2023 Met Gala Fashion Review
I've Never Been More Bored In My Entire Life
Well, the Met Gala happened again. I know I always talk about how underwhelmed and disappointed I am by the looks each year, but this year… oof.
If you don’t know, the theme was Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty— I wrote a newsletter breaking down the theme and taking your through Karl’s career, earlier this week, if you want a bit of background.
I expected a lot of celebrities to default to Chanel as their source of inspiration, but the lack of Chloé references or actual archive pulls/recreations made me feel like I’d been betrayed. Instead we got a sea of black and white, enough camellias to last you a lifetime, and varying levels of success in cosplay.
Generally speaking, the references were on more of a diet than Karl ever was and I wanted the full meal. While I love an archival pull, having one recreated for modern times would have felt more genuine to Karl’s consistent push for modernity and never staying in the past.
Regardless of your feelings on Karl, I can’t think of another designer with such a large body of work that is deserving of a retrospective on their career. Whether it was the good or the bad, Karl touched every single part of the fashion industry and that is just an objective fact.
I hate to admit it, but A$ap’s look is better than Rihanna’s— I don’t feel good about it either, it’s ok. He’s wearing Gucci and is actually recreating a look worn by Karl. It’s a sweet tribute and is more of a niche reference which I’m always here for. He’s also been wearing a lot of skirts recently and adding the jeans makes it feel like a great modern take on Karl’s look, while still staying true to his own style. I will also be recreating this. As for Rihanna, she’s wearing Valentino and she mentioned how she wanted to feel like a Chanel bride, since that’s one of the main things you think of when you think Chanel. Listen, the floral hooded jacket is lovely and Valentino did a great job of blending house codes by using a flower that is central to Chanel, the camellia. Fun fact, Coco Chanel starting incorporating camellia’s into the brand, because they became her favorite flower after her Nazi boyfriend gave her a bouquet of them. Anyway, the dropwaist dress underneath just does not fit well and it’s extremely underwhelming. LITERALLY THE DAY BEFORE she wore a look from Chanel FW1994, and I don’t understand why she didn’t just wear that to the gala? It was so good?
This dress was a really wonderful use of two house codes, flowers and pearls, that are both central to each brand. The pearl bodice is really beautifully crafted and fitted, and it doesn’t feel too disconnected from the bottom to me, because there’s pops of pearls between the tulle. I like the alternating black and white, and how the white tulle is made to look like camellias.
This is very strange to me, because it reads Simone Rocha so heavily, and Alexa is definitely a Simone girl, so I don’t understand why this was the choice instead. The outfit itself also just feels very childish, and I’m disappointed.
Why do I feel like she’s literally worn this before? I mean, there was clearly no effort put into following the theme, so what is there really to talk about? Met Gala aside, I hate that I can see the briefs underneath, and the bust area is strange. I don’t understand why each layer has an uneven scallop hem, but where the mesh connects on top, it’s straight.
The craftsmanship that went into this dress is insane. Those pearls on the bodice are gorgeous, and the way they cascade down the skirt is beautifully proportioned. I think this dress is supposed to be a take on this looks from Chanel FW1992 Haute Couture, aka the dress Dua Lipa wore. The one single, fingerless glove is also a nice little nod to Karl. I’m really happy this dress has been getting some attention, because my god, it’s stunning. my one complaint is the lack of accessories.
I believe this was the only Patou look of the night. The dress is referencing a design of Karl’s for the brand from 1959. The color is sweet, but I fucking hate the addition of the belt, and it could have been hemmed a touch shorter. Duchess satin is already bound to crinkle and wrinkle, so I don’t think you want to give it any more reason to do so. The original felt like one seamless dress, but the addition of the belt breaks it up into two parts and makes the bow look less apart of the whole dress.
Alton Mason talked about how this was a special Met for him, because when Karl hired him, he was the first Black man to walk for a Chanel show. With his look, he is embodying the Chanel bride, and this has to be one of my favorite looks of the night. The lace is beautiful, the boots are fun, the corset fits perfectly, and he looks great. I love the larger shoulder of the bolero and the little sliver of silver crystals coming down the center of his chest, almost looking like a shirt peaking out from a nonexistent suit jacket. Well done.
This looks like something someone would have worn to Heavenly Bodies, and it still wouldn’t have been good. Well, okay, the dress itself is fine, and Oscar has been exploring different styles of the naked dress successfully, but it feels like a stretch to say that this is, perhaps, referencing the draped gold costume jewelry of Chanel. If this had truly looked like she was naked underneath and had used pearls or costume jewelry or gold chains, then we’d be having a different conversation.
Angèle’s look is based on a mini dress from SS1995. It’s nice, but like with most of the looks, I’m bored, and that’s not really something I want to keep repeating so I’ll try to refrain. The draping on the torso is done very well and extending the hemline to make it a gown works, but at the same time it makes the chain feel a little more out of place.
This is a gorgeous look, and the draping of the satin is done beautifully. I like how it gathers at the hip to create a flower, reminiscent of a camellia I’m sure. The draping and structure also makes me think of Karl’s time at Patou. I will say, Marc’s looks felt a bit safe, and the references could have been stronger. His Fall 2023 show was in honor of Vivienne Westwood and it blended the two house’s codes so well. I know Marc has it in him, so although I think this is gorgeous, I’m a little underwhelmed; at any other event, I would have been thrilled to see this.
Anna wears Chanel to the Met Gala every single year, so this year, in honor of Karl, I would have expected her to wear one of his designs. Instead, she opted for a coat from Chanel Spring 2023 Haute Couture by Virginie Viard (also was Virginie even here???). While I can see the 1920s references from Karl’s work, it’s just ugly, isn’t it?
Stunning. Hats off to Versace for combing their house codes with Chanel’s so beautifully. You can see that the dress has slits throughout and is being held together by safety pins, which is a style first seen from Versace in the 90s. Then come all the Chanel-isms— tweed, pearls, and camellias. It’s nice to see, especially since Gianni and Karl were friends. Also, please watch this video of Anne talking about her look.
Anok is one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen in my god damn life, and this dress is just as stunning. Although it might be a loose interpretation, I can see early Chanel origins here and the dress almost looks like a mini robe de style— a style of dress that was popular in the 1920s.
Although I loved this Altuzarra collection and the idea of winter coats turned into evening wear, I don’t understand why this was the event chosen for this look. If I was being delusional, I’d say the hood has fur and Fendi is a fur house and Karl was the creative director of Fendi, but I’m not delusional, so let’s move on.
One of the best dressed of the night, hands down. Ashley’s dress takes inspiration from a dress from Chanel FW1987, and it’s been given the Harris Reed touch with an exaggerated mermaid silhouette and a structural off-the-shoulder moment. It’s so stunning, I’m choosing to be blind to the slight puckering.
With all the Michael Kors looks this year, I felt like the references got a little bit muddled in the blending of house codes. This one, however, had to be one of my favorites by him this year. The dress fits beautifully and Michael knows how to do a sequin. The pearls on the waist and fingerless leather gloves reference both Karl and the costume jewelry of Chanel.
Allegedly, for all her looks this year, Stella was focusing on Karl’s use of metallics and embellishments, but that feels like a stretch. While the braided cutout is kind of intriguing, the dress fit poorly and I hate how obvious the zipper is on the side. Stella took over from Karl at Chloé so I don’t understand why we couldn’t have done some kind of intriguing Chloé reference. I wouldn’t even be mad if she’d referenced her own designs as the brand, because I feel like she worked off of a lot of the house codes that Karl put into place anyway.
Bode really hit it out of the park. All the jackets they recreated directly referenced Karl, or the early days of Chanel in the 1920s, while still feeling very Bode. Here, Aurora is wearing a jacket that is based off of Karl’s 1958 International Wool Secretariat coat design submission, that won him the prize. This was essentially the start of Karl’s career, as he was hired by Balmain shortly after. The two piece is made of a French silk brocade and nods to Karl’s love for interiors and time in France. This design is obviously very different, but the sentiment is there, and it’s stunning.
I hate the waist seam and the attached tulle train feels like an afterthought, but the top of this is really beautiful— that off-the-shoulder is signature Karl. I believe Christian took inspiration from a Chanel FW2003 Haute Couture dress, and I think he should have brought the pearls at the top of that tulle around to the front to make it feel more like the dress— it also would have resembled the belt of the original.
This is Jacquemus’ first time coming to the Met Gala and it’s a fantastic menswear look. The white tweed suit and camellia train are obvious nods to Chanel, but a not so obvious reference might be the open back with ‘J’ chain coming down the center— it reminds me of a Chanel No. 5 campaign. Adding that open back also feels true to the styles we see from Jacquemus on the runway. My two notes would be to hem the pants shorter, and work on the fit of the back of the jacket.
Like Marc Jacobs, Thom Browne also kept it kind of light with the references, but as a collective, the Thom Browne attendees were the best dressed. This suited moment fits beautifully, to no one’s surprise, and I love how the degradé pearls create a pinstripe.
The way the girls at Wiederhoeft cut a corset makes my head spin. Ben’s waist is gone, I don’t know where it went. I love how the corset, that is usually thought to be feminine, has been made more masculine by looking like a men’s dress shirt. The tweed suit is also tailored beautifully, and that gold chain is also another Chanel touch. Wiederhoeft does a lot of wedding wear, and since the Chanel bride is so central to the brand, this pairing feels right.
I’ve seen mixed opinions on this, and while it’s not my favorite Simone Rocha look, I do think it’s lovely. Not only has Karl done a lot of halter styles influenced by the 1930s at Chanel, but he’s also no stranger to a black lace— I actually believe there’s a whole section in the exhibit dedicated to this. Some of the elements get lost here with the way the pieces are layered, but I do like this, and I love that Billie has been exploring her style more and more.
Okay, work. While I love to see the cape and think the texture on the tiered ruffles is nice, I’d love to get a better view of those sleeves because they looks scrumptious. This feels a little bit rococo, which Karl loved to reference in his work, and while I don’t so much mind the pearl necklace, I don’t actually think this look needed it.
Here’s Brooklyn and Nicola, continuing to be the easiest people to not care about. Is it just me or does Nicola’s dress feel like the chiffon version of Florence Pugh’s dress?
Daniel Lee said fuck the theme, I have my first collection for Burberry to promote. I will not let that one floral detail and this man’s beauty distract me from this not being good. I like the train, though. And fine, I’ll say the Scotland plaid plays on the Scotland tweed and the little embellishments are a little bit of a reference, but.
Oh, that COAT! The embroidery and the matching tie and the perfectly fitted pants and the boot and the white trim at the top of lapels— scrumptious. Does it feel like doing the bare minimum to be in theme, sure, but hey, at least it’s stunning and uses house codes that are prominent in both houses.
This is tailored so well, that skirt is FLOATING. I’m into this very high waisted skirt looking like an empire waist dress and those godets are scrumptious. The lace doily top is very Rodarte and just sits atop the skirt so nicely. Look, look how easy it is to be in theme without doing anything crazy. Meanwhile, ya’ll are doing the most without doing anything at all.
Cara was one of Karl’s favorites, so I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t get something better from her. An archival moment or something she wore in a show would have been sweet to see. This cotton poplin mini with long sleeve isn’t bad, and I will say that little overflow of fabric at the waist, is a fantastic 1920s and 30s reference that Karl incorporated at Chanel, in regards to fit of clothing. The pant leg warmers are strange, and I’m still not super into this, but I do live for a niche reference.
I swear to god, every time I opened Instagram Cardi B was wearing something new. Her first look was by Miss Sohee, and while it’s stunning, it was probably my least favorite in terms of theme— they were referencing a look from Chanel FW2008 Haute Couture. Miss Sohee does make stunning pearlized pieces, which is kind of seen here in the bodice, so I understand that connection, but generally, this show girl take is nice, but not exactly it.
She won me back with this second look. I was worried at first, but I should have known that Cardi would pull through. The skirt is beautiful and the quilting and camellias obviously reference Chanel. Then the shirt, tie, and gray hair are referencing Karl. It’s cute and she looks like a Barbie cake topper.
Finally, Cardi wore this houndstooth dress, made to look like a tweed jacket (I’m not sure that it’s actually tweed). I love the floral, crystal trim on the dress and it fits her perfectly. This feels like a seamless blend of the two houses, and the pearls and cross necklaces were a nice final touch.
Please, the Choupette bag. Again, look at that waist, Wiederhoeft is SICK for that. I like this, I think it’s sweet, and while I can’t make the grandest of connections, I could see Karl making this floral off-the-shoulder moment.
This is one of my favorite Karl cosplay’s of the night. It’s not too on the nose, but you still see the vision. We have the white shirt and skinny black tie, as well as the beautifully embroidered trompe l’oeil suit jacket, but that’s not all!!! Karl lived for Hedi Slimane’s Dior Homme, and he wore it almost exclusively at one point, so those leather skinny pants and heeled boots feel very much of his ideal wardrobe. The broach on the tie and the fan are perfect finishing touches. I believe I saw Conan in a different look later on that looked more bridal, and it was just as stunning.
I love this. I bet you didn’t expect that one, huh? Listen, Daisy’s looks are usually rough for me, as they’re usually wearing her, but this is sweet. It’s simple, but it’s fitted beautifully and I love the way the shoulder has a bit more structure and is embroidered on the side. The camellia on top is the obvious reference here, but the trompe l’oeil bows serve as another reference that not many people took advantage of. Karl loved a bit of trompe l’oeil, especially when he was at Chloé, and it’s a shame that we didn’t see more of it.
Not me just saying there was barely any trompe l’oeil and then we get two in a row. No, but really, it was only Devon, Daisy, and the Chloé team. Anyway, stunning! The way that silk drapes around the bodice and off-the-shoulder is gorgeous and the little trompe l’oeil wings are a fun feathery take. Devon was a Chanel girly, and was once even the Chanel bride, where she wore a feathery number, so this might be touching on that. It’s also very Jeremy Scott, and is already making me miss him at Moschino.
Doja was the only person that did Choupette justice. First of all, her name is Doja Cat, so if anyone was going to do it, it should have been her. Doja also just always goes for it— she understands that her look doesn’t just end at her outfit and makes sure her glam goes along with it as well. While I’m not obsessed with the bodice of this, I do love the hood with the little ears, because they don’t feel too costumey. The feathery train is also really gorgeous, and overall a fun moment.
Dula Peep almost got a gold star, but she managed to fumble this gorgeous dress. Yes, it’s stunning, it’s archive Chanel FW1992 Haute Couture, it fits beautifully. However, if you take a look at the original, you’ll see that it came with a jacket and hat. I am SICK of these celebrities never wearing a head piece, especially because you can always tell by looking at something if it’s missing a head piece. Her hair choice for this was also very casual, which doesn’t help the situation. Finally, that necklace makes no sense— I feel like stylists have just been slapping on the largest diamonds they can find recently.
I’ve really enjoyed Eddie Redmayne’s menswear choices recently, and although generally simple, this suit is really lovely. All those broaches are a nice little reference, and a great way at being in theme while still choosing to be on the simpler side.
While this was one of my favorite looks from Robert Wun’s Spring 2023 Haute Couture collection, I don’t understand why we wore it to the gala? It’s also missing the hat it originally came down the runway with, like, at least give me something.
With her look, Elle wanted to pay homage to a personal memory she had with Karl, when he photographed her for his ‘Little Black Jacket’ book. So here she is wearing a little black jacket with a flower crown, like she did in the photo. The flower crown also makes me think of 70’s Chloé, while the lovely lace dress and bouquet channel the Chanel bride. It’s a wonderful look that meshes together multiple houses and personal moments.
Again, the Michael Kors look were just not my fave this year. I can see the references trying to be incorporated, but they either fall flat or get lost in the MK house codes. It’s just a bit uninspired.
Okay, I can get with this. Here’s the thing, Tory lowkey slayed with all her looks, and you know how I love more of a niche reference. I would say that I might be biased, since I’ve been loving Tory’s collections lately, but honestly, I think these looks are just objectively good. Well, good in terms of refrence— this dress is kind of objectively not cute. There is the obvious 1920s art deco reference, there’s the pearl embroidery. But what I really love is the matelassé, which is a weaving technique used to create a quilted effect, and like, quilting, Chanel. I also hate the way the ribbons disperse from the dropwaist, that is a mess.
You’ve probably heard people saying that this looked better in motion, and those people would be right. Regardless, I don’t think that’s enough defense for this look. Sure, the two pice set, Karl reference for Chanel, whatever. It could be a lot better as a look of its own, but also as a look for Emma— she deserves something more interesting for once.
This is most pleasing to me. Someone said that she was supposed to be Karl Lagerfeld’s ponytail. While I don’t know if that was the true reference, I do know that Karl loved a good fringe, and since Marni is a bit of a kookier brand, this take makes sense to me. There’s also that layered jewelry that feels like it’s a nod to costume jewelry, but in a way that still makes sense for this specific look. I love Erykah, and she always hits.
Eva is wearing a custom dress based on a dress from Fall 2022, based on a dress by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi. While Kim Jones’ Fendi gives me heartburn, I did enjoy seeing these dresses, and that mint green is stunning against the silver. Making the gloves fingerless, while still going along with the look, is a nice nod to Karl as well.
Okay!
Ooh, I do love this. A very subtle blending of house codes, but effective. There’s the gray tweed, the spurts of feathers, a single camellia at the hip, and a quilted texture added to the chiffon at the bottom of the skirt— all this wrapped in a deconstructed Margiela package.
This one is rough and I hate to say it. I love Florence and I love her for Valentino, but the looks they give her never fit well— they always feel like a mistake, and this dress is no different. While I do love a headpiece, this one is quite severe and not what I want from a Valentino headpiece. It’s a shame, because Karl did freelance work with the brand back in the day, and him and Monsoir were friends.
I’d love Gabrielle’s look anywhere else but here. There is that Karl Lagerfeld quote about red being the quickest cure for sadness or something, but like, come on. Dwayne ate her right up, I fear. That leather vest with matching gloves, and that crisp jacket!!! Everything fits really well and I love the boot. If Karl was a Prada boy, this is what he’d be wearing.
Matthew Williams said something about how the way the tulle is draped is supposed to depict a fan. Lmao, sure. This is a dumb look. The “boning” in the corset is pointless and that necklace makes no sense. This is what I get for actually saying something nice about the Givenchy Fall 2023 collection. You truly can’t have nice things.
Gisele is wearing a look from Chanel SS2007 Haute Couture, which she wore in a campaign that was shot by Karl. However, here I feel like the fringe at the bottom has been connected, and the dress has been made sleeveless. I like seeing some people wear looks that they’ve actually worn in the past, but this dress just isn’t great. I also wish she’d worn the hood up, because drama!!!
Wait, because I love this and the Erdem fan girl in me is letting my bias show. The starched cotton collar is very Karl and I think the embroidery (referencing Chanel SS1983 Haute Couture) and sequin gown are done in a way that blends Erdem and Chanel. Also, I’m sure someone said some bullshit about the train being like a fan, but it’s actually a reference to Chanel FW1999 Haute Couture— still a stretch.
Grace is wearing a look that was featured in the May 2023 Issue of Vogue, in which 10 designers were asked to interpret Karl’s work. CJR focused on his work at Fendi to create the most beautiful pink fantasy I’ve ever seen. Karl was also very interested in Russian Constructivism which I feel like is seen in the pattern of the dress. The halter is another Karl touch, and overall, just a fantastic look. CJR will always be famous.
Jesus, the Fendi team was incredibly disappointing. This draping, while very central to Fendi, is so uninspired and that color is doing nobody any favors, especially when the carpet is so light as well.
This is so gorgeous, that even though I can see the connection to Karl, with the halter and the lace, I don’t think I’d care if I couldn’t. Halle said that this was kind of the first press look for The Little Mermaid, and this is what I want to see! This kind of energy, always! I’m SICK of Halle not getting fantastic looks. Anyway, this sequined lace halter dress is stunning and fits her beautifully. Then we have this insane ruffled cape, with a shimmery trim that looks like some kinds of coral that’s going to start glowing at any moment. A star!
Balmain did her so dirty with this. She said something about how this came together last minute… girl, we can tell. Balmain had some strong looks this year and this was far from being one of them. The fit is horrendous and this mesh paneled cutout is uninspired. I can’t focus on anything except for that seam at the armpit. Karl’s first job was at Balmain, surely we could have come up with some kind of stunning 1950s reference?
Imaan tends to lightly follow the theme each year, and she always looks beautiful, but it’s always a little disappointing. This year, it’s not her best. The jersey style dress is very Standing Ground, as is this draping around the hips, but these pearls look like bubbly intestines. The pearls are obviously referencing Chanel, but whether Standing Ground knows it or not, they also kind of feel very Chloé
I’m a simple girl, I see Yohji Yamamoto, I feel joy. No, but actually, I don’t understand why so many people hated this look. Not only do the floral details make sense for the theme, but the white silk also feels very Karl. The one thing burning an unpleasant image into my brain are the flats— who decided on that being a good idea? Also, here we have another random necklace that feels like it’s been placed on just for the sake of wearing some kind of diamonds.
While it might not be impressive, I’m just happy Jack is finally wearing something that fits. Tommy and Karl were friends, so that’s cute. It’s tweed, I like the broach, and at least it’s not a boring men’s suit.
It’s really difficult to say something bad about a Thom Browne look, although I do wish he’d given us a little more of the theme with each look. However, the skirt feels like it’s referencing the 18th century, which is something Karl often did, and I love that the icon Hector bag has instead been made into a Choupette bag. We also have that sweet floral detail throughout. Janelle took this all off later to essentially reveal just a pair of undies. Naturally this makes me think of Lady Gaga’s Met Gala look from ‘Notes on Camp’ and just felt a little pointless here.
Our next Choupette was none other than Jared Leto. If you’re a furry just say that. All jokes aside, although this cat suit is crafted quite incredibly, it’s so stupid. The outfit underneath also isn’t that great, and that’s disappointing, because if anyone’s going to dress like Karl, it should have been Jared. Karl said if anyone was going to play him in a movie, it would be Jared, and he will be doing so. I will say, Jared has worn Alessandro’s Gucci to every Met he’s attended, and although Alessandro is no longer creative director at Gucci, he still wore a design by him, which is sweet.
This had to have been one of my favorite Thom Browne looks. Not only is it stunning, but we have the tweed, the gold and pearl chains, the white shirt, the Rococo inspo, the camellia on the ribbon. A beautiful blend of the two houses.
This is Jennie’s first Met Gala, and as a Chanel ambassador, surely they could have pulled a more interesting look out of the archives for her. This is a recreation of a dress from Chanel FW1990 Haute Couture. The scalloping is sweet and I like the pleated bottom, but, come on, for the Met Gala?
Jennifer said this was a mix of her, a mix of Ralph, and a mix of Karl… sure! I’m just not understanding what’s happening here and the tiny little reference of a halter and flower is not enough to take away from how ugly this is.
You can hate this if you want, but objectively, it makes sense and it’s beautifully made. Karl was no stranger to putting his face on a bag or pair of jeans or what have you— he would have been here for this. That high-low caplet also falls over Jeremy’s shoulder’s really beautifully. Maybe this is why they didn’t have time for Ice Spice’s look.
Y’all already know baby girl was going to wear a shade of brown— I love the commitment. Anyway, why is this making me think of Shrek? Fits great!
Not the most amazing Jessica Chastain in Gucci moment we’ve ever gotten in our lives. It’s not ugly, it’s actually quite nice, but I’ll probably forget about it. I enjoy how it loosely seems to be tapping into the 1930s, but it also makes me think of Karl because of the white hair and the sunglasses she had on at some points.
Oh, I live for a Jordan Roth Met Gala moment!!! I mean it’s stunning, what more do you need to hear? Not only do we have a beautifully fitted corset and bugle beaded skirt, but then there’s this stunning fan up top depicting one of Karl’s go-to accessories. If you look closely at the fan, it has images of things that relate to Karl, like Choupette or a pair of sunglasses. Some people were saying that attendees wore Schiaparelli to the Met in protest of the theme, since Coco and Elsa were enemies. While Coco did light Elsa’s hair on fire once, I can assure you that everyone who wore Schiaparelli only had good things to say about honoring Karl.
I love everything about this, except for the fact that I can see those large arm cutouts in the cape. Regardless, there is a Chanel gown that is made of white silk with a black tie, and I am blanking on the collection it’s from, but it exists! I’m not sure if that’s what this is referencing, but I’m going to let myself believe it is. Once could also say that this stiff color is referencing Karl himself. I also love that the lining of the cape has been done in pink sequins, it adds a fun touch, although it should have included those god damn arm cutouts.
I will never forgive Karlie for looking camp in the eye, but she did gain some points from me with this look. Jonathan Anderson was inspired by a Chanel dress from 1983, but added a Loewe spin. In the most recent Loewe Fall 2023 collection, Jonathan explored the idea of what’s real and what’s fake, which led to the creation of these blurry, trompe l’oeil printed dresses. The idea of the design was to question if the dress actually looks like that, or if perhaps the photo you are looking at has glitched. As we’ve discussed, Karl also loved a bit of trompe l’oeil. It’s simple, but it’s effective, and done so well, especially with the actual strands of pearls layered on top.
Kim Jones makes it really hard for me to be a fan of his Fendi. Kate is apparently wearing a custom look, however it’s obviously based on Spring 2023 Haute Couture. Slip dresses aren’t new for Kate, but they’re definitely more of a Kim Jones for Fendi reference instead of a Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi reference, at least as far as I know. Also, it’s just not the best slip I’ve ever seen. Lila, on the other hand, is actually wearing one of Karl’s designs, and I think it’s sweet. What’s really brilliant about it is the use of marabou feathers to look like fur. Karl’s main job at Fendi was to make furs exciting again, and also make options for those who wanted the fur look but didn’t want to wear actual fur. I like this caged bodice and the dress fits her beautifully.
This was the best Karl cosplay, argue amongst yourselves. The sunglasses, the tie, the broach, the slicked back hair, the gloves, the BOOT. I also love the the suit has a bit of pinstripe, and the look doesn’t feel too on the nose, but is still very clear in direction.
Making simple, snatched clothing is Sergio Hudson’s bread and butter. Although simple, I appreciated the craft that went into Sergio and his team creating their own tweed for this look in order to reference a Chanel staple. This fits her perfectly and the colors are sweet. I’m not sure if this is true, but I feel like the cape might be a reference to André Leon Talley, which would make sense since him and Karl were friends.
This was Marc’s best look of the night, which is kind of disappointing. There’s something about this very surface level approach at the theme that makes it feel a little cheap to me. Or perhaps not cheap, but costume-y. I will say, I do enjoy the quilted lining underneath the sleeves, and I’m never going to be mad at a Kiki boot.
I suppose the black lace and the suit jacket are supposed to be the reference here, but it falls flat for me. I also hate that thick seam at the top of the skirt. Other than that, it fits her really beautifully, but I so what?
How very boring. The only good Met Gala look Kim’s ever had was her ‘Notes On Camp’ moment, so it’s not like my expectations were high, but I’m still disappointed. Kim said that she wanted to be draped in pearls, because when she thinks of Chanel, that’s what she thinks of. I don’t give a fuck. Listen, I love a fresh water pearl as much as the next person, but the creativity is lacking here and it looks kind of cheap— that is not something I want to be saying about Schiaparelli. Honestly, this makes me think of her Playboy cover more than it makes me think of Chanel, except the Playboy cover was better. The corset, while fitted nicely, just looks like shapewear. I guess that’s Kim’s thing, but it’s just bizarre. Also, how on earth does that choker make sense here? Kim was photographed by Karl once, and I think it would have been really cool of her to reference these photos, especially because they’re not really styles we see her in anymore.
Finding a reference here is like pulling teeth. The one thing that I just noticed after looking at this photo for the millionth time, is that I think the Kiki boots are meant to be embroidered in a way to resemble the classic Chanel flat with black toe. Other than that, sure there’s a the strips of black leather, but come on!! The draping is there, but it’s not enough. The least that could have been done, is have that voluminous draping brought to the front to create some kind of floral imagery.
I’m prepared to take an L for this opinion, but, I love this. Kristen Stewart is going on 10 years of this Chanel contract and they always dress her as if they’ve never hated anyone more. Kristen is wearing a look from Chanel Resort 2017, which was inspired by Havana, Cuba and the time before Castro, where American’s vacationed in Cuba in the most colonizer of ways. Anyway, it’s a fun look, and I think they should continue letting her be gay. The little baby tie to match the crop of the shirt is great and I enjoy the fit of the pants in relation to the sock and loafer. I do wish she’d also worn the hat, because you know I’m pro headpiece, but still, I’m here for this.
Kylie Jenner wore JPG by Haider Ackermann, which confirms that her and Timotheé Chalamet are in fact kissing. Kidding, but I’d say Kylie did best out of all the KarJenner’s in attendance. Red and blue as a color combination have been seen in Chanel collections, so perhaps that’s a loose reference, but what this really made me think of was André Leon Talley because of the cape. However, what you might not have noticed, because Kylie does not know how to sell a look, is that the cape is actually the train of the dress— it’s all once piece. Someone on Twitter (forgot the username srry) pointed out that that Haider seams to be referencing JPG FW2001 Haute Couture with said cape train. Overall, while not entirely the most in theme, it fits beautifully and is a fun pop of color.
With this look, Lea said she was referencing the Ziegfeld Follies, and while I’m not mad at that, or her Fanny Brice cosplay, I wish it was more. We could have made the fringe more intense or added a dropwaist to tap into the 1930s.
This is a Choupette cosplay, allegedly. It’s like Choupette is she was a club kid. Anyway, it’s just ridiculous and the relationship between the top of his boot and his leg is sending me into orbit. I love that Lil Nas X has fun with his fashion, but I’m not seeing the vision here. I am, however, seeing my new sleep paralysis demon.
This woman has been playing Emily far too long, because it’s seeping into her real life. I miss the days when I loved Lily Collins’ style. It’s a shame, because the fit of the bodice is quite lovely, but we had to write ‘KARL’ on the train of this dress, because god forbid everyone forgot what the theme was.
The dress itself isn’t great, but the smocking of the skirt that happens right under the waist is a nice, niche Karl reference, and I appreciate it. Other than that, no thank you.
This dress draws inspiration from 1950s silhouettes, and Karl Lagerfeld’s time at Patou. The Patou references were few and far between, so I really love this. It’s a gorgeous dress and is beautifully fitted. If you look closely, you can see that the bodice is made of individual grosgrain ribbons. Then we have this tulle pouring out of the bottom covered in organza camellias, adding a touch of Chanel.
There was so much talk of people “protesting” the Met Gala theme by wearing Schiaparelli or the color pink, because allegedly Karl didn’t like the color pink, which is just not true. The only look that I’d call a fuck you to the theme, would be Lizzo’s. You’re probably like, “But Caroline… she’s wearing Chanel, and Karl Lagerfeld was the creative director of Chanel!!!” Yes, well, Karl Lagerfeld also hated fat people and would have never allowed for this to happen. ALSO, this dress is based on a look from Chanel FW1991 Haute Couture, which was heavily inspired by hip-hop culture. The Black community makes up a large part of the hip-hop community, and countless fashion trends have been created by the Black community, only to be adapted by white designers. So Lizzo wearing a Chanel inspired dress that is actually made by Chanel is something. Now, the dress itself is quite lovely, but I’d do without the little pearls on the train. I also like that we spiced up the fingerless leather glove with some embroidery.
Why do I feel like this is very loosely trying to reference the shower head dress from Chloé 1983? Karl also loved a fringe, but other than that, I’m failing to see the connection.
I don’t care how hot he is, this is dumb and boring.
I do care how hot he is, and I kind of love this. Listen, it’s simple, but the skinny pant and boot almost make me think of Karl’s Dior Homme by Hedi Slimane era, and how that was what he always wanted to look like. Although the collar isn’t necessarily starched, it is a bit higher, which also feels like an interpretation of Karl’s signature shirt style. Would I appreciate something more interesting? Sure, but I’ll take it.
Chanel continues to hate Margot Robbie. So, Margot’s dress is a recreation of a dress from Chanel SS1993 Haute Couture, and I would actually say that Margot’s corset fits better, but surely we could have thought of something more innovative than plastic in 2023. Also, what a missed opportunity to give us a Chanel Barbie moment, or at least fucking put her in the color pink. It’s just not a great dress and it’s disappointing.
Marion is wearing a dress from Chanel FW2007 Couture, so at least it’s designed by Karl, because it’s ugly as fuck! There is a fun story about it though. Marion wore this dress years ago to some event, and originally the hem was longer and stopped at the knee, but Marion took a pair of scissors and chopped it to make it shorter. For the Met this year, they gave her the same dress, hemmed as intended, and she chopped it again. I admire the commitment to cutting couture with scissors. While the dress is awful, I do love the pink hair, it’s very Chanel circa 2010.
I can’t believe they did Mary like this. At least Burna Boy’s Burberry look was a little bit smart and intriguing. This is just not great, and that mesh in the deep v is so awful. I also hate the belt and the boots. There’s also no good reference to salvage this.
Gabriela Hearst and the team at Chloé really did what had to be done. I would say this was my least favorite of the teams looks, but is still quite wonderful and references a look from FW1983. The way it’s been done for Maude with the crystals lining the hip cutouts is a great take at modernizing the original! The skirt is a bit strange in terms of fit.
Absolutely! Prada really captured the Chanel bride, while still incorporating their own house codes. Underneath, Maya is wearing a mini with the same embroidery that has a bow with long ribbons tied on each side. It’s sweet, but it also makes you feel a little uneasy, as Prada is wont to do. Also, those heels are so gross they’re hot, you know? Anyway, I love it, and I love how Maya really plays into her looks.
Now this is a great Schiaparelli look. It plays on the idea of costume jewelry in a more intriguing way than Kim’s look did. Here, Michaela is wearing this naked style dress and is adorned in different bits and bobbles that nod to Chanel, but also Daniel Roseberry’s love of jewelry and creating pieces that resemble body parts. A great blend of house codes, although I don’t understand that one piece under the vag.
While I love Michelle, I don’t love this look. The reference really isn’t there and wearing something that’s black and white just isn’t enough. These large puffed sleeves are intriguing, but I want more.
Naomi gets it, she does. She’s wearing a look from Chanel SS2010 Haute Couture, and she looks beautiful. It’s a dress Karl designed, and you can see his love of draping making an appearance. The swirled silver embroidery is also a really nice touch— I like that it’s brought down the rest of the dress instead of just being left to the top.
Nicole is rewearing the dress she wore in her 2004 Chanel No. 5 campaign, shot by Baz Luhrman. I like that we saw a few attendees rewear things they’ve worn in the past, but this dress just doesn’t really do much for me. I think we sometimes allow nostalgia to be enough of a reason to like a look, and I’m working on not letting that cloud my judgement. Also, i’ve been loving her disheveled hair recently.
I think this is the most interesting I’ve ever seen Olivia Rodrigo look. This is a really wonderful dress. I’m assuming this isn’t actually a yarn, but is instead made to look as such. Regardless, I think it kind of taps into Karl’s love of fringe, and I like that some of the strands are braided throughout. The camellia bust is lovely, and overall, well done Olivia, I’m sure you’ll go back to disappointing me after this.
Olivia is wearing a dress that is referencing Chloé FW1983, and it’s gorg! The original was a black mini, but still depicted this violin in the center. It’s such a fun design and I love the little caplet. Making it in white and gold also feels very Gabriela Hearst, so this interpretation makes sense, and I love it.
I believe Demna invited some young designers to the Met to sit at his table, and I love that Raul was one of them, because Luar is IT!!! There might not be a huge reference here, but it’s just really exciting to see the brand at the Met, and I love their matching shoulder embroidery. Also, the feather headpiece is very Chanel circa 1992.
If you’ve never seen Marc Jacobs’ work before, I swear to god it usually isn’t this bad and disappointing. This had to be the worst of them all.
Pedro Pascal for Valentino, when? Anyway, is this in theme? No. Does he look great and am I giggling? Yes.
A dream! This is a look from Chanel SS1988 Haute Couture, and I do believe it is the actual archival piece. Penélope is a Chanel girly, and you know how Chanel usually dresses their brand ambassadors, so I am overjoyed to see this stunning look. It fits her beautifully and the way the hood drapes gives the dress a little off-the-shoulder feel as well. She looks like a fairy godmother just floating along the carpet.
Now, Silvia… Listen, I don’t necessarily hate this, but it’s giving Tommy Lee a lot more than it’s giving Karl Lagerfeld. Also, since we went with a glove, why couldn’t we have at least made it fingerless? If Pete wore this to the VMAs or something I would have been like, sure, ok. But the Met??? Honoring Karl???
This is a really lovely dress. You can’t see it here, but the back is completely open and cut dangerously low, which you know I love. Not only are the draped pearls meant to honor a Karl signature, but the way they line the body is also supposed to reference Phoebe’s famous skeleton suit. When I look at this I also think of a dress from Chanel SS1992 Haute Couture.
I really can’t believe Fendi fumbled so hard this year. Imagine if they’d put Precious in the most lux fur coat you’ve ever seen? I would have gagged. Instead we got a poorly draped black slip dress with a ribbon of pink tulle and a strange feathery head piece.
I’ve loved watching Quinta find her style and the looks have been getting better and better, but this is not great. I’m happy that it fits her nicely and is tailored well, but that black tulle layered over the pink sating is an eyesore, and just plopping a camellia on the center and adding a halter isn’t enough to save it.
The fit is great, the look is scary. The sharp shoulder of that suit jacket style cape is wonderful and I think making the sleeve of the tip a fingerless glove is clever. I love a tits out moment, but this is not an intriguing or inspired way to cover the nips, and I just hate this.
What do you even want me to say about this?
Listen, I don’t hate this, and Salma’s usually a simple girl so this is quite fun for her, but the reference is a little weak. Sure there’s the off-the-shoulder pearl, but that’s about it. I also hate how the bow ties at the waist, because it’s not precise enough to hide where the corset and skirt meet. We could have at least made this a dropwaist or something.
Well, Gucci clearly had favorites this year, and Serena Williams was not one of them. There is that bit of 1920s art deco element about the silver embroidery embroidery and sure she’s wearing pearl’s, but this looks like Christian Siriano doing Gucci, I fear.
You might be thinking that this is an ugly suit, and with that, I would agree. I also don’t understand why we didn’t make the glove fingerless. However, it does have a niche little Chanel reference that makes me applaud the Versace team. Now, I can’t be sure that this was their intention, but the look seems to reference a jacket from Chanel SS1991 Haute Couture, in the way that the strips of satin fold over on the jacket.
Sora is wearing the look that Thom designed for the May 2023 issue of Vogue, and it was one of my favorites featured in that piece. I mean, it’s obviously stunning, but I love the camellias and gold chains sprinkled throughout the tweed suit dress and cape.
While I do think Suki’s dress is quite ugly, it is from 2019, so it’s from one of Karl’s last collections. At least she wore something designed by him, I guess. As for Rob, I love the pleated skirt over the pants, the suit fits well, and the shoes are fun, but he’s just abiding to his Dior contract without caring about the event or theme at all, so.
While I’m not blown away, I do think this is a very sweet look, and I’m thanking the gods for finally putting Sydney in something that fits her well. I do see that element of Karl’s work, and embroidery is a house code, not only for Chanel, but Miu Miu as well. Having the ribbon tie around the mermaid tail of the dress is fun, and kind makes me think of a dropwaist.
This is really gorgeous and a wonderful way to keep things simple while adhering to the theme and blending house codes. Robert Wun worked with @TheKimbino to put this look together and they did a great job. For the feathers, inspiration was taken from Chanel SS1992 Haute Couture, which is evident in the headpiece, but the way the feathers continue down to the bust and gloves is so well done. While the flipped over waist is a very Robert Wun thing, it also kind of looks like the collar of a white shirt.
Teyana Taylor just continues to be the coolest bitch to live. Like I’ve said of all the Thom Browne looks, I do wish more inspiration was drawn from Karl’s work instead of just focusing on Chanel, because the looks are great, but Thom is so talented, I know he could have done something fantastic with more. Regardless, this tweed dress fits incredibly, and I love that Teyana not only included a startched collar and glasses, but also tied her hair in a little ponytail like Karl.
Trevor always wears a simple, boring suit, so I’m not shocked that this is what he wore to the Met, but hey, at least it’s giving us something. It’s Thom Browne, so naturally it fits great, but if you look closely, you can also see beaded camellias embroidered into the jacket.
Vanessa is wearing one of my favorite dresses of all time, and for that, I thank her. I love the way the straps come around the back and lead to the shower head embroidery. All of the Chloé looks were inspired by the SS1993 collection, but this dress is not a recreation, but the actual thing. It’s great.
While the color is gorgeous on her and it fits great, I don’t love this and it doesn’t have anything to do with the theme. I know there’s feathers, but these aren’t really the type of feathers that would make you think Chanel, you know? I also wish the spot where the plumes of feathers and the ones on the bodice meet was smoother.
That corset is from SS2008 Haute Couture, and while it’s stunning, I don’t see the connection to the theme, and I don’t know why that was the skirt chosen for this. Creating something out of gold draped chains or giving it a rococo feel would have made more sense and probably would have looked better.
I think Act N°1’s tulle structures are really fun and interesting, and I don’t think this is a terrible look, but something about the center portion just feels underdone. I think have the pearls come straight down the length of the dress would have worked better.
So that was the Met Gala! What did we think? Where you as bored as I was? Anyway, my best dressed have to be Maya Hawke, Lizzo, Jordan Roth, Ashley Graham, Anne Hathaway, A$ap Rocky, Alton Mason, and the entire Chloé team. As for worst? Well, we’d be here all day.
TTYL!!!
xx