Tyla Wears Snakeskin Mowalola Bra and Skirt Set to the 2026 MTV VMAs

Tyla kept things skin-baring and reptilian on the 2026 MTV VMAs red carpet. The South African singer, known for her breakout hit "Water" and her 2024 VMA wins for Best New Artist, Best Afrobeats and Best R&B, arrived at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 27, where she was also on the presenter lineup for the night.

True to VMAs tradition, Tyla skipped a top entirely, wearing a structured blue-grey snakeskin bra with slim straps and underwired cups from Mowalola's Spring 2027 collection. Below it, a fitted, low-rise pencil skirt hit at the knee, combining a reptile-print center panel with smooth blue sides, leaving plenty of bare midriff in between. The whole set leaned hard into y2k style, a lane Tyla has made her own on past VMA carpets.

She carried the snake motif all the way down to her pointed pumps, also done in matching snakeskin print, and added a turquoise-and-black choker for a pop of contrast. Her jewelry stayed simple with sparkling rings, and her nails were painted a bright pink. Her hair was braided back tightly at the crown before falling loose around her shoulders, paired with winged eyeliner and a glossy brown-toned lip.

Tyla has built a reputation for bold VMA fashion, having worn a fringe-covered Area dress in 2024 and a barely-there vintage Chanel top-turned-microdress in 2025. This year's ceremony, hosted by Snoop Dogg, was headlined by Madonna's first VMA performance in 23 years and Taylor Swift's inaugural Artist Director Honors, with a presenter lineup that also included Charli XCX, Teyana Taylor and Troye Sivan.