The Rebels of the 2023 Met Gala
The 2023 Met Gala paid homage to the late Karl Lagerfeld iconic designer and creative director for both Chanel and Fendi. The red-carpet hosted standout looks from designer Thom Brown, plenty of iconic vintage pieces and the men wearing more than just plain suits for once. This year’s gala theme saw arguably one of the most cohesive collections of looks with black and white colour schemes, pearls, and signature Chanel silhouettes.
However, there were certain standouts from the crowd, and no, I’m not talking about Jared Leto and Doja Cat’s Choupette cosplays or whatever Lil Nas X was doing. I am instead referring to all those who subverted this year’s theme actively embodying the things Lagerfeld disapproved of or spoke out against whilst still remaining fashionable and met gala worthy.
Karl Lagerfeld’s talent as a designer was undeniable and his impact on the fashion industry was astronomical, however, he has also become a controversial figure when it came to his misogynistic and fatphobic comments as well as his beliefs on refugees and immigrants. He famously expressed his belief that no one would want to see curvy women on the runway and once called model Heidi Klum ‘simply too heavy’ to be a runway model. He mocked the MeToo movement in 2018 and even revealed that he did not support gay marriage despite being gay himself. This prompted backlash, most notably from actor and activist Jameela Jamil who expressed disappointment at this year’s Met Gala theme and the celebrities who attended. Now I by no means think that the celebrities who attended this Met Gala and praised Karl should be villainised as they are simply there to showcase the outfits. However, fashion has always been inherently political, so it was somewhat satisfying to see certain celebrities making more subtle statements on the red (or rather aquafresh) carpet.
Firstly, Lizzo in her classic Chanel gown and pearls. On the surface this dress seems rather basic, boring even, and is not what fans were expecting from the loud and often eccentric pop star. However, perhaps the subversion of this look comes from Lizzo herself, as a fat, body positive, black woman Lizzo wouldn’t exactly be Lagerfeld’s ideal Chanel model. It’s possible Lizzo didn’t feel her outfit needed to make a statement as she was already doing that simply by being at this year’s met.
Maybe this is a stretch and Lizzo was simply at the Met Gala because she was invited and not to make a statement, however, I find it harder to believe that Viola Davis was unaware of the statement she was making when wearing her outlandish pink Valentino gown. Lagerfeld famously hated the colour pink saying, “Think pink, but don’t wear it”.
Other stars like Ashley Graham, Quinta Brunson, Gwendoline Christie, and Sydney Sweeney wore a muted pink but Viola Davis’ dress stood out with its brightness and blooming feathers. Initially, when exploring the Met Gala looks, I hated this dress and couldn’t understand why Viola and her team had decided on it. However, understanding the rebellion it represents has painted it in a new light, and whilst I’ll be honest, I still don’t like the dress, I comment the thought behind it.
Finally, I cannot talk about powerful pink looks at this year’s Met Gala without mentioning possibly one of my all-time favourite male looks from a Met Gala and that is Harvey Guillén’s Met Gala debut in Siriano. “The theme of the night was Karl… so in his honor, I came as my fat POC self in pink,” He told The Advocate.[1] Perhaps I may be a little biased as a long-time fan of Guillén, however, I feel this is how to send a message at the Met Gala and still look fabulous. Overall, I disagree with Jameela Jamil’s comment’s that the celebrities attending the Met ‘relinquished (their) right to be taken at all seriously about anything important.’. I think it is possible to acknowledge Lagerfeld’s fashion legacy whilst simultaneously condemning his truly terrible beliefs and actions and I feel we see this best from the few celebrities bold enough to subvert the theme and still participate in the absolute phenomenon that is the Met Gala.
[1] https://www.advocate.com/people/harvey-guillen-met-gala-siriano#rebelltitem18
