ANNA’S NEXT GENERATION
Met Gala 2021 Celebrates American Designers
The energy is back in New York City. The VMA’s, the Subway Series, The U.S Open, and just as the lights dimmed on New York Fashion Week, the who’s who descended on the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the biggest night in fashion. The Met Gala, typically held on the first Monday in May, returned last night with strict health protocols in place after the pandemic sidelined the 2020 fashion ball.
This year’s Met Gala was all about American Fashion “I’ve been really impressed by American designers’ responses to the social and political climate, particularly around issues of body inclusivity and gender fluidity, and I’m just finding their work very, very self-reflective,” Andrew Bolton, the Wendy Yu Curator in charge of the Costume Institute, told Vogue. “I really do believe that American fashion is undergoing a renaissance. I think young designers, in particular, are at the vanguard of discussions about diversity and inclusion, as well as sustainability and transparency, much more so than their European counterparts, maybe with the exception of the English designers.”
Every year the MET Gala enlists a panel of A-listers to oversee the event. This year was no different. Several Gen Z trailblazers took on co-chair duties. Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet, Biden Inaugural poet Amanda Gorman, and Japanese tennis champion Naomi Osaka. Billie Eilish turned 19 in May and became the youngest person to co-chair the high-fashion extravaganza. Designer Tom Ford and Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, served as honorary chairs alongside Vogue’s Anna Wintour.
The stars took to the iconic stairs of the Met with their interpretation of American Fashion. Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman wore Vera Wang with references to the Statue of Liberty. She donned a laurel crown and carried a book-shaped clutch with the words, “Give me your tired.” Timothée Chalamet looked young and chilled wearing Haider Ackerman and Rick Owens with a pair of Converse sneakers….” don’t get caught up in the glamour,” said Chalamet, “and be respectful of people who are suffering.”
Tennis champ Naomi Osaka paid homage to her Haitian and Japanese heritage. During Vogue’s live stream, she explained that her older sister Mari Osaka helped design her custom outfit along with Louis Vuitton’s Nicolas Ghesquiére.
It seems long trains have become the norm at the MET party. You may remember Rihanna and Lady Gaga from galas past. However, this year the train was chugging behind Billie Eilish, who went from streetwear to very different expressionism of feminism. Her tulle ball gown with a 15-foot train took a village of handlers to manage as the young star channeled Marilyn Monroe with blonde locks, a tight corset, and pouty lips.
Supermodels, superstars, and super athletes kept the night buzzing with curated designs. Musician Leon Bridges embodied the aesthetic of Texas. Jennifer Lopez wore Ralph Lauren with a thigh-high slit and a western hat. Lil Nas X, Chance the Rapper, Stephan Curry, Zoe Kravitz, Serena Williams, Jennifer Hudson, Shawn Mendes and Camilla Cabello, Simone Biles, and Kim Kardashian all celebrated their interpretation of American fashion.
The Gala signals the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual blockbuster show. This year’s exhibition In America: A Lexicon of Fashion opens to the public on September 18, 2021.
