Is Fashion Art? This was the theme of this year’s Met Gala, which took place on May 4. The theme, like the event itself, is a highly controversial topic. Guests were challenged to express their own relationship to fashion as an embodied art form and celebrate the countless depictions of the dressed body throughout art history.
The theme connects to a long debate in the art community that is extremely relevant to the Gala’s history. The Met Gala has been an essential part of the funding for the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum since the museum absorbed it. The vast amounts of money that come in through the ultra-rich sponsors and celebrities single-handedly fund this part of the museum. This money has allowed the Costume Institute to go from being tucked away and hidden to having a whole wing and paving the way for other fashion exhibitions. The coverage it gets shapes public perception of fashion, solidifying its place in the art world. This means the Gala has played a large role in proving that fashion is art, making this year’s theme especially significant. As always, many guests missed the mark. However, some people, whether they understood the theme completely or not, really stood out at this Met Gala.
The Jenners embodied the theme, each in their own unique way. Kylie Jenner’s deconstructed Schiaparelli dress, designed by Daniel Roseberry, had gorgeous hand embroidered and beaded details. It was folded over in the front to reveal the inside of the dress, literally revealing how fashion is art because it shows the skill and intention necessary to make a couture garment. You can see the corset boning, the form of the bodice, and the lace-up in the back. As a nod to the exhibition theme, which is focused on the body, she wore a tactfully made nude corset. Her sister, Kendall Jenner, was also a showstopper. Zach Posen illustrated how a garment as simple as a t-shirt can turn into art. He dressed Kendall Jenner in a similar corset, stretching and twisting a classic white shirt across her body to create a wet drapery effect. Later, she put on these gorgeous angel wings. If she was wearing them on the red carpet, they would have taken her look to another level.
Wisdom Kaye, dressed by Public School, wore a new interpretation of the black suit that combined historical structuring and innovative tailoring. His cropped, structured suit jacket with angular shoulders juxtaposed the ultra-wide curved trousers, while the metal details on the corset and gloves added that extra interest. There’s a long-running issue with men not experimenting with fashion at the Met Gala, and while this look isn’t as groundbreaking as many of the gowns, it shows how there’s just as much room for experimentation in men’s tailoring.
The most beautiful look of the night that abided by the theme belonged to Emma Chamberlain. Chamberlain, who comes from a family of painters, wore a hand-painted Mugler dress. Inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s oil paintings and her dad’s watercolor paintings, it shifted from bright yellow to a medley of colors that all blended together at the bottom of the gown. Her flowy sleeves, smoky makeup, and cropped hair added an extra layer of drama and interest that elevated her look.
Many people’s outfits were inspired by famous artwork, but the best ones were when they turned themselves into a work of art. Heidi Klum shows her dedication to the theme each year, but this time, she turned herself into a statue. The material, while flexible, gives the effect of marble; she looked like she came straight from the Greek and Roman Art section of a museum. Additionally, Anok Yai wore a stunning black gown with a large hood beginning at the top of her bodice. However, the tasteful design of her dress and choice of jewelry aren’t the best parts; she turned herself into sculpture as well. While this idea doesn’t fully fit the theme because it isn’t utilizing fashion, it still looked beautiful. Her face and body were covered in bronze makeup and she had faux makeup tears running down her face. She wanted to personify the “Black Madonna,” pulling inspiration from Sicilian statues.
The best dressed co-chair was Venus Williams in Swarovski. Referencing a painting of herself by Robert Pruitt, she wore a Swarovski crystal necklace that was meant to mimic the Wimbledon trophy. Similarly, Amy Sherald wore a fun and colorblocked outfit inspired by a self portrait she painted. Like the version of herself from the portrait, she wore a polka-dot navy and white dress, white gloves, and a bright red hat. It was a rare chance to be able to reference yourself, and these women both executed it tastefully.
The Costume Institute’s new exhibition is “Costume Art.” Garments will be placed alongside artwork from the museum’s current collection in order to investigate the importance of the dressed body and how the body and garments work together to create the artform that is fashion. The clothing will be displayed on mannequins formed from casts of real people, celebrating the naked, classical, aging, pregnant, and anatomical body. While it doesn’t technically follow the dress code, it was really interesting when guests played into depictions of the body aspect of the theme. Bad Bunny, wearing ZARA, took inspiration from the aging body, transforming himself into an elderly man using makeup. This idea that both beauty and youth are fleeting and that aging is art, was so insightful.
The most controversial part of this year’s Gala was its lead sponsors, Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez Bezos. Other AI focused tech powers made their Met Gala debut this year, which is ironic because AI is the antithesis to this year’s theme. As someone who is known to have no concern for his workers’ safety, financial security, or humane practices in general, it’s unlikely that they would care about the arts. The “Fashion is Art” theme is meant to honor the design that goes into fashion, but also the craftsmanship; workers are an essential part of the fashion industry. While it is concerning how billionaires like Bezos are trying to gain forms of power outside of their wealth via buying and upending news publications, aligning themselves with politicians, and now, sponsoring the Met Gala. On the bright side, in their attempt to buy a better public image and cultural relevance, the Bezos’s are now supporting the Costume Institute, which is a much better use of their billions than flying celebrities to space.
Multiple guests showed up dressed as Madame X from the John Singer Sargent painting, most notably, Lauren Sanchez Bezos. This painting, depicting Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau who was an extremely wealthy and famous woman, destroyed Gautreau’s public image. After she died, Sargent sold it to the Metropolitan Museum under one condition: her name can’t be included, further erasing her from history. Further, her dress looked extremely cheap, completely unindicative of her Daniel Roseberry’s talent, who was Kylie Jenner’s as well as Bezo’s designer. He certainly could have made a dress just as beautiful as Madame X’s, but the poor execution led many onlookers to believe that Daniel Roseberry chose to dress her in the Amazon version of Madame X’s dress in hopes that she shares her fate.
Every year, we see one notion flood the headlines: Worst Met Gala Ever? This year was no exception. However, I believe most of the outfits were interesting, and many were even exceptional. This has been one of my favorite themes yet; I love how it connects back to the Gala’s roots. At its core, the Met Gala is a fundraiser for a non-profit, a non-profit that highlights an artform that’s constantly overlooked: fashion. While there will always be more pressing things to put money into than art, if one completely disregards it then we will lose this beautiful aspect of life. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more and more about publicity. Although this year, many people got creative with their interpretations of the dress code and pushed the boundaries of fashion.
You may want to skip watching the Met Gala to avoid endorsing the fourth richest person on Earth. While it’s well-intentioned, this is a bit misdirected. You’re not directly supporting Bezos by watching the event. It’s much more effective to boycott Amazon, the Washington Post, Whole Foods, Twitch, or the many other companies that he owns. You don’t have to watch the Met Gala if it goes against your morals, but you’d be missing out on some of the most innovative outfits that have ever been at the Gala. Many of those attending had stories to tell with what they were wearing and it was fascinating to hear their thoughts. If you appreciate fashion, and especially if you like traditional artforms or art history too, I recommend that you tune into this year’s Met Gala.