The Met Gala is surely a prestigious and glamorous event in the industry of fashion and luxury. Every year, celebrities, designers, and artists gather at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to celebrate the opening of a new exhibition that showcases the history and culture of fashion. The Met Gala is also a fundraiser for the museum’s Costume Institute that has a collection of around 35,000 costumes and accessories.
This year, the Met Gala honored the late Karl Lagerfeld, one of the most influential and prolific fashion designers of all time. Lagerfeld, who died in 2019 at the age of 85, was the creative director of Chanel, Fendi, and his own eponymous label for decades. He was known for his impeccable craftsmanship, his innovative use of materials and technology, and his ability to reinvent himself and his brands with each season.
But beyond the red carpet and the headlines, there were some lesser highlighted but still relevant aspects of the Met Gala that deserve our attention. One of them was the role of the luxury industry in supporting the arts and culture. The luxury industry has been a longtime partner of the Met Gala, sponsoring the event and donating to the museum. Beyond the dazzling dresses and suits that graced the red carpet, there were some lesser highlighted but still relevant aspects that reflected the theme and the spirit of the event. Here are some of them:
The jewelry
Rihanna wore Bulgari’s High Jewelry necklace in platinum. Dua Lipa was embellished with the new Legendary Diamond necklace by Tiffany & Co. set on platinum. Priyanka Chopra also wore Bulgari, featuring the label’s Laguna Blu Diamond. Usher wore an 8-carat white diamond brooch by Lorraine Schwartz and Rami Malek wore Cartier’s Tradition Jabot pin from 1927. Lil Nas X took jewelry to the extreme when he bejeweled himself in 218,784 round flatback Swarovski crystals, layered over silver body paint applied by the legendary Pat McGrath.
The bags
At the 2023 Met Gala, Fine Collins carried a Thom Browne dog-shaped bag that had a gold dog’s bone charm on it. Olivier Rousteing, Creative Director of Balmain, carried the black vertical tote bag that had the words “Karl Who?” in white and was a reference to Naco Paris canvas tote that Lagerfeld loved to carry around. Isha Ambani attended the Met with a Chanel doll bag that was designed by Karl Lagerfeld himself.
The details
Chloe Fineman wore a Wiederhoeft gown with Roger Vivier flower strass buckle pumps and a Judith Leiber crystal bag. Kendall Jenner sported a pair of black platform boots by Marc Jacobs, covered in crystals. The set was finished with towering sturdy and walkable block heels of 8.5 inches.
The Met Gala 2023 was not only a showcase of luxury fashion but also a homage to one of its greatest masters. By wearing outfits that were more than just dresses or suits, the guests demonstrated their respect and admiration for Lagerfeld’s legacy and influence in the fashion world.
Written by Spriha Shekhar Images by Wikimedia Creative Commons
