What’s a Met Gala in honor of Karl Lagerfeld without a touch of irony, surprise, and tribute for the late designer?
This year’s Met Gala celebrated Karl Lagerfeld for raising the caliber of art and self-empowerment through fashion. In his time with Fendi, Chloé, and Chanel, the world witnessed how he juxtaposed ideas and married them into what is now the Lagerfeld DNA. Blurring the lines of masculinity and femininity, as well as the old and the new, made him one of the most renowned designers of all time.
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Honoring Lagerfeld gave the creatives and guests of the Met Gala an array of ideas to interpret him and his legacy in more ways than one. With a touch of irony, surprise, and tribute for the late creative, here are the highlights of this year’s biggest fashion event:
Karl’s DNA lives on
Taking notes from the designer’s personal style seems to be the biggest trend of the evening. While A$AP Rocky offered a more contemporary feel to Lagerfeld’s skirt situation, Cara Delevigne embodied her dear friend with a chic minimalist look.
Photos: GUCCI and CARA DELEVINGNE (via Instagram)
Going outrageous and out of this world
Celebrities also reimagined both Lagerfeld’s identity and contribution to fashion in their creative means. Keeping up with his second head agenda, Jared went as Karl’s beloved cat, Choupette, but in human form. Meanwhile, Janelle Monáe went for a campy iteration of the trademark tweed structure. Lastly, Alton Mason gave his take on the famous Chanel bridal look with his ensemble.
Photos: MTV, JANELLE MONÁE, and KARL LAGERFELD (via Instagram)
Seeing double at the Met
It turns out that it is not the only C’s of Chanel that mirror each other. Actress-filmmaker Olivia Wilde and Vogue China’s Editor-in-Chief both took inspiration from Lagerfeld’s Chloé violin dress and arrived wearing the same iteration. Whereas Zhang stuck with the original black, Olivia had hers in white—talk about comparing and contrasting!
Olivia Wilde and Margaret Zhang wear the same dress to the 2023 Met Gala. https://t.co/bhXfhtgyg0
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 2, 2023
Muses of the Mister
No tribute to Karl Lagerfeld will be complete without the apples of his eyes (or is it his sunglasses?) in attendance. Among those who he shared fond memories with on and off the runways were Naomi Campbell, Devon Aoki, Kate Moss, Gigi Hadid, Rihanna, and Alton Mason.
Photos: HUNG VANNGO and GIVENCHY (via Instagram)
Trailblazing at the steps
Both Lily Collins and Jeremy Pope paid tribute to Karl Lagerfeld in true train fashion. Mixing classic and contemporary, Lily went for business at the front and party at the back with her off-shouldered Vera Wang frock wherein the black tulle train had a “KARL” embellishment by its edge. Meanwhile, Emmy-nominated actor-singer Jeremy Pope donned a floral train with an illustrated profile of the late designer.
Photos: MTV and VERA WANG GANG (via Instagram)
Bumping fashion’s latest accessory
Rihanna, Karlie Kloss, and Serena Williams did not just bring their respective plus ones at the Met Gala. Instead, they brought two! The Met mothers were all seen carrying their second children bumps at the event, beating all other fashion accessories and outfits that they were donning that night.
