Julia Fox is a lot of things. A mother. An actress. A former dominatrix. An author. But mostly, she is a performance artist who uses the red carpet as her primary canvas. When she showed up at the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, she wasn’t just attending a bash; she was launching a cultural reset.
People were confused. Was that a hand around her neck? Was her bag actually made of human hair?
Honestly, that's exactly the reaction she wanted. Fox has this uncanny ability to make people stop scrolling, and her relationship with Vanity Fair—from the high-glamour parties to the intense lie detector tests—has become the ultimate case study in how to stay relevant without following the "rules" of Hollywood.
The Neck-Gripping Dress That Started It All
Let's go back to that 2022 look because, wow, it was a moment. She arrived in a black leather floor-length gown by Danish label Han Kjøbenhavn. The standout feature was a 3D-sculpted hand that looked like it was literally choking her.
Some called it creepy. Others called it "high art."
Fox told reporters on the carpet that the look was "edgy" and "different." She wasn't lying. While everyone else was wearing safe, sparkly Dior or Chanel, she looked like she’d stepped out of a beautiful nightmare. She also carried a clutch that she claimed was covered in real human hair. When pressed on it, she kinda backtracked, saying, "I mean, I think so. It looks like it."
That’s the Julia Fox magic. She gives you just enough information to keep the conversation going for three days straight. She knows that in the attention economy, being "pretty" is a dime a dozen. Being "weird" is currency.
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Why the 2022 Vanity Fair Look Still Matters
- The Makeup: This was the peak of her "Fox Eye" era. She did the heavy black eyeliner herself. It was thick, messy, and unapologetic.
- The Narrative: This was her first major post-Kanye West appearance. The world expected her to fade away. Instead, she doubled down on her own weirdness.
- The Meme-ability: Clips of her saying her own dress was a "masterpiece" went viral instantly.
The 2025 Vanity Fair Return: Hair as Clothing
Fast forward to March 2025. If you thought the "hand dress" was the peak, you were wrong. Fox showed up at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in an ensemble that was basically just sheer fabric and... more hair.
Specifically, long brunette hair extensions were woven across her body to cover the "important" bits. It was a Dilara Findikoglu creation, and it was barely there.
But here’s the kicker: she didn’t just wear one outfit that night.
The Side-of-the-Road Quick Change
She actually changed her entire look between the Vanity Fair party and the Elton John AIDS Foundation viewing party. And she didn't do it in a luxury suite.
"I changed on the side of the road," she told ET. "I was butt a-- naked on the side of the road. I'll do anything for a look."
That level of commitment is rare. Most celebs have a team of 12 people to help them pee in a ballgown. Julia Fox is out there in the bushes of West Hollywood, swapping a hair-dress for a "wind-swept" white shirt and a blonde wig because she felt the night needed more "theater."
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The Vanity Fair Lie Detector Test: Setting the Record Straight
Beyond the parties, Fox sat down for Vanity Fair's infamous lie detector test. This is where we got to see the "real" Julia—or at least the version she allows us to see.
She addressed the "muse" comments. She talked about her memoir, Down the Drain. She even touched on her thoughts regarding Kim Kardashian.
Watching her under the pressure of a polygraph is fascinating because she doesn’t seem to have the typical "celebrity filter." She’s blunt. She’s funny. She’s slightly bored by the questions. It reinforced this idea that she isn't playing a character; she just is this person who lives for the bit.
What Most People Get Wrong About Julia Fox
There’s this common misconception that she’s just "famous for being famous" or a "clout chaser."
Actually, if you look at her history, she’s been a staple in the NYC art scene for over a decade. She self-published photography books years before Uncut Gems happened. She’s a "hustler" in the truest sense of the word.
When she shows up to a Vanity Fair event, she isn't just there to be seen. She’s there to work. Every outfit is a brand collaboration. Every viral interview is a calculated move to keep her name in the headlines so she can fund her next project, whether it’s a movie like Him or her fashion show OMG Fashun.
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She once said, "What's the point of being a celebrity if you can't speak up?" For her, "speaking up" happens through clothes, TikToks, and being brutally honest about how much she actually hates the "glam" part of the job.
How to Channel the "So Julia" Energy
If you're looking at Julia Fox's trajectory and wondering how she does it, it's basically down to radical authenticity. Or radical trolling. Maybe both?
- Stop playing it safe. If you’re going to an event, don't just wear what’s "in style." Wear what tells a story. Even if that story involves a skeletal hand.
- Do it yourself. She famously does her own makeup and cuts her own hair (like her Ace Ventura-inspired pixie cut). It shows you don't need a million dollars to have a "look."
- Own the narrative. When people made fun of her "Uncut Jams" pronunciation, she didn't hide. She leaned into it. She became the joke so the joke couldn't hurt her.
- Prioritize the "Real." Despite the couture, she lives in a modest East Village apartment and stays vocal about her past struggles with addiction and homelessness. It makes the high-fashion moments feel like a costume, which is much more relatable.
Julia Fox and Vanity Fair are a match made in PR heaven because both understand that the Oscars are no longer just about the movies. They’re about the fashion, the memes, and the people who aren't afraid to get naked on the side of the road for the sake of a "masterpiece."
If you want to keep up with her latest moves, the best place is her TikTok or the frequent deep-dive profiles in magazines that value her particular brand of chaos. Stay curious, stay weird, and maybe don't use real human hair for your next DIY project—synthetic is much easier to clean.
Actionable Insight: To track Julia Fox's impact on fashion, follow the "upcycling" and "DIY" hashtags on social media. Her influence has sparked a massive trend in young designers using unconventional materials like latex, condoms, and household items to create "wearable art."