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7 of the most baffling optical-illusion outfits celebrities have worn in 2023

Maria Noyen   

7 of the most baffling optical-illusion outfits celebrities have worn in 2023
Beyoncé performs onstage during the opening night of the Renaissance World Tour on May 10, 2023, in Stockholm, Sweden.Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Parkwood
  • Experimenting with optical illusions is turning into one of the biggest style trends of 2023.
  • From the red carpet to film festivals, celebrities are hopping onto the playful fashion trend.

Noah Cyrus wore a quilted gown that featured a mind-bending geometric illusion to a Paris Fashion Week event in January.

Noah Cyrus wore a quilted gown that featured a mind-bending geometric illusion to a Paris Fashion Week event in January.
Noah Cyrus attends the Viktor & Rolf Haute Couture Spring Summer 2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 25, 2023, in Paris, France.      Marc Piasecki/WireImage

Besides the trippy pattern woven into the center, the dress that Cyrus, 23, wore to the Viktor & Rolf Haute Couture show had several other quirky features, including a shaggy-like trim at the bottom and an off-the-shoulder-style neckline.

Emily Ratajkowski stepped out in Paris that same week wearing what looked like a pond leaf as a top.

Emily Ratajkowski stepped out in Paris that same week wearing what looked like a pond leaf as a top.
Emily Ratajkowski at Paris Fashion Week on March 3, 2023.      Jacopo Raule/Getty Images

Ratajkowski's laceleaf-inspired look for Paris Fashion Week was designed by Loewe's creative director, Jonathan Anderson, according to Vogue. The publication also reported that it was inspired by an anthurium plant.

At the time, the 32-year-old model made headlines for her outfit, as many thought the shape of the top was phallic.

Elsa Hosk's sculptural Viktor & Rolf couture gown at Cannes Film Festival in May looked like it was falling off her body.

Elsa Hosk
Elsa Hosk attends the "La Passion De Dodin Bouffant" red carpet during the 76th annual Cannes Film Festival on May 24, 2023, in Cannes, France.      Lionel Hahn/Getty Images

The powder-blue gown, which featured a tulle skirt, appeared to fall off her to reveal a light-pink bustier corset beneath.

According to a post by Viktor & Rolf on Instagram, Hosk was styled in the brand's Late Stage Capitalist Waltz dress for Cannes by celebrity stylist Dani Michelle, who has previously worked with Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner.

Beyoncé opened her Renaissance Tour show in London in May wearing a catsuit that might've tricked an unsuspecting viewer into believing hands were wrapped around her body.

Beyoncé opened her Renaissance Tour show in London in May wearing a catsuit that might
Beyoncé performs onstage during the Renaissance World Tour at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 30, 2023, in London, England.      Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood

The optical-illusion-style ensemble is just one of the many looks custom-made for Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour by Loewe in collaboration with costume designer Shiona Turini.

The surrealist black handprints with red painted nails were a motif used in the brand's Fall 2022 collection, according to Loewe. They added an extra element of drama to Beyoncé's already eye-catching crystal-encrusted catsuit.

While vacationing on the French Riviera in May, Kendall Jenner wore an illusion dress that looked like it had no top.

While vacationing on the French Riviera in May, Kendall Jenner wore an illusion dress that looked like it had no top.
Kendall Jenner attends the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 12, 2023, in Beverly Hills, California.      Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Jenner, 27, shared videos and photos of herself on a yacht in the French Riviera on Instagram at the end of May.

In the posts, Jenner posed in a David Koma minidress, which Dani Michelle styled for her. Koma also shared a photo of Jenner wearing his design on his own Instagram.

The mind-bending look consisted of a form-fitting black tube skirt, which gave way to a top made from a totally sheer fabric. The little coverage Jenner had on the upper half of the dress consisted of two ruby-red floral rosettes.

In June, Jennifer Lawrence wore a strapless dress to the "No Hard Feelings" premiere in Madrid that looked 2D – until she turned to the side.

In June, Jennifer Lawrence wore a strapless dress to the "No Hard Feelings" premiere in Madrid that looked 2D – until she turned to the side.
Jennifer Lawrence attends the premiere of "No Hard Feelings" on June 14, 2023, in Madrid, Spain.      Pablo Cuadra/Getty Images

The star of "The Hunger Games" walked the red carpet wearing the Loewe-designed beige midi dress, part of the brand's Fall/Winter 2023 womenswear collection.

While the overall aesthetic was minimalist, the sculptural design of the dress made it unforgettable. When she was photographed facing forward, Lawrence's ensemble appeared as flat as a board. However, as soon as she turned sideways, it revealed a noticeable gap between the dress and her body, showing that it was not, in fact, 2D.

In a photo she posted to Instagram in June, Emma Watson wore a tent-like dress that people said was "defying physics" and compared to a Harry Potter spell.

In a photo she posted to Instagram in June, Emma Watson wore a tent-like dress that people said was "defying physics" and compared to a Harry Potter spell.
Alex Watson and Emma Watson co-founded gin-brand Renais.      Courtesy of Gypsy Westwood and Loewe

In an Instagram post promoting her and her brother Alex Watson's new gin brand, Renais, the "Harry Potter" actor wore a tent-like minidress from Loewe's spring/summer 2023 women's collection that looked as if it was hovering off her body.

According to Rachel Zoe's fashion blog, The Zoe Report, it's likely the architectural shape was created using a wired bodice hidden by the blue material draped over it.

Social-media users were quick to share their reactions to the unique fashion statement in the comment section of Watson's Instagram post. One wrote that it was "defying physics" while another of the top comments was from a user who wrote, "The dress said wingardium leviosa."

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