The Met Gala, as most speculators don’t know, is a charity event to raise funds for the Costume Institute and has been the catalyst for every exhibition opening for the institute. Now, every “First Monday In May” means extravagant gowns, suits, and everything in between that fits the theme of the yearly event. Take, for example, 2018’s “Heavenly Bodies” theme. Everyone was prompted with creating ethereal and metaphorical religious ideations. Now for 2023, the theme is “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.” You might’ve just thought, what exactly does that mean? Well, for background Karl Lagerfeld was a prominent German fashion designer who heavily contributed to fashion history. Decades of Lagerfeld’s career have been dedicated to the fashion houses Chanel (Since 1983) and Fendi (since 1967), up until his passing in 2019. Not many can say they’ve been the Creative Director for two major fashion houses with rich histories. He was also, of course, the Creative Director of his own eponymous brand, and Lagerfeld did each with the utmost care to detail.
This year’s Met’s theme was initially announced back in Paris Fashion Week in September. Although not exactly a retrospective, the exhibition will honor bits of Lagerfeld’s work. It is expected to see lots of Lagerfeld’s contemporaries, colleagues, and friends who all admired his work. The Met Gala takes place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City — with the biggest names in fashion, pop-culture, music, film and politics ascending the famed steps.
How the Met Gala’s guests will interpret this theme is hard to tell. Many will most likely pull archival Lagerfeld’s original creations, while others may opt for a cosplay homage to Lagerfeld’s signature style, with a lot of designers will most likely reference his work. Andrew Bolten, the head curator of the Anna Wintour Costume Center, said that one thing Lagerfeld had a tumultuous relationship with was the past, so newer interpretations of his work would be exciting to see for those who are fashion history buffs. Vogue‘s latest cover of Karl Lagerfeld’s muses was another indication of his honor at the Met impending. Kimora Lee Simmons, one of Lagerfeld’s youngest Chanel brides, was not pictured on the cover but cited, ” So much of what I am and have done can be attributed to him.”
The Met Gala this year will surely bring out the big guns. Expect impossible extravagance, the longest veil trains, maybe fingerless gloves in homage to the designer’s personal style, and bridal interpretations. Many celebrities were close to the designer, so we know there will be hard work behind these looks and true intention, at least, we hope so.
Check back in on Monday as we report live from the red carpet, dish on all your favorite celeb looks and iconic moments and bring you all things Met Gala (but make it black).