Arguably the biggest night in fashion, the Met Gala—also known at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala—made a return this evening in New York City. The 2023 edition was a celebration of the Costume Institute’s latest exhibition: Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.
There was little doubt that there was going to be plenty of references and odes to the late designer’s works, especially during his time at Chanel and Fendi. It was remarkable that a number of guests chose to whip out vintage Chanel pieces—both from the house’s ready-to-wear and haute couture collections—as their way of paying tribute to Lagerfeld. Chanel ambassadors such as Blackpink’s Jennie Kim as well as this year’s Met Gala co-chairs Penélope Cruz and Dua Lipa, all opted for some of Lagerfeld’s greatest hits during his time at Chanel.
Lagerfeld, however, wasn’t just known for his repertoire of fashion ingenuity. The man was a style icon himself with such a distinct look. This allowed for the men (and women) to riff on the high-collared-black-and-white-suiting-gloved ensemble in various ways. Oscar-winning actor Ke Huy Quan did exactly that in a Dior Men number, while Brian Tyree Henry amped it up with a tiered lace overcoat.
But perhaps the most outstanding looks befitting of a costume gala came in the form of some feline-inspired looks. As homages to Lagerfeld’s equally iconic cat Choupette, a number of guests took to the red carpet in more outré fashion. Doja Cat appeared as a feline-human hybrid thanks to facial prosthetics, while Lil Nas X was a silver version of Choupette in a Dior Men thong and bejewelled mask. And then, there was Jared Leto who stepped onto the red carpet as a costume version of Choupette, before changing into an all-black Karl Lagerfeld ensemble.
View our edit of the Met Gala 2023 looks that mattered in the gallery below.
