At the American Music Awards in Las Vegas, the moment Black Eyed Peas stepped on stage to accept Best Throwback Song could have leaned purely nostalgic. Instead, it came with a sharply modern fashion twist that pulled attention in a very different direction.

Fergie joined Apl.de.ap, Will.i.am, and Taboo at the MGM Grand Garden Arena to receive the award for their 2009 hit “Rock That Body,” but it was her footwear that ended up driving much of the conversation.

The Black Eyed Peas pose with the award for Best Throwback Song at the 52nd American Music Awards. Brian Friedman

Fergie in Rick Owens Spartan Platform Sandals as she holds the award for Best Throwback Song at The 2026 American Music Awards. Brian Friedman
Rick Owens’ “Spartan Kiss” dominates the red carpet narrative

The singer wore a striking pair of sculptural platforms from designer Rick Owens, specifically his Spartan Kiss Gladiator Sandals from the Spring 2022 runway collection.

Built from black full-grain calf leather, the open-toe sandals featured a heavy front platform balanced by a transparent block heel, with an exposed back zip adding an industrial edge. Leather straps crossed and wrapped around the foot and ankle, secured with silver-tone hardware, while a tall shield-like structure extended upward over the foot and shin—turning the shoe into something closer to wearable architecture than conventional footwear.

The design originally appeared in Owens’ “Fogachine” collection, a runway moment marked by theatrical staging and fog-filled spectacle after the designer’s return to Paris Fashion Week following pandemic-era disruptions.

Fashion layered in industrial contrasts

Fergie paired the dramatic footwear with a Hydrosteel silver-black leather minidress that continued the same high-gloss, industrial aesthetic. The fitted high-neck silhouette combined black leather panels with silver mesh-like perforations, while structured shoulders and zipper detailing added a rigid, engineered feel.

The look was completed with oversized black visor sunglasses and stacked silver rings, reinforcing a controlled, almost armored visual language that matched the footwear’s sculptural intensity.

A closer look at Fergie’s clear-heeled Rick Owens Spartan Sandal at the 2026 American Music Awards. Brian Friedman

A look at the platform sandal from Rick Owens spring 2022. Giovanni Giannoni/WWD
A continued obsession with platform silhouettes

The AMAs appearance also fits into Fergie’s ongoing relationship with elevated platform shoes. In recent years, she has repeatedly leaned into exaggerated height and statement soles, including appearances in Valentino rhinestone platforms and other high-fashion designers known for bold silhouettes.

That consistency places her AMAs look less as a one-off experiment and more as part of a continuing style direction built around height, drama, and visual impact.

A night of standout footwear moments

While other celebrities at the AMAs also brought attention-grabbing shoe choices, Fergie’s platform gladiators stood out for pushing beyond nostalgia, even as the award itself celebrated a throwback hit. The result was a red-carpet moment that felt more forward-facing than retrospective—where music history and avant-garde fashion briefly collided on the same stage.