Fit Check: Justin Bieber Strips Down From Balenciaga to His SKYLRK Skivvies for 2026 Grammys
The singer traded a structured red carpet suit for a shirtless, guitar-driven rendition of “Yukon” to debut his most vulnerable era yet.
Summary
- Justin Bieber’s shift from a structured Balenciaga suit to SKYLRK silk boxers mirrored his raw musical evolution
- The stripped-down visual during “YUKON” captured the vulnerability and intimacy of his new R&B era
- Bieber earned four nominations during the 2026 Grammy Awards
Justin Bieber turned the 2026 Grammy Awards into a runway for his artistic transformation, using two polar-opposite looks to define his new era. He first commanded the red carpet in a heavily structured, oversized Balenciaga suit. With its exaggerated proportions and industrial tailoring, the ensemble acted as a form of high-fashion armor, shielding the artist before his big reveal. This calculated display of couture set a sophisticated tone, only to be completely dismantled when he took the stage for “YUKON.”
Shedding the weight of the designer suit, Bieber appeared for his performance shirtless, stripped down to only pale blue silk boxers and simple black socks by SKYLRK. This transition from “armored” couture to total exposure was a deliberate physical manifestation of his music’s new direction. By opting for the intimate, loungewear-inspired look, his aesthetic mirrord the stripped-back R&B textures of the SWAG albums, wherein the rollout centered around his familial roots and his homebody era.
This bare aesthetic allowed the audience to focus on the craftsmanship of the music rather than the spectacle of the performer. Armed only with a guitar and loop pedals, Bieber emphasized the raw, unpolished energy of a performance dedicated to his wife, Hailey. Amidst an evening of elaborate costumes from peers like Lady Gaga, Bieber’s move from the dressy to his intimates stood out as a profound statement on transparency, proving that his most effective accessory is his own vulnerability.
