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The Met Gala. To paraphrase Cady Heron: in Fashion World, the Met Gala is the one day a year when a celebrity can dress up like a total freak and no other celebrities can say anything about it. Outrageous, out-there outfits are not simply permitted, they are encouraged: more than just a fashion event, this is an evening designed to celebrate costume (it’s a benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute). The Oscars red carpet it is not.
Of course, that doesn’t stop the celebs from dressing in utterly tedious, pretty clothes year after year.
This particular Met Gala was in celebration of Japanese fashion designer Rei Kawakubo, the founder of revolutionary fashion house Comme des Garçons, to coincide with the opening of the Met’s new exhibition showcasing her work over the course of her career. As the New York Times review of the show concludes, “what Ms. Kawakubo creates is not all even recognizably clothing. The pieces may be elaborately bulbous or bulging; tatty or fraying; they may or may not make allowances for their wearer’s arms, or faces, or vanity. Many designers work with the goal of making women look good. Ms. Kawakubo seems to work with the goal of making women look again.”
Garmets from the 2017 exhibition Rei Kawakubo / Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between
Of course, that didn’t stop the celebs from dressing in utterly tedious, pretty clothes. Take a look.
Then there were those who made a weak nod to Rei by dressing in her signature shade of red, but otherwise remained traditional.
There were a few valiant exceptions. Here are the guests who got the memo and dressed to theme.
1. Tracee Ellis Ross
You can’t go wrong wearing coture Comme des Garçons to a Comme des Garçons-themed event. Amazing structure and colour.
2. Anna Cleveland
Also in Comme des Garçons.
3. Ruth Negga
It’s Valentino, but the structure of this dress pays homage in just the right way.
4. Helen Lasichanh
She presumably needed spoon-feeding (if there is, indeed any food at a Met Gala), but Lasichanh committed 100 per cent to this vintage Comme des Garçons piece. Respect.
5. Michele Lamy
On theme and amazing. This is another Comme des Garçons piece.
6. Solange
A puffer jacket with a train! It’s perfect. All of this look is by Thom Browne, which Solange said on Instagram is a nod to Kawakubo and Missy Elliot in equal measure.
7. Rihanna
Vogue describes this Comme des Garçons garment as “a wildly sculptural bonded laser-cut satin jacquard piece from the autumn/winter 2016 collection originally inspired by 18th Century punks.” Phew. Of course, Rihanna is the queen of the Met 2017.
All pictures via Getty.
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