The Costume Institute Gala, or Met Gala, is known as fashion's biggest night. It is held to raise funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City. The event, organised by the fashion magazine Vogue, is held on the first Monday in May, and tickets are highly sought, the occasion being invitation only for that year's perceived most influential people in the fashion, film, television, music and other creative industries. Each year has a theme that dictates the formal attire's tone. This year the theme was "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty", intended to honour the deceased German designer's contributions to fashion. The choice, when announced, was heavily questioned due to Lagerfeld's controversial public comments on weight, race, sex, and the Holocaust. Nevertheless, the celebrities appeared on the red carpet in their droves to show off their interpretations of the theme. Let's take a look at some of the outfits that caught our attention.
Lagerfeld was known for transforming the fashion house Chanel into one of the most valuable brands and popularising the iconic double-C logo. He was also one of the most recognisable men in fashion, always wearing black and white, dark glasses, a ponytail, and fingerless gloves. Even his cat, Choupette, was famous. Black, white, and some (sometimes outrageous!) nods to Choupette were the most popular choices on the red carpet.
Anne Hathaway
Actress Anne encapsulated the theme perfectly in a figure-hugging Versace white tweed gown. Tweed was a fabric that Lagerfeld was fond of using. The strapless floor-length dress featured multiple cutouts held together with Versace's signature gold safety pins and strings of pearls (an ode to Chanel), an updated version of Liz Hurley's shocking (at the time) Versace pin dress of the 1990s. Hathaway accessorised the look with matching tweed detached sleeves, white satin platform heels, and a choker by Bulgari.
Billie Eilish
Singing sensation Billie Eilish paid tribute to Lagerfeld with a braided ponytail wrapped with onyx ribbons and stacked black beaded barrettes that perfectly matched her black sheer corseted Simone Rocha dress and sheer beaded opera-length gloves. Billie finished the outfit with sheer black stockings and black platform stilettos.
Lily Collins
Emily in Paris star Lily Collins chose a custom Vera Wang dress that took the theme literally. The ball gown featured an ivory corset bodice with separate draped sleeves and a voluminous centre-slit black skirt with a long train with "KARL" embroidered in silver sequins at the hem. She added a pop of colour with a bold red lip and donned a diamond Cartier necklace, earrings, and two rings.
Rihanna
Superstar Rihanna arrived at the event in a white spaghetti-strap dress with a box-pleated capacious skirt featuring a long train reminiscent of a wedding dress. Lagerfeld was famous for designing bridal looks for Chanel. Her matching cape featured structured white flowers. She also added a touch of colour with a bright red lip and, for another nod to Lagerfeld, chose fingerless white satin gloves and white cat-eye sunglasses.
Kim Kardashian
Social media star and Businesswoman Kim strutted the red carpet in a Chanel staple, pearls. The Schiaparelli creation had hundreds of strands of pearls draped over the chest and legs to act as the top and skirt of the dress. The pearls were layered over a pale pink corset. Kim wore an ivory floor-length flowing shawl and an enormous choker of diamonds and pearls to finish the look.
Which Celebrities' Outfit Was Your Favourite?
Did you enjoy any of the women's looks that caught our attention? Or did you see another celebrity wearing a particularly eye-catching ensemble? Were they successful with this year's theme?
If you have a wedding to attend, a big birthday bash, or even for the office, we can create a custom masterpiece just for you – from overcoats to suits to custom shirts and more. Get in touch with our talented tailoring team today.