed it up, all while flashing a big smile for the photographers.
But Doja Cat isn’t just about bold fashion statements. She’s also a powerhouse in music. This year, she’s up for two big awards: Best K-Pop and Song of Summer. She’s no stranger to the VMA stage, already holding five trophies. Her past wins include:
- Push Best New Artist in 2020
- Best Collaboration for “Kiss Me More” with SZA in 2021
- Best Art Direction for “Best Friend” with Saweetie in 2021
- Best Choreography for “Woman” in 2022
- Best Art Direction for “Attention” in 2023
Over the years, Doja has built a reputation for her daring red carpet choices. She always pushes boundaries with her outfits. Just last September, at the 2023 VMAs, she showed up in a custom white Monse dress. It looked like a spiderweb, barely covering her body. She wore a net over herself with nothing underneath.
Her Met Gala outfit in 2023 was another standout. She wore a sparkly Oscar de la Renta hooded gown with cat ears and a feathery white tail. She even had facial prosthetics to really get that feline look. Then there was her appearance at the Schiaparelli show in January 2023. She was covered in red body paint and 30,000 Swarovski crystals. Her outfit included a red silk top, a beaded tulip skirt, and matching red high boots.
All these eye-catching looks have sparked many reactions. Doja shared her thoughts on why her fashion choices get so much attention in a Harper’s Bazaar interview from August 2023. She believes people form a bond with celebrities they only see online. “My theory is that if someone has never seen me in person, then, unconsciously, I am not real to that person,” she explained.
She went on to say, “So when people engage with someone they don’t even know online, they appropriate that person. They believe that person somehow belongs to them. And when that person changes drastically, an almost uncontrollable shock response occurs.”
Despite what others might think, Doja made it clear she won’t stop breaking fashion rules. She summed it up by saying, “I’ve accepted that’s what happens. So I put on and take off wigs. I shave my head or my eyebrows. I have all the freedom in the world.”