One of the biggest fashion events of the year in the days leading up to and following the Met Gala you can find an almost exhausting amount of content revolving around the event. Keep scrolling to find all the fashion references and inspirations behind the iconic looks of this year.
Τraditionally held on the first Μonday of Μay, the Μet Gala marks the opening of the costume institute's annual fashion exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. First held in 1948, the event is one of the highlights of the New York City social scene and is commonly referred to as fashion's biggest night. The fundraising event was initially held at different venues around the city, and members of New York high society and the crème de la crème of the fashion world were the only attendees. The 2022 Met Gala dress code was Gilded Glamour referring to the gilded age in the United States, a tumultuous period between the end of the American Civil War and the turn of the 20th century.
During this era, clothing became more elaborate, largely thanks to recent technological advances that made the fabric cheaper and easier to produce. Women's dresses came in a variety of colorful textiles and would be adorned with an assortment of trims, like lace, embroidery, fringe, bows and ruffles. The bustle was the main characteristic of that era, creating a voluminous silhouette that emphasized women's backsides. The gilded age has inspired designers for decades now, with many releasing anachronistic collections that married popular elements of the gilded age with contemporary fashions. For this year's theme, some celebrities nailed the references to the gilded age, while others didn't get it at all. Take a look at the most inspiring ones and learn more about how designers conceived their ideas.
Serving up ruffles galore this year was singing sensation Rosalía. With an intricately embellished bodice billowing out into a deeply textured train, all of which was crafted from an off-white meets seafoam hue, the Givenchy moment was just that, a moment. And, while looking undeniably elegant, the star ensured that a dash of her Motomami style made its way into the look thanks to the feature of a pair of outrageously thick shades.
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Taking inspiration from the color scheme of Statue of Liberty, which was gifted to the United States by the French in 1886, the dress changes from copper to turquoise. The original dress had a lot of art deco influences and felt more inspired by the 1950s and the 1870s, with the only thing keeping it on theme being the bustle. When her train unfolded, a celestial map was revealed, based on the ceiling of Grand Central terminal. With an exaggerated bow laying atop a grand train, Blake had already achieved the status of best dressed.
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Adut Akech was a miracle in a breathtaking emerald gown from Christian Lacroix, sourced from online vintage store Shrimpton Couture.
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Paying an homage to Black history, Gab Union saluted late iconic and trailblazing actress Diahann Carroll, who died in 2019 at 84, adding, "So this is inspired by Diahann Carroll, a symbol of opulence and if you will, a gilded glamor."
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A vision in custom Gucci, the superstar opted for a dusty pastel colour palette which seeped into a panelled bustier corset, met by a hip-accentuating satin skirt. With chic lace sleeves, a bust-adorning bloom and a contrasting black choker also featuring, glamour was practically cascading out of this look. Ladies and gentlemen, we present you with the official diamond of the season.
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The starlet is known for her simple and minimalistic choice in fashion and she chose just that for the Met Gala as she walked the red carpet in a satin silk white gown from the shelves of Yves Saint Laurent.
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Kris Jenneran channeled Jackie Kennedy for the gilded age theme, woring a near-exact replica of a Valentino dress worn by Jackie Kennedy. Despite the fact that the ex-first lady wore in 1967 almost 100 years after the gilded age had begun. Jenner attended the event in an asymmetric butter yellow Oscar de la Renta gown with a crystal-encrusted hem. She even wore a longer wig with flipped out ends for the evening, mimicking Jackie O’s own style.
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Kim kardashian wore Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" iconic dress, which borrowed it from a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum in Orlando. However, the naked illusion was a complete failure because it was a match to Marilyn's skin tone not Kim's. For the evening, Kardashian dyed her hair blonde to match Monroe’s aesthetic, but pulled it back to keep the focus on the gown, which she draped with a fur stole, also owned by Monroe.
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The beautiful dress really speaks to the theme which is American fashion. It really tells the story of all American women, as it is embroidered with the names of 60 women who have most inspired both Joseph Altuzarra and Hillary Clinton.
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Of course, the Met Gala’s theme harked on the aesthetic of everyone’s favourite Netflix show, Bridgerton, so naturally, we had to take a moment to honour one of the show’s leading ladies. Taking to the Met’s famed steps in a feather-laden Richard Quinn gown, Nicola Coughlan opted for a divine contrasting candy pink and deep black colour palette, complemented by a dusty pink eye shadow swiped across her lids. As for the jewels, they were served up by none other than Swarovski. Embellishing the star’s dress and providing the sparkle to some statement earrings, it is now fair to say that Quinn and Swarovski are a match made in fashion heaven.
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