Each year, the first Monday in May marks one of the world’s most prestigious events in fashion—the Met Gala. Initiated by Anna Wintor, editor-in-chief of Vogue since 1998, this highly coveted gala acts as a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s (MOMA’s) Costume Institute in New York City.
The annual fashion exhibition, which has been running since 1948, gathers the most relevant A-List celebrities from a variety of industries, from entertainment and fashion to business and sports. Wintor strictly approves the invitations, often featuring those who have been on the cover of Vogue over the course of the previous year. In 2022, the event raised a record-breaking $17.4 million and is expected to surpass $30 million in 2023. This projection can be attributed to the costly ticket prices, which climbed from $30,000 to $50,000 this year.
The theme of the most recent Met Gala was situated around Karl Lagerfield, a German fashion designer notable for his role as creative director for Chanel from 1983 until his death in 2019. Lagerfield’s style is distinct for his use of unexpected combinations, as well as the fusion of timeless elegance with modern innovation. The 2023 theme was met with high controversy, as some argue that Langerfield’s innovative designs have not excused the darker aspects of his legacy.
A twitter account by the name of HFMetGala (High Fashion Twitter Met Gala), run by a group of young adults, typically commemorates the annual event online. This year however, the account condemned the Met in a tweet: “As we approach the first Monday of May, the hf twitter met gala team would like to announce that we will not be celebrating this year’s met gala as our values don’t align with the selection of Karl Lagerfeld as the theme. We hope to celebrate with our community again soon.”
In his lifetime, Lagerfield had made many off-color remarks of racism, misogyny, and fatphobia—all of which have contributed to the controversy. His 2005 book The Karl Lagerfield Diet criticized public figures like Adele and Heidi Klum for being “too heavy.” Later in 2009, he expressed that “no one wants to see curvy women,” or that Coco Chanel “wasn’t ugly enough to be a feminist.”
Despite the controversies surrounding this celebration of Lagerfield, many celebrities still delivered beautiful looks nevertheless. Some of the most popular included Dua Lipa in Chanel, Anne Hathaway in Versace, Gigi Hadid in Givenchy, Conan Gray in Balmain, Michaela Coel in Schiaparelli, and Nicole Kidman, who wore a Chanel gown personally designed for her by Lagerfield in 2004. Phoebe Bridgers was another fan-favorite, staying true to her skeleton motif in a Tory Burch gown.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky arrived at the Met steps fashionably late, with Rihanna dressed in a bold, white Valentino gown, and a sculptural floral piece that covered her head and torso. A$AP wore Gucci, featuring a plaid knit as well as multiple belts around his waist.
Doja Cat, in her Met Gala debut, and Jared Leto certainly had eye-catching looks, each presenting their own renditions of Lagerfield’s cat Choupette. Doja wore a white backless and hooded Oscar de la Renta gown with a feather train, while Leto was simply dressed in a massive catsuit.
Though troubled with a controversial theme, the 2023 Met Gala still excited audiences with an array of both stunning, humorous, and ultimately unforgettable looks.
