The Met Gala 2017: Who Got the Memo?

The Costume Institute Met Gala is undoubtedly the most anticipated non Fashion Week event in the fashion calendar.  It’s the ultimate fancy dress party – guests are given a theme and plenty of time to interpret it, and prep to impress, but recently, the agenda of the guests seems to have shifted a little….

In recent years, what once was regarded as a spectacle of interpretation, the Met Gala now seems something of a blatant advertising board for designers and celebrities.  It’s where naked dressing is taken up a notch under the paper thin excuse of it being appropriate because it’s a costume party.  It’s where beautiful bodies are shown off, and where designers shamelessly showcase key pieces from their collections and archives, whether they fit the brief or not.  Tut tut.

Gone are the days when the majority would go to town with the theme, these days there are a select few who really push the boat out when it comes to dressing to the theme and Rihanna is leading that pack every year.

The 2017 Met Gala celebrated the career of Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, the only living designer since Yves Saint Laurent in 1983 to be the sole subject of the Metropolitan Museum’s annual gala and exhibition.

“Rei Kawakubo is one of the most important and influential designers of the past 40 years, by inviting us to rethink fashion as a site of constant creation, recreation, and hybridity, she has defined the aesthetics of our time.” Andrew Bolton, Curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.

Kawakubo is famed for her structured, oversized pieces that frame and elongate the body’s proportions, for her razor sharp black bob and her poker face.  Avant garde fashion pieces that transcend fashion seasons and are widely regarded as art, paired with uber striking beauty looks to merge the person with the piece.  So you can forgive me for having high expectations for this year’s Met Gala red carpet.

Here are five people who definitely got the memo in terms of dressing to the theme:

RIHANNA

Never one to be ignored, Rihanna takes the Met Gala theme VERY seriously.  Wearing Comme des Garçons (natch) FW16, she was the personification of the theme and made pretty much everyone else irrelevant within three strides of the carpet.  Kudos Rih.

KATY PERRY

Looking like Beetlejuice’s bride in blood red Margiela by john galliano, Katy took the theme and ran with it.  It’s definitely not one of my favourites but remember Voyeurs, this isn’t a Best Dressed List, that comes next.

LILY COLLINS

Lily did what Kawakubo does so well in her runway shows, she used her beauty look to extend her outfit to her face.  This whole look has divided opinion but in terms of the brief, she freaking nailed it and that Kawakubo tribute hairstyle surely earns the girl extra credit right?

HELEN LASICHANCH

Now this is one stylish mama, she took the theme and wore a very famous Comme des Garçons look straight off the runway dubbed The Teletubby because, well, she looks exactly like everyone’s favourite teletubby.  Not the biggest WTF moment for me, but not far off although you can’t criticise anyone who runs to theme – them’s the rules Voyeurs.

TRACEE ELLIS ROSS

Absolutely nailed it.  ‘Nuff said.  She understood the theme, she knew what she wanted to do with it, and she did it with a smile, because she knew she rocked it.

Ok, so now we know who can read, but who got their invite and said a big fat “Fuck It” to Anna Wintour and decided to make up their own theme?

ZENDAYA

Y’all know I’ve got a lot of love for this girl, she does fashion so well.  now whilst there’s no denying she looks freaking amazes in this super pretty Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda dress, the theme has been lost in translation somewhere.  Go to the bottom of the class Z, must try harder.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA

We can only assume that poor Priyanka got lost on the way to an Inspector Gadget convention and wound up on the carpet at the Met Gala.  There’s literally no other explanation for this weird trench coat ensemble.

SELENA GOMEZ

Boooooring.  This girl does one look: pretty and feminine.  Sure she does it well but the Met Gala is a place to push fashion boundaries, to wear exciting tribute costumes that are beyond fashion.  It’s where fashion meets art and this,  this is high school prom at best.  Leave it on Abel’s floor Selena.

KENDALL JENNER

Say hello to the biggest WTF moment of the night.  This La Perla dress is made with no fabric at all.  It’s literally made from fine silk spun thread and beads (I’m not saying that for effect Voyeurs, that’s direct from La Perla).  Taking naked dressing to new heights (or should that be lows?) and showcasing a pout to rival sister Kylie’s.

BELLA HADID

 

Wearing an Alexander Wang body suit cut to showcase her figure, during their interview, the pair basically told the crew that as her “body is the body of our generation”, they chose that as their theme.  You heard it here Voyeurs, Bella Hadid is waaaaaaayyy more important than the theme or dresscode of any event she’s invited to.  That’s her off my birthday party invite list – she’ll be gutted too, we’re going trampolining.

So, the moral of this tale?  If you’re invited to an event and there’s a dress code or theme, dress to it, don’t be a douche.

Pixie xo