Source: Newsweek
By Kaleigh Werner, Assistant Editor-in-Chief
For those of you who aren’t aware of the purpose of such a beautiful celebration, the Met Gala serves as not only an ode to classic and extravagant fashion, but also to its designers. The Met Gala is a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and has been held almost every year since 1948. The event includes themes, exhibits, costumes, dinner, celebrity performances and appearances, as well as an after party that serves new looks from our favorite attendees. The guest of honor remains the same each year, as co-chair Anna Wintour, best known for her position as editor in chief of Vogue magazine for 33 years, has the final say on all things Met Gala. However, Wintour only started leading this event in 1995; prominent figures in fashion like Jackie Kennedy and Diana Vreeland (previous editor in chief of Vogue magazine) were co-chairs before. Every “big name” individual from Princess Diana to Hillary Clinton and Lindsay Lohan have attended. Anyone is technically able to go so long as you have Wintour’s approval and a savings account that can withstand a minimum required donation of $35,000 for a seat at a table. Last year the gala was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making last Monday’s event the first Met Gala since 2019.
From plastic green alien babies to horse headdresses and a three-part costume including a golden armor suit, some might say that the 2021 Met Gala could have had Anna Wintour second-guessing her decisions on this year’s attendees. In the months leading up to, as Vogue characterizes it, “fashion’s biggest night out”, people were heated over the release of the guest list. The controversy over Tik Tok influencers reached an all-time high as individuals such as Addison Rae, Emma Chamberlain and Dixie D’Amelio received coveted invites.
Okay, now that you’ve got some background, let’s break down the most notable looks from the 2021 Met Gala, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”.
As the Met Gala is notorious for being “elitist” or “wealthy,” per the price tag to be in attendance, some individuals decided to bring attention to this through the theme. Arguably one of the most controversial looks of the night came from Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, the 14th congressional district representative for New York. Ocasio-Cortez stunned the cameras with a white dress by Brother Vellies, a brand based out of Brooklyn. Written across the back of the slim-fitting off-the-shoulder gown with a mini curtail around the bottom, was “Tax the Rich” in big bold red lettering, as if painted on with blood. While the statement relates to her work in supporting working-class families by “having a fair tax code” that includes the wealthy in the conversation, there were several commentators who spoke out saying this was hypocritical of her. After all, she was at an event that is known to be hosted specifically for the rich. Even still, one could argue that this was her bringing the conversation to the wealthy.
Similarly to Ocasio-Cortez, Cara Delevigne sought to make a political statement by wearing a white bulletproof vest that read “Peg the Patriarchy” in red letters. Delevigne paired the look with matching straight-leg white pants and platform stiletto heels, all designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri from Dior.
Kim Kardashian blocked her face from the cameras as she wore full head-to-toe black bondage exclusively designed by Balenciaga. To say viewers went crazy developing theories to support or criticize her look is an understatement. Many thought the look was in connection to her ex-husband, Kanye West, and his newly released album “Donda,” and thought that it was him accompanying her on the steps of the Met that night. West has been experimenting with similar bondage and face coverings at his listening parties for the album in Chicago. West was not in attendance at this year’s Met Gala, instead, it was Demna Gvasalia, a well-known creative director, who appeared next to Kim. A leading theory is that she wore this unique piece, which hid her face but highlighted her silhouette, to critique society’s hyper-fixation on both her body and the bodies of all women.
As celebrities are generally accustomed to criticism, each guest knew what they were getting themselves into. But, that did not hold anyone back. Some of the weirder looks came from stars like Frank Ocean, matching his green hair to a green robot alien baby and a black jacket designed by Prada. Kim Petras showed up and definitely stood out in a uniquely designed dress by Collina Strada which included a three-dimensional horse head sticking out of her dress. Yes, a horse head.
Dan Levy, star of the TV show Schitt’s Creek, came through wearing an extravagant piece that he and designer Jonathan Anderson came up with to pay tribute to the joy of the LGBTQ+ community and all those a part of it who were in attendance at the Met Gala this year for the first time ever.
Other fan-favorite stars incorporated a floral lining into their gowns such as Lili Reinhart and Irina Shayk, to showcase the flowers for each state. Distinctly American trends of western influences, denim, stars and sparkles, and homages paid to old Hollywood actors were seen in the outfits of stars like Jennifer Lopez, Imaan Hammam, Emily Blunt, Billie Ellish, Madison Beer, and Kendall Jenner, respectively.
My personal favorite moment of the night was the streetwear style done by Stella McCartney. Ella Emhoff stole the red carpet, had Stella McCartney cut it up, and made it into the best (in my opinion) look of the entire night. Emhoff, the step-daughter of Vice President Harris, wore what seemed to be a mesh long sleeve bodysuit that continued all the way down to her sneakers. She paired it with bright, red, shiny low-rise baggy pants to capture current and emerging streetwear styles. The pattern on her bodysuit also mimicked an influx of clothing that had a similar abstract, post-modern print. Co-host Timothee Chalamet and music artist Justin Bieber also showed up in sneakers as well. Hey, it’s all about making a fashion statement, it doesn’t always have to be elegant or fancy.
Obviously, it’s impossible to cover every piece worn for this year’s event and the meaning and connection to the theme behind them. With so many noteworthy looks that sparked all sorts of conversations, it is safe to say that this year’s Met Gala made its mark.
