Dressing for the Met Gala, once called the Costume Institute Benefit, which is an annual fundraising for the Metropolitan Museum of Art‘s Institute in Manhattan, must be a fashion nightmare. To look lovely, feel lovely and withstand the slow promenade across the space and up those endless stairs, plus the heat from all those light.
Each year the theme of the exhibition is clearly only one element, the choice of designer, the wearers figure, the idea of glamour or gimmick, the choice of companion, what shoes to wear for several hours, and the list goes on and on.
All this was exacerbated this year by the theme being separate to the exhibition title. So, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” is the official exhibition name, but the Met Gala theme and dress code is the “Garden of Time.”
My job is to look at the hundreds of images coming through, over two hundred on Vogue alone, and see what fashion stories, or thematic groups might appear in responding to the title. Obviously, who wore what, plus how designers given the opportunity to go mad, since the look is only worn the once and for a few hours and never has to sell, and they can truly let their creativity loose.
This time I found the floral theme, although “florals for spring – groundbreaking” from the Devil Wears Prada does unfortunately immediately come into one’s mind, relatively clear. Petals, flowers, leaves, bud to bloom, plus the element of time as the life cycle of a flower or plant all had their moment as did, the sands of time, butterflies, water, sky, and nature in general.
Nostalgia, and the emotion of the past, as well as looking back in fashion terms was clearly underpinning many looks, and since the key to the pieces in the exhibition is the opportunity to show fragile, special, extraordinary, and rare items, this made sense.
Alexander McQueen and John Galliano homages to past looks were popular with the fashion observers, especially since the “story” is that Galliano was to be the subject of this exhibition but for various reasons this was not to be. Instagram, and social media pundits voiced many opinions and everyone had their favourites. Zendaya wore a look supposedly from Maison Margiela but in reality, a recreation of a Galliano design for Christian Dior from 1996. There were other reinterpretations, revivals, and stylists had clearly been rummaging in archives.
In the end there were several stories and below I list those ten or so stories I found, although I’m sure everyone has their own list. It’s all an extraordinary moment in fashion each year and even non fashion people are fascinated, appalled, or enchanted by what they see, for those of us in the fashion business, whatever our role, it prompts countless conversations that lasts for several days.
I guess this season it’s all down to either weed killer or a bouquet for these looks?
Three dimensional flowers.
The interpretations varied from scattered petals and blossoms to huge flowers strategically placed, from a few to a huge cascade, from lightweight and fragile to huge and monumental.
Gigi Hadid in Thom Browne
Nelly Korda in Oscar de la Renta
Amanda Seyfried in Prada
Cynthia Erivo in Thom Browne
Kerry Washington in Oscar de la Renta
Nicki Minaj in Marni
Kelsea Ballerini in Michael Kors
Jessica Serfaty Michel in Dolce e Gabanna
Tyler Mitchell in Prada
Morgan Spector in Willy Chavarria
Flowers in a shaded degrade style
Ayo Edebiri in Thom Browne
Jordan Roth in Pier Paolo Piccioli for Valentino
Sydney Sweeney in Miu Miu
Dan Levy in Loewe
Rebecca Hall in Danielle Frankel
Taffeta Rose inspirations
Maria Sharapova in Atelier Prabal Gurung
Aisha McShaw in Marchesa
Crystal Waters
The second big story was watery, crystalline, shimmery and silvery. From softly fluid to densely crafted many people went for the column silhouette or the curves and the idea of sparkling under the lights was clearly the impetus for the selected look. It sometimes had a touch of floral, petal or leaf, but generally it was the silvery that ruled.
Elle Fanning in Balmain
Michelle Yeoh in Balenciaga
Ariane Grande in Loewe
Kasia Gerber in Prada
Hard Nef in H & M
Janelle Monae in Vera Wang
Kim Kardashian in Maison Margiela
Rate in Fendi
Cailee Spaeny in Miu Miu
Radhika Jones in Atelier Prabal Gurung
Venus Williams in Marc Jacobs
Demi Lovato In Atelier Prabal Gurung
The sands of time
Time running out, many designers embraced sands and a certain almost dusty quality, pale natural, a soft faded quality and a nostalgic air of beauty lost. It wasn’t actually melancholy but rather beautiful in its variations from plain and pure to some looks in silks and satins. A hint even of boudoir and cosmetic face powdery shades and surfaces.
Pamela Anderson in Oscar de la Renta
Kyle Jenner in Oscar de la Renta
Mindy Kalinin in Gaurav Gupta
Tyla in Balmain
Madlyn Cline in Tommy Hilfiger
Bruna Marquezine in Tory Burch
Amy Griffin in Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry
Also, part of this story was a kind of couture classicism from
Isabelle Huppert in Balenciaga,
Luciana Damon in Christian Dior
Fabiola Beracasa Beckman in Christian Dior.
Statement Colour.
In contrast to water, sand or silvery shimmer were some standout looks in top to toe solid colour. Bold and simple, leaf green, or deep rose red, or indeed any brilliant foliage or flower shade.
Elizabeth Debicki in Christian Dior
Huma Adebin in Erdem
Mira Murati in Christian Dior
Nell Diamond in Hill House
The sky and clouds.
These three looks were truly beautiful in their volume and control of silhouette and fabric from three very confident designers.
Sabrina Carpenter in Oscar de la Renta
Rachel Zegler in Michael Kors
Lea Michelle in Rodarte
Water
All florals need water, and two looks captured the watery blue green story in top to toe gradations of blues and greens.
Anok Yai in Swarovski
Gabriella Union in Michael Kors
Butterflies
Not floral but so closely associated with nature, and flowers two looks again took this inspiration, but in very different ways.
Iris Law in Versace
Mona Patel in Iris van Herpen
Black Glamour
The choice for many people is still based around classic glamour and the idea of a gala requiring not a theme, but a dress up, look fabulous aesthetic. Who can deny that the people who opted for either no floral element at all, or only a tiny gesture towards the theme, looked marvellous? Chic and elegance will always rule regardless of any other considerations, and each of those listed below exuded confidence.
Meg Ryan in Michale Kors
Naomi Watts in Balenciaga
Lisa Love in Azzedine Alaia
Greta Gerwig in Chloe
Rosalia in Dior
Juliana Canfield in Vintage Bill Blass
Nicholas Galitzine in Fendi
Jonathan Geoff in Simone Rocha
Alex Edelman in S.S. Daley
Black & White
Another monochrome pair of outstanding floral interpretations.
Allison Williams in Michael Kors
Lauren Sánchez in Oscar de la Renta
I’d like to add three looks which don’t truly fit in anywhere, but that I thought beautiful. Phoebe Dynevor in palest fragile rose pink Victoria Beckham and Alia Bhatt in a divinely romantic look from Sabaysachi with its inspiration from Indian heriatge and again, fragile, romantic and unique, I also thought Rahul Mishra did a beautiful look for Law Roach in white on white on white flowers. We’re all allowed out personal favourites aren’t we?
