Stars strut their stuff at the Met Gala
The Met Gala is an annual fundraising gala for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s costume institute in New York City. The event is organised by Vogue and was founded by Elanor Lambert in 1973. The Met is an evening when designers, models and Hollywood stars appear in outlandish outfits. The 2021 Met Gala took place on 13 September and was a smaller, more intimate occasion than the previous years. However, the outfits were still as over the top as ever.
Every year the fashion designers of The Met Gala have a theme to abide to. In the past this has included: Camp: Notes on Fashion (2019), Heavenly Bodies: fashion and the Catholic imagination (2018) among many more. The theme for this year's Met Gala was: In America: A lexicon of Fashion. This year's theme focused on celebrating all things American Fashion. Andrew Bolton, the Wendy Yu Curator in charge of The Costume Institute felt that it was important to re-explore American identity and fashion, especially the change it has undertaken over the years due to political and social justice movements. Each individual was given the official dress code of ‘American Independence’; so, how did they do?
Billie Eilish, one of The Met Gala’s co chairs, arrived at the event wearing a peach-coloured ball gown designed by Oscar de la Renta and Cartier jewellery. Alongside bright blonde hair, Billie Eilish channeled the actress, model, singer and American icon Marilyn Monroe. I personally believe that this outfit fitted with the 2021 Met Gala Theme as it highlighted and demonstrated the nostalgia of American Hollywood glamour. This outfit was a big deal for Billie Eilish stating that she was beginning “A new era” and “A greater acceptance” of her body. I also think it's important to state that Eilish refused to work with the brand Oscar de la Renta unless they eradicated fur from their future pieces. This is an important issue raised by Billie Eilish and one that will help to make the world a much better place for both animals and the environment. In an Instagram post she stated that “[she was] honoured to have been a catalyst and to have been heard on [the] matter,” she continues to write that she urges “all designers to do the same.”
Following Billie Eilish, we have the 20 year old Youtube star Emma Chamberlain who went for a far more understated approach. Chamberlain was styled by Jared Ellner and wore a Louis Vuitton dress. The top of her dress was shaped like two diamonds melded together and was attached to a mini skirt featuring a square trim. The dress was styled with gold jewellery, gold heels and a 60s style makeup look.
One of the most unusual and outlandish outfit choices in my opinion came from the American rapper Lil Nas X, who did a three times outfit transformation on the red carpet. His outfits were custom-designed by Donatella Versace. For the first outfit Lil Nas X wore a full length long gold beaded cape which alluded to royalty and status. Lil Nas then proceeded to remove his cape to showcase a shimmering golden ornate suit of armour. After the suit of armour had been showcased, his final outfit was revealed, a skin tight, bodycon bodysuit embellished with crystals and Versace’s signature house print. While I personally didn't like the design of his outfits, I commend Lil Nas X and his designers on having the unusual vision of a three times outfit change.
My least favourite outfit by far came from the German singer and songwriter Kim Petras, who arrived at The Met Gala in a Collina Strada dress showcasing a 3D horse head bustier. This was alongside a dramatic wide hipped skirt featuring a print from the brand's resort 2020 collection. Although the dramatic print of the skirt and the whole outfit made a statement, how did it fit with the 2021 Met Gala theme?
Finally, we have possibly one of the more impactful pieces from the Met Gala, which was modelled by the Australian singer-songwriter, actor and youtuber Troye Sivan. Sivan wore an elegant minimal cut-out bodycon black dress by Altu, Joseph Altuzarra’s new gender fluid collection. This was accessorised with a leather armband on his left arm. On his feet he wore a pair of black platform Rick Owen's boots and a Cartier diamond necklace. Whilst talking to the host of the Gala, Keke Palmer, Sivan stated that when he thinks of America, he thinks of "a minimal and black and white New York City”. I believe that Sivan’s outfit choice was a massive step for gender inclusivity in the fashion world.
Overall, I believe that the 2021 Met Gala’s fashion was incredibly interesting, however, although I believe that many of the outfits were groundbreaking for the progression of the fashion world, I don't believe that many designers clearly met the theme for the evening. What did you think of the outfits for this year's Met Gala? Who was your favourite?
Bethany Hutchison, Year 10
Every year the fashion designers of The Met Gala have a theme to abide to. In the past this has included: Camp: Notes on Fashion (2019), Heavenly Bodies: fashion and the Catholic imagination (2018) among many more. The theme for this year's Met Gala was: In America: A lexicon of Fashion. This year's theme focused on celebrating all things American Fashion. Andrew Bolton, the Wendy Yu Curator in charge of The Costume Institute felt that it was important to re-explore American identity and fashion, especially the change it has undertaken over the years due to political and social justice movements. Each individual was given the official dress code of ‘American Independence’; so, how did they do?
Billie Eilish, one of The Met Gala’s co chairs, arrived at the event wearing a peach-coloured ball gown designed by Oscar de la Renta and Cartier jewellery. Alongside bright blonde hair, Billie Eilish channeled the actress, model, singer and American icon Marilyn Monroe. I personally believe that this outfit fitted with the 2021 Met Gala Theme as it highlighted and demonstrated the nostalgia of American Hollywood glamour. This outfit was a big deal for Billie Eilish stating that she was beginning “A new era” and “A greater acceptance” of her body. I also think it's important to state that Eilish refused to work with the brand Oscar de la Renta unless they eradicated fur from their future pieces. This is an important issue raised by Billie Eilish and one that will help to make the world a much better place for both animals and the environment. In an Instagram post she stated that “[she was] honoured to have been a catalyst and to have been heard on [the] matter,” she continues to write that she urges “all designers to do the same.”
Following Billie Eilish, we have the 20 year old Youtube star Emma Chamberlain who went for a far more understated approach. Chamberlain was styled by Jared Ellner and wore a Louis Vuitton dress. The top of her dress was shaped like two diamonds melded together and was attached to a mini skirt featuring a square trim. The dress was styled with gold jewellery, gold heels and a 60s style makeup look.
One of the most unusual and outlandish outfit choices in my opinion came from the American rapper Lil Nas X, who did a three times outfit transformation on the red carpet. His outfits were custom-designed by Donatella Versace. For the first outfit Lil Nas X wore a full length long gold beaded cape which alluded to royalty and status. Lil Nas then proceeded to remove his cape to showcase a shimmering golden ornate suit of armour. After the suit of armour had been showcased, his final outfit was revealed, a skin tight, bodycon bodysuit embellished with crystals and Versace’s signature house print. While I personally didn't like the design of his outfits, I commend Lil Nas X and his designers on having the unusual vision of a three times outfit change.
My least favourite outfit by far came from the German singer and songwriter Kim Petras, who arrived at The Met Gala in a Collina Strada dress showcasing a 3D horse head bustier. This was alongside a dramatic wide hipped skirt featuring a print from the brand's resort 2020 collection. Although the dramatic print of the skirt and the whole outfit made a statement, how did it fit with the 2021 Met Gala theme?
Finally, we have possibly one of the more impactful pieces from the Met Gala, which was modelled by the Australian singer-songwriter, actor and youtuber Troye Sivan. Sivan wore an elegant minimal cut-out bodycon black dress by Altu, Joseph Altuzarra’s new gender fluid collection. This was accessorised with a leather armband on his left arm. On his feet he wore a pair of black platform Rick Owen's boots and a Cartier diamond necklace. Whilst talking to the host of the Gala, Keke Palmer, Sivan stated that when he thinks of America, he thinks of "a minimal and black and white New York City”. I believe that Sivan’s outfit choice was a massive step for gender inclusivity in the fashion world.
Overall, I believe that the 2021 Met Gala’s fashion was incredibly interesting, however, although I believe that many of the outfits were groundbreaking for the progression of the fashion world, I don't believe that many designers clearly met the theme for the evening. What did you think of the outfits for this year's Met Gala? Who was your favourite?
Bethany Hutchison, Year 10
