The Met Gala – what a swell party it was! One blissfully free of the kind of controversies that have plagued Fashion’s Biggest Night in the past. Last year, for example, a perfect storm of issues converged on the event: massive, volatile college protests at Columbia University, just two miles north of the museum; a potential Condé Nast strike; a dress-code inspired by a J.G. Ballard story whose “the elites can only stave off the frustrated masses for so long” messaging seemed to have gone over some important heads. And in 2021, an ill-conceived upstairs/downstairs approach to maintaining COVID safety resulted in the terrible visual of masked party staffers attending to the needs of unmasked celebrity guests.
Conversely, this year’s party garnered mostly raves, sans even a significant representation of the “What? $75,000-a-plate?” online scolding that had become as much a part of the soiree as wacky outfits. Everyone, it seems, is excited for this installation, and that excitement manifested in a joyful red carpet. Terrific, right? Sure. Then again, what’s a big party without some conflict? Snippets were there on Monday night. You just had to look.
Portrait Panties v. Common Sense
Let’s start with the biggie. One outfit has garnered considerable opprobrium online. K-pop star and recent White Lotus employee Lisa’s getup – a Louis Vuitton jacket and bodysuit – featured portraits of Black women created by artist Henry Taylor, with whom LV Men’s creative director Pharrell Williams has collaborated in the past. The likenesses were clear on the bodysuit and somewhat obscured by lavish embroidery on the jacket, which, when closed, created the look of a blazer/panties combo. A fine idea. Unfortunately, from a distance, the panty portraits sorta looked like pubic hair. Ever more unfortunately, one of the portraits also looked like Rosa Parks – an almost unfathomable sartorial whoopsie. Needless to say, social media took note.
Winner: Common Sense. Taylor’s rep confirmed that the face in question was that of one of the artist’s neighbors. Still, if there is any chance that even one person on this Earth might wonder if that is the revered civil rights icon Rosa Parks etched on your crotch, for the love of God, go with the backup outfit.
Tailoring v. Flou
The dress code, “Tailored for You,” pushed many attendees, both women and men, towards far-flung interpretations of sharp, often exaggerated, tuxedo dressing. Still, there were plenty of softer silhouettes – big ballgowns, flowy goddesses and curvy, “look, I’m skinny” corsetry – that felt more standard red-carpet. Most attendees took one route or the other. Most, but not all. Colman Domingo, reigning best-dressed man in Hollywood, wore a voluminous, rich blue Valentino cloak, in apparent tribute to beloved style arbiter and caftan appreciator, the late André Leon Talley. Impact on arrival thus made, Domingo ditched his robe to reveal a natty windowpane-checked jacket over gray cuffed trousers, also Valentino, accessorized with polka dots in a big fabric-flower brooch and silk neck scarf.
Winner: Tailoring. While much of the flou was lovely, against the inventive suitings, it looked mundane. The caveat: Domingo. He slayed both ways.
White Tuxedo v. White Tuxedo
Much goes into the planning of Met Gala fashion. There are mood boards, multiple fittings, armies of stylists, lighting checks and camera tests, all happening under the watch of the world’s most famous designers. And there’s still the possibility for every partygoer’s worst nightmare – showing up in the same outfit as another guest. Enter Zendaya and Shogun breakout star Anna Sawai, who both graced the carpet in Bianca Jagger-esque white tuxedos topped off with comically similar wide-brimmed hats, tilted to the same side, at the same angle. Mon Dieu! Even more coincidental, both snowy smokings hailed from within LVMH – Zendaya’s from Louis Vuitton and Sawai’s, Dior. (Lest anyone ever question the premise that LVMH’s maisons operate independently…) Sure, side-by-side, the two suits feature distinguishing elements that render them different. But good luck explaining that to your co-worker without sounding nuts.
Winner: Zendaya. Sawai looked great. But Zendaya tops the list of people you don't want to be dressed like at a party.
Rulers v. Reps
Most guests took the evening’s dress code to mean creative renderings of traditional menswear tropes. But two women – a starlet and a recently rediscovered supernova in the starry Hollywood sky – went with witty, esoteric takes on the dress code. Wednesday star Jenna Ortega wore a body-con Balmain stunner crafted from rulers, an essential part of any clothier’s toolkit. And the glorious Demi Moore hit the steps done up in the biggest rep-striped necktie Thom Browne has ever designed.
Winner: Reps. Demi’s necktie loop created a giant halo atop her column of regimental stripes.
Winner: Reps. Demi’s necktie loop created a giant halo atop her column of regimental stripes.
Haute History v. Hitchcock Blonde
Some guests went the vintage route. Monica Barbaro donned a replica of Christian Dior’s 1947 Dior New Look – the design credited with bringing fashion out of WWII sobriety and into an era of corseted torsos and abundant skirts. Sydney Sweeney wore a sequined, va–voom Miu Miu number which, while certainly tailored to her, didn’t quite connect with the evening’s motif. Turns out, the gown was a tribute to the actress Kim Novak, whom Sweeney will play in the upcoming Scandalous, directed by party co-chair Domingo. She looked great. But “Colman Domingo” was not technically the night’s theme, and the sparkly getup was perhaps one degree of costume separation too many.
Winner: Barbaro. For an evening devoted to capital T tailoring, you can’t beat one of fashion’s most famous silhouettes.
Know Thyself v. What Was I Thinking?
Celebrity fashion can be a boring slog – Fashion Police-style scolding has become so prevalent that many boldface names play it safe rather than risk ridicule. It feels wrong, then, to be overly harsh on someone taking a risk, especially at this event, a forum for over-the-top audacity. On the other hand, big sartorial swings just aren’t for everyone. Patrick Schwarzenegger wore a billowing, high-waisted Balmain suit accessorized with a clutch purse – its burgundy leather matched his belt – and kicky little gloves. He looked like he’d mistakenly received a garment bag intended for Timothee Chalamet, decided to just go with it, and regretted the call the moment he hit the Met steps.
Winners: Usher and Tyson Beckford. In their gorgeous Ralph Lauren suits, they provided a valuable lesson for ultra-handsome actors of the non-Chalamet sort: Classic black-tie is always an acceptable option, and you can look interesting in it.
Rihanna v. The Clock
At this point, Rihanna showing up last to the Met is something of an amusing cultural bit. Her perpetual tardiness has even been blessed by the chronically prompt Anna Wintour, who concedes that the songstress-cum-beauty tycoon is the only guest with the dispensation to arrive on her own time. And why not? Few stars have so canny an understanding that our waiting must be rewarded with their effort. We wait for Rihanna to arrive, and always she delivers on that delayed promise with a fabulous look. This year: Marc Jacobs’ oddly elegant riff on a morning suit, crafted to accent her baby bump. It featured a short jacket and low-slung skirt repurposed from a second, elongated jacket in classic cashmere stripes, its sleeves tied into a flamboyant double bustle. Fashionably late, indeed.
Winner: Rihanna. To paraphrase Evelyn Waugh, “Punctuality is the virtue of the boring.”
Spike Lee v. Cruel Scheduling
There are agonizing social conflicts. And then there’s Spike Lee’s dilemma on Monday night. As soon as the Gala theme was announced last October, it was a given that Lee would be in attendance. But, oh, cruel fate! Though he looked elated to be there, he must have felt pangs of sadness at missing his beloved New York Knicks’ round-two NBA playoff tilt against the heavily favored Boston Celtics. One hopes he checked his phone during dinner. If so, he knew in real time that Jalen Brunson and company pulled out an absolute barnburner in a furious 20-point comeback and overtime victory.
Winner: Spike, and all the MSG faithful. Knicks in 6, baby!
This is the second in a two-part series on this week’s Met Gala. For Part I, click below.