One week after the Met Gala. I’m sure all your feeds are filled with the beautiful black and white outfits. From ahhh-ing at Alia Bhatt’s beautiful debut in the pearl-dripped custom Prabal Gurung dress to sobbing at the beautiful moment between Eddie Redmayne and Hannah Bagshawe, this year’s Costume Institute Gala surely dazzled! Dubbed ‘The Super Bowl of Fashion’, this year’s dress code was “in honour of Karl”, celebrating the exhibition “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.” The exhibition honoured the legacy of Lagerfeld- the late designer who headed multiple fashion houses like Fendi, Chanel and his own eponymous brand- and raised funds for the Met’s Costume Institute.
This year’s official Met Gala co-hosts were Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel, Roger Federer, Dua Lipa, and Vogue’s Anna Wintour. The rest of the guest list was equally star-studded, comprising a mix of top actors, singers, artists, models and athletes.
Join me below, as I attempt to analyse fashion’s best and worst.
Top 5 Best Looks of the Night:
1. Jenna Ortega (dressed in custom Thom Browne)
Dressed in a vision of black and white, Ortega perfectly honoured Lagerfeld, be it with the take on the white collared shirt and tie, the crop jacket (as introduced by Lagerfeld to Chanel), the vintage-inspired corset, hip padding or long train (all staples of Lagerfeld’s designs)- all in Karl’s signature colours. I was really looking forward to designers interpreting the essence of Karl in their own ways, and Thom Browne did not disappoint with this fit. Definitely my favourite look of this evening!
2. Lil Nas X (as done by Pat McGrath)
Dubbed a “high fashion tin man” by the Times, the musician dazzled in silver body paint, rhinestones and little else. A fitting tribute to Lagerfeld’s beloved cat Choupette, Lil Nas X embraced his feline side with a beautiful silver masquerade-style mask, embellished with pearls and cat's whiskers. Make-up artist Pat McGrath aimed at touching on a personal aspect of Lagerfeld’s life, and this look definitely hit the mark.
3. Dua Lipa (Dressed in Archival Chanel designed by Karl Lagerfeld)
What more is a fitting tribute to Karl Lagerfeld than a dress of his own design? Co-Host Dua Lipa stunned in an archival 1992 bridal tweed Chanel gown (originally walked the runway by Claudia Schiffer, 1992). You could say the dress, being one of Lagerfeld’s most popular designs, really spoke for itself, with its minimal styling to highlight the garment itself to the only accessory being a 100-carat diamond necklace from Tiffany and Co. My favourite part of the dress is its pockets for sure, though!
4. Ben Platt (Dressed in Chanel)
Karl Lagerfeld was a controversial man, some of his infamous statements include saying “The greatest thing Germany invented was the Holocaust.” Ben Platt, a Jewish actor, singer and songwriter, made a statement accessorising his white tweed Chanel outfit with a Star of David pendant. From the white crop jacket (a Chanel staple introduced by Lagerfeld) to the white collared shirt, Platt paid a fitting tribute to Lagerfeld, while also subtly calling out his problematic ways. Can I just say, iconic?
5. Cara Delevingne (Dressed in Chanel)
Who better to honour Lagerfeld’s legacy than one of his favourite models? Cara Delevingne, the closer to many of Lagerfeld’s shows, arrived at the Met in a look inspired by the days she served as the designer's muse. The outfit, a white minidress that featured a plunging V-neckline, mid-thigh hem, and floor-sweeping cape, was a take on the designer’s iconic white shirt. This was accessorised with the silvery blue bob wig, an ode to a Chanel Cruise 2013 shoot featuring Delevingne in different pastel pixie hairpieces. The outfit was personal, and it was a beautiful way to encapsulate a legacy.
While these were my favourite looks of the night, there definitely are some I wish just stayed as sketches.
Kylie Jenner’s red dress is at the top of that list. Going the other end of the spectrum for the dress code might make headlines, but the colours, silhouette and cut seemed either like a poor attempt at a joke or a blatant disregard for the dress code and theme of the event. Another outfit that made me feel the same was the one worn by Belgian designer Diane Von Furstenberg. There was just so much going on with the design, what with the shapeless flow to the large crossword all over to the random pop of green.
Sometimes, a bold political statement isn’t the best approach to take either, as we can clearly see in Quannah Chasinghorse’s outfit. The indigenous model stepped on the red carpet in a dress whose cut and silhouette Lagerfeld absolutely detested, a move against the racist comments made by the designer. While the dress would have dazzled at any other event, to me it felt like blatant disrespect to the costume institute itself.
On the absolute other extreme is Sienna Miller’s look in fur. The material being a favourite of Lagerfeld’s, it was sure to make an appearance on the Red Carpet. But too much of it, as with Miller’s flapper-style outfit, can render the outfit unintentionally shapeless and disproportionate. I was really looking forward to a beautiful dazzler in fur, and I am utterly disappointed with this look.
Who was the best (or worst) dressed according to you? Let me know in the comments below:)