Fashion

The Best Naked Dresses in Runway History

Sometimes a birthday suit is the most fashionable look of all.

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Kate Moss for Atelier Versace Spring/Summer 1996

Barely covered chests and carefully placed bunches of fabric around the waist, naked dresses have long been blending provocation with elegance. Celebrities love to wear them on the red carpet, and you may even spot one or two at a particularly permissible gala. 

In the '90s, the naked dress signaled the out-there aesthetic of a troublemaking designer. These days, when nudity is slightly more acceptable, a sheer gown can show appreciation for the graceful, female form. This fashion month, L'OFFICIEL looks back at all the best naked dresses to walk the runway.

Naomi Campbell, supermodel that she is, has worn more than one. There was her strut in 2005 wearing a star-coated dress for Heatherette. Then, again, she wore a sheer black gown for Valentino in 2019. Fashion designer Thierry Mugler was never afraid of putting models in all states of undress on the runway. His namesake brand is still carrying on the tradition, as can be seen from the body-hugging dresses worn by Dominique Jackson and Megan Fox

No matter the year or designer, a true naked dress shows that it's just as much about what you don't wear, as what you do. 

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Thierry Mugler Spring/Summer 1989
Yves Saint Laurent Spring/Summer 1990
John Galliano Spring/Summer 1992
Vivienne Westwood Fall/Winter 1994
Kate Moss for Atelier Versace Spring/Summer 1996
Shalom Harlow for Christian Dior Fall/Winter 1997
Thierry Mugler Spring/Summer 1998
Naomi Campbell for Heatherette Spring/Summer 2005
Gattioni Spring/Summer 2012
Marc Jacobs Fall/Winter 2015
Lanvin Spring/Summer 2017
Iris Van Herpen Fall/Winter 2018 Haute Couture
Jacquemus Spring/Summer 2019
Naomi Campbell in Valentino Spring/Summer 2019 Haute Couture
Bella Hadid for Tom Ford Fall/Winter 2020
Dominque Jackson for Mugler Spring/Summer 2021
Coach Fall/Winter 2023
Miu Miu Fall/Winter 2023

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