Doja Cat Applies Red Lipstick — And Then Eats It — On the VMAs Red Carpet

Doja Cat made a major fashion statement on the red carpet at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awardswhen she applied — and then ate — her lipstick.

The rapper, 29, wore Balmain at the Sunday, September 7, awards show, which was held at UBS Arena in New York. Doja posed for photos showing off the pastel mini dress, which she paired with pastel yellow platforms, Chopard jewels and a Judith Leiber Couture clutch in the shape of a lipstick.

Doja then began to apply bright red lipstick before iHeartRadio captured footage of her biting it off and chewing on it while smiling for the cameras.

Doja is nominated for Best K-Pop and Song of Summer. Ahead of the ceremony, Doja was a five-time VMA winner, taking home trophies for Push Best New Artist in 2020, Best Collaboration for “Kiss Me More” with SZA and Best Art Direction for “Best Friend” with Saweetie in 2021, Best Choreography for “Woman” in 2022 and Best Art Direction for “Attention” in 2023.

Since stepping into the spotlight, Doja has become known for her risk-taking red carpet looks. In September 2023, she wore a custom white dress by Monse that resembled a spider web to the VMAs. The barely-there ensemble featured netting across her body as she went topless underneath.

Some of her other most memorable style moments include her 2023 Met Gala look — a sparkly Oscar de la Renta hooded gown with cat ears and a white feathered train as well as facial prosthetics to make her appear feline — and her January 2023 outfit for the Schiaparelli fashion show, which featured full red body paint, 30,000 Swarovski crystals, a red silk bustier, a beaded tulip skirt and matching red knee-high boots.

In a Harper’s Bazaar interview published in August 2023, Doja speculated about why the public has had such extreme reactions to her bold fashion choices. “My theory is that if someone has never met me in real life, then, subconsciously, I’m not real to them,” she said.

“So when people become engaged with someone they don’t even know on the internet, they kind of take ownership over that person,” she continued. “They think that person belongs to them in some sense. And when that person changes drastically, there is a shock response that is almost uncontrollable.”

Despite the opinions of others, Doja emphasized that she would not stop pushing boundaries.

“I’ve accepted that that’s what happens. So I put my wigs on and take them off,” she concluded. “I shave my head or my eyebrows. I have all the freedom in the world.”