March 29, 2024

Fashion’s biggest night, the 2023 Met Gala gathers A-listers from all walks of fame — the Hollywood power players, pop stars, super-influencers and run-of-the-mill nepo babies — on the steps of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art for an exclusive charity bash that has come to overshadow the Oscars for outstanding style moments.

Like any good party, it has a theme. For 2023, the party paid homage to the late Karl Lagerfeld, a designer whose complex legacy is marked by long, successful tenures at some of the world’s biggest labels.

Whether celebs went the vintage route, or the more custom “inspired by” option, there were no shortage of Lagefeldian references on the 2023 Met Gala red carpet. Here’s who did it best.

Full drama: Billie Eilish, Kerry Washington and Jennifer Lopez

Billie Eilish said she begged designer Simone Rocha (who notably does not make custom looks) to make her a bespoke outfit. The result was an all-black, embellished, halter neck gown paired with sheer gloves and plenty of hair gems.

Blazers were a recurring theme at this year’s gala. Kerry Washington threw hers over a black lace bra and maxi skirt combo that was elevated by an oversized diamond choker.

Jennifer Lopez went for full theatrics in a cut-out Ralph Lauren gown paired with a sculptural hat.

Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Gigi Hadid.

Skin, more skin: Kendall Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Gigi Hadid

Credit to Kendall Jenner for trying to push the pants-less trend (she was spotted in a pair of black tights-as-pants earlier this year) with this sparkly Marc Jacobs bodysuit that makes up in sleeve length what it lacks in hem length.

After last year’s Marilyn Monroe dress controversy, Kim Kardashian played it safe in a custom Schiaparelli gown that was more pearls than fabric, topped with a heavily draped satin shawl.

Gigi Hadid’s sheer, corseted Givenchy look nodded to a few of Karl Lagerfeld’s “favourite things” like fans and flowers. Like so many other guests, she accessorized with gloves (again, sheer) and pearls.

Doja Cat and Jared Leto at the 2023 Met Gala.

An ode to Choupette: Doja Cat and Jared Leto

Doja Cat channelled Choupette, Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved white Birman kitty who lived a more lavish life than most of us could dream of. Her outfit featured a head-to-toe sequin look by Oscar de la Renta and very, uh, on-the-nose makeup and actual prosthetics.

But Doja was out-catted by Jared Leto (who famously always goes for it at the Met Gala). This year, Leto wore a full-on Choupette mascot costume to terrify, confuse and delight the other attendees. After the surprise was revealed, he changed into a black cape outfit that was downright tame by comparison.

Sydney Sweeney, Gisele Bundchen and Nicole Kidman.

Classic glamour: Sydney Sweeney, Gisele, Nicole Kidman

Gisele honoured Karl Lagerfeld with a rewear of a Chanel dress she first donned in 2006. The gown featured vertical shimmering panels with an oversized feather topper.

Sydney Sweeney has a contract with Miu Miu, so a Karl-adjacent look wasn’t in the cards for the breakout actor. She stuck to to her go-to body-con silhouette with this bedazzled number, but we read the black hair ribbon as an attempt at Chanel-esque styling.

Nicole Kidman, a longtime muse and friend of Lagerfeld, went the ethereal route in feathery Chanel. It’s actually the same dress she wore in a 2004 Chanel No. 5 commercial directed by Baz Luhrmann.

Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain and Margot Robbie,

Black and white perfection: Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain, Margot Robbie

Emily Blunt’s look — a high-neck lace top with a signature Chanel camellia flower — read like an interpretation of Lagerfeld’s personal uniform.

Jessica Chastain? Yes, that was her — we noticed the shock of platinum blond hair way before we could pay any attention to the gown. Chastain paired her black Gucci gown with sheer black gloves and costumey black shades.

Margot Robbie — the last Chanel ambassador to be chosen by Karl before his death — smartly saved the hot pink for her “Barbie” movie press tour. She’s wearing Chanel from a 1993 collection (first worn by Cindy Crawford) that features a chain-embellished, see-through corseted waist.

Dua Lipa, Penolpe Cruz and Anne Hathaway.

Easy elegance: Dua Lipa, Penélope Cruz, Anne Hathaway

Dua Lipa’s 1992 Chanel gown — first worn by supermodel Claudia Schiffer — was princess-y without being saccharine, and paired perfectly with an eye-watering $10 million Tiffany & Co. necklace.

Penélope Cruz reportedly pored over Chanel collections for a month before settling on a couture look from 1988 that featured a veillike head covering for a vibe that was equal parts fairy tale and high-fashion Catholicism.

A newly minted Versace ambassador, Anne Hathaway’s look was a marriage of the two very different fashion houses. The tweed and camellia hair flower are Chanel signatures, while cut-outs and pins (reminiscent of that Elizabeth Hurley dress) are classic va-va-voom Versace. We’ll call it a fashion compromise.

Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and daughter Lila Moss.

A touch of softness: Naomi Campbell and Kate and Lila Moss

Naomi Campbell wore a Chanel gown from the 2010 couture collection that featured Grecian-eque pink satin draping with peeks of silver sequin swirls.

Kate Moss seemed to be referencing herself as much as Karl with a slip-style gown that remains her go-to signature. Lila’s gown is a Fendi 2018 look, and an example of how Lagerfeld was able to modernize the storied fur brand’s approach to fuzzy clothing.

Pedro Pascal, Bad Bunny and Ke Huy.

Best-dressed of the gents: Pedro Pascal, Bad Bunny, Ke Huy Quan

Shorts? A red coat? Military boots? It shouldn’t work but it somehow does, maybe because it was Valentino worn by the beloved, delightful Pedro Pascal.

Bad Bunny was a vision in an all-white double-breasted suit by Jacquemus with a throw of white roses draped over his arms, trailing behind him.

Ke Huy Quan was the most Lagerfeldian of the night in Dior, complete with shades, chains, fingerless gloves and … is that a high collar?

Olivia Wilde and Margaret Zhang.

Doubled up: Olivia Wilde and Margaret Zhang

Olvia Wilde’s stylist, Canadian phenom Karla Welch, went the non-Chanel route with a pick from the 1983 Chloé collection. Aversion of this “Violin” dress was worn all the way back in 2013 by fashion darling Chloë Sevigny.

Margaret Zhang, the editor-in-chief of Vogue China, also wore a violin dress, in black.

Kristen Stewart, Janelle Mon�e and Florence Pugh.

Best-dressed: Kristen Stewart, Janelle Monae, Florence Pugh

We weren’t exactly expecting Karl cosplay from Kristen Stewart, the longtime Chanel ambassador and muse, and yet that’s exactly what we got. Stewart’s satin suit featured a cropped tie and jacket, a Chanel logo belt, white cotton socks and penny loafers (perhaps not surprising for the heel-averse star).

Janelle Monae wowed in a dramatic, A-shaped coat by Thom Browne, practicality be damned. The look transformed before our eyes, as Monae removed layers to reveal a sheer cone dress constructed from concentric hoops.

Debuting a shaved head, Florence Pugh wore a black-and-white satin Valentino gown topped with a two-foot headdress that takes a page out of Sarah Jessica Parker’s Met Gala playbook.

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