Lisa was definitely one of the standout stars on the aqua-colored carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards 2026, and we can’t stop thinking about her nails. The musician and BLACKPINK band member, who was nominated for four awards at the show—including Best Pop, Best K-Pop, and Best Cinematography—looked like an absolute dream in an all-red ensemble paired with piecey bangs, a high ponytail, and long, swoopy nails that made the entire Allure team do a double take.
Lisa’s nails were the work of her longtime nail artist, Juan Alvear. At first, they look like your classic long, pointy milky nude nails, a red carpet mani standby if there ever was one. But upon closer examination, they’ve got a unique curved shape that flips ever so slightly upward at the tips, reminiscent of the long nail extensions worn in Thai folk dance, or fon lep/fon leb. Alvear confirmed this, telling Allure, “The nails were a nod to Lisa’s Thai heritage and the elongated nails worn in traditional Thai dance, which accentuate the dancers’ hand and finger movements. [We] felt it was the perfect occasion with her performing ‘SAWADIKA’ this evening.”
Each nail was painted with a creamy, satiny nude hue from base to tip, but her ring fingers got a little extra glam, with three rhinestones placed right at the base—a red jewel framed by a diamond to match her ruby-hued outfit, of course.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 27: LISA, nail and jewelry detail, attends the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) at Peacock Theater on September 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Monica Schipper/WireImage)Monica Schipper
It was a big night for Lisa, who performed and took home the moonperson trophy for Best Pop for her song “Dream,” and the musician shouted out her big dreams during her speech. “All those late-night dreams brought me here today, so thank you for the inspiration, especially to my Lilies [her fans]—I wouldn’t be here without you guys.” Congratulations, Lisa!
