Madonna, Charli XCX & Sabrina Carpenter Share the VMAs Stage

Madonna’s relationship with the MTV VMAs stretches back to the inaugural ceremony in 1984, making her return to the stage for the first time in 23 years one of the night’s biggest moments.

Opening the 2026 ceremony, Madonna performed material from Confessions II, with Sabrina Carpenter joining her for Bring Your Love before Charli XCX appeared for Danceteria Afterhours.

Madonna stayed with one of her preferred labels, Saint Laurent, wearing a black satin double-breasted mini trench over a burgundy bodysuit with fishnet tights. The original Saint Laurent lace-up boots from her Confessions on a Dance Floor era added an archival element from 2005. Anthony Vaccarello also dressed Madonna for her FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show performance in July, so the label continues to be a fixture in her current performance wardrobe.

After wearing Saint Laurent on the red carpet, Charli XCX switched to Dsquared2 for her performance with Madonna.

The black mini dress, fishnets, garters, leather gloves and platform pumps felt particularly apt for a duet with Madonna. Her influence can be traced through generations of pop stars who followed her, and Charli’s lingerie-inspired stage look felt like a natural reflection of that legacy while remaining completely in keeping with her own style.

Sabrina Carpenter joined Madonna on stage wearing Dolce & Gabbana, and her signature retro performance style found an obvious connection with Madonna’s own history.

The white shirt, high-waisted briefs, suspenders and beret played into the vintage showgirl aesthetic Sabrina has made central to her stage wardrobe, but seeing it alongside Madonna highlighted just how much of the modern pop-star fashion playbook she helped write.

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