Rihanna is the unofficial queen of the Met Gala.
It is officially May — and that means only one thing. It’s time for the Met Gala: the Olympics of fashion, at its finest. Tonight, May 6th, marks “fashion’s biggest night out.”
And now, a metaphor: the Met Gala is my Avengers. Attending this soiree is literally the only item on my bucket list, besides singing a duet of Islands in the Stream with Dolly Parton.
The Big Kahuna of couture, the Met Gala has become a place for outrageous creations and magical star-making moments.
But above all else, the Met Gala, formally called the Costume Institute Gala and also known as the Met Ball, is an annual fundraising gala to benefit The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. It marks the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit.
Each year’s event celebrates the theme of that year’s Costume Institute exhibition, and the exhibition sets the overall tone for the formal dress of the night, as guests are ‘encouraged’ to choose their fashion to match the theme of the exhibit.
It is also one of the most exclusive tickets in town — and, well, the world.
Elizabeth Anthony
As a side note, if you have not watched the documentary The First Monday in May (the date on which the Met Gala falls), obviously finish reading my splendid musings, but then go directly to Netflix. I watch it every year, on the day of the gala, just to get my head in the right sartorial space.
This year, the Met Gala theme is a veritable playground of possibility, entitled “CAMP: Notes on Fashion,” and is being chaired by Gucci’s creative genius Alessandro Michele, along with Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Serena Williams and, as always, our Princess Leia of fashion herself, editor-in-chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour.
Here’s a brief down-low on what exactly that means, from Vogue.com:
“[Camp] is the love of the exaggerated, the ‘off,’ of things-being-what-they-are-not,” Susan Sontag offers. “Camp is a woman walking around in a dress made of three million feathers” … “[t]he whole point of Camp is to dethrone the serious. Camp is playful, anti-serious.”
So as we anticipate the campy couture confections to come, let’s stroll down memory lane with my favorite lewks of Met Galas past.
Who: Solange Knowles
What: Iris van Herpen
When: 2018
Why: Ever a risk-taker when it comes to the red carpet, Solange wore one of the most creative designers of our time — and gave a new and interesting layer to the idea of religious dressing.
Who: Karolina Kurkova
What: Viktor & Rolf
When: 2005
Why: I want to take a nap in this so bad, it’s ridiculous. There are certain pieces that are only eligible to be worn on the Met Gala carpet, and this literal plush fantasy from the label’s 2005 ready-to-wear collection is definitely one of those pieces.
Who: Sarah Jessica Parker
What: Alexander McQueen
When: 2006
Why: Although SJP has had many a fantastic Met Gala moment — the Monse is still a personal favorite — this is quintessential Met Gala. Dressed to match McQueen himself — her date for the night — it was the perfect convergence of fashion and film.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BTk4fi8F4Lb/
Who: Mandy Moore
What: Custom Michael Kors
When: 2017
Why: First things first, it’s all knit cashmere. Hellur, you could literally wear this while you binge watch The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. What’s not to love? But the intricacies of how this was made mimic those of the 2017 honoree, Commes des Garçons’ Rei Kawakubo.
Who: Zendaya
What: Custom Atelier Versace
When: 2018
Why: If you know me at all, you know I hold a burning flame — no pun intended — for our dear Zendaya. And for last year’s Ball, decked out as a literal Glamazon Joan of Arc, she was not only on fire — sorry — but she burned the whole damn house down. Okay, I’m done.
Who: Kate Moss
What: Custom Marc Jacobs
When: 2009
Why: The Disco Chanteuse in me Rejoyceth! It’s Kate Moss, you need no other reason, but because I’m feeling friendly, allow me break this down for you. Metallic = swoons. Legs for days = begins to sweat. The TURBAN = prints obituary.
Who: Beyoncé
What: Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci
When: 2015
Why: Picture it: New York City, 2015. The height of the naked-dress craze. Sure, everyone’s looks have been gorgeous thus far, but in walks Beyoncé — wearing the naked-dress trend. And she then proceeds to out-naked-dress every other naked dress in existence. It’s peak illusion moment people. And once again … Pony-tail werk!
Who: Linda Evangelista
What: Jean Paul Gaultier
When: 2004
Why: Linda is and always will be the Beyoncé of the ’90s Supers, and I don’t care what you have to say in rebuttal to this. Don’t @ me. This is timeless couture, and perfectly whimsical in every way.
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Who: Rihanna
What: Guo Pei
When: 2015
Why: Sorry, I’m no longer friendly. If you don’t get why this belongs on this list, I literally cannot help you. Also, the memes that gay twitter gifted us with after this moment, priceless.
Who: Blake Lively
What: Marchesa
When: 2010
Why: This is such a moment for me, fashion-wise. It was during the height of Gossip Girl mania, and she pulled off one of the biggest jaw-droppers of the year, wearing an embellished and disassembled micro-mini. She also rocked a ponytail that I dreamt about for weeks to follow.
