Lady Gaga’s eighth studio album, Mayhem, has arrived, marking her long-awaited return to pop music. After an electrifying run of singles—”Disease”, “Abracadabra”, and the Grammy-winning “Die with a Smile”—the reign of Mother Monster is in full swing once again. And this time, she’s bringing chaos with a brand-new aesthetic to match.
Happy Mayhem days to all who celebrate. After a few (shall we say, turbulent?) detours into musicals and cinema, Gaga is back in her pop bag, and the Little Monsters are feasting. Dark, sleazy, synth-infused, and dramatic, Mayhem is pure, unfiltered bedlam in the best possible way. And if we were paying attention, we’d have seen this shift coming. Ever since reuniting with longtime friend and creative director Nicola Formichetti (the mastermind behind that meaty moment—iykyk), Gaga has been teasing a return to her maximalist, disruptive roots.
Bleached brows, jet-black geometric hair, and a goth-queen-of-the-underworld wardrobe—on paper, this new aesthetic is as theatrical as it gets. But in Gaga’s own words, Mayhem was “made from a place of happiness,” pulling from industrial dance music and genre-bending experimentation. As we step into a Mayhem-soaked weekend, let’s break down Gaga’s latest fashion evolution.
“Abracadabra” and the Art of Chaos
To distill the album’s frenetic energy into the Abracadabra video, designers Seth Pratt and Samuel Lewis dreamt up avant-garde costumes, brought to life by stylists Peri Rosenzweig and Nick Royal. The result? A hypnotic collision of performance art and high fashion, tailor-made for Gaga’s ever-mutating persona.
Floating through the visual in deconstructed white gowns—frayed edges, exposed boning, pure sartorial anarchy—Gaga embodies a high priestess of glorious ruin. Then, just as you settle into the spectral whites, in comes a violent burst of red: a statement piece with a Stephen Jones balaclava and a razor-sharp brimmed hat, serving drama in every frame. It’s a study in contrasts, a spectacle of excess.
Hot Ones – But Make It Haute
A couture-clad diva takes on the fiery depths of Hot Ones. Styled once again by Peri Rosenzweig and Nick Royal, Gaga turned a routine celebrity spice challenge into an instant fashion moment.
Draped in a Thom Browne AW24 couture gown, she looked like a gothic bride—ethereal, unsettling, immaculate. The dress, a meticulous construction of muslin, horsehair canvas, and crochet yarn, has already fuelled speculation: is there a Mayhem bridal theme? A nod to her engagement to Michael Polansky? Regardless, it was a perfect contrast—high fashion meets high heat, proving yet again that no one marries the ridiculous and the sublime quite like Gaga.
The Gothic Grammy Moment
Then came the Grammys, where Gaga stepped onto the red carpet like a Victorian specter. A Samuel Lewis gown, jet-black baby-bang fringe, dripping in Tiffany & Co. jewels—it was pure gothic opulence.
The lace-up bodice, ruched skirt, and voluminous sleeves nodded to Victorian mourning attire, hinting at a symbolic farewell to her past aesthetic. Even her glam followed suit: bloodstained red lips, bleached brows, dagger-like nails. A touch of Nosferatu, a splash of Mayhem. Consider this the official birth of Gaga’s latest fashion chapter.
Everyday Mayhem
Even off-duty, Gaga is keeping the chaos alive. While her day-to-day wardrobe leans more understated than her stage and red carpet ensembles, the Mayhem aesthetic is still front and centre—just distilled into a more wearable form.
Think gothic-industrial silhouettes, deep hues, unexpected cutouts, and statement accessories that whisper rather than scream. A reminder that for Gaga, fashion is never just fashion. It’s a manifesto, a mood board, a prelude to whatever world she’s building next.
Lady Gaga has never merely released an album—she births an era. And with Mayhem, the message is clear: let the chaos reign.
Words – Isabella Ardeman
Content shared from www.wonderlandmagazine.com.
