Met Gala guests have designs on most bonkers outfits yet
FROM BEYONCÉ’S figure-hugging latex ball gown to Cara Delevingne’s fake tattoos and Madonna’s now infamous buttocks-exposing dress, the Met Gala red carpet is known for its risqué fashion.
But the theme for this year’s event, set to take place at the Metropolitan Museum in New York on Monday, is expected to inspire even more outrageous outfits than previous years.
The ball — organised by US Vogue editor Anna Wintour with the help of musicians Katy Perry and Pharrell Williams, model Gisele Bündchen and her husband, NFL star Tom Brady — is centred around Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo.
It is the first time in almost a quarter of a century that the gala’s theme has been based on a living designer. The first and last time was Yves Saint Laurent in 1983.
Kawakubo’s design back catalogue includes exaggerated collars and shoulders, neon clothing, elliptical shapes, 3D features, jumpers that appear moth-eaten and crowns.
The Japanese designer’s clothes will also be on display as part of the museum’s forthcoming exhibition Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between, which gala guests will be first to see before it opens to the public on Thursday.
Micaela Erlanger, who is styling Osc ar-winning ac tress Lupit a Nyong’o for the event, said she expects it to be a “very innovative red carpet”. The stylist, who works between New York and Los Angeles, told the Standard: “There are going to be those who interpret and draw inspiration directly from the subject historically so I think you will see a lot of avant-garde and more risk-taking with the theme and then you’re going to see people taking inspiration in a completely different way.
“There’s certainly going to be some pretty incredible designs on the red carpet. Every year there are those that are jaw-dropping and over the top, both in costume and couture. I’m really excited.”
She said she was also interested to see how men will interpret the theme. The gala is the culmination of months of preparation by organisers, designers, stylists and guests.
Raul Avila, who has been overseeing the fundraising event’s production for 12 years, said the decoration will take a workforce of around 350 to install.
After the red carpet, for which guests are given individual arrival times, they will walk through the exhibition before moving on to cocktails, dinner and musical performances. Last year’s artists included The Weeknd and Nas.
Wintour introduced a ban on selfies and social media in 2015 but guests quickly flouted the rules when model Behati Prinsloo shared a “bathroom selfie” featuring Delevingne, Jourdan Dunn, Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner.