Although my house and my life are overwhelmed by ‘made in China’ labels, when it comes to the actual Chinese culture, I’m humbled and have really no idea where to begin and how to approach this fabulous phenomenon!
I know what I won’t do, however: I will restrain myself from taking lightly this 2015 Met Gala (very) Red Carpet! There were many fabulous interpretations of this year’s Costume Institute exhibition and I would love to mention all of them! I’ve selected a handful of representative elements as worn by celebrities in attendance and I’m kicking things with Sarah Jessica Parker’s Philip Treacy headpiece!
As always, SJP is fully in-theme with the occasion, but not quite blending-in the scenery! She has a thing for headpieces and we’ve seen her wear outstanding items from Philip Treacy in the past. This time she pairs her ‘hat’ with a kimono-like dress she co-designed with H&M. Last time I saw someone walking a high stake Red Carpet in H&M was a complete and utter disaster. SJP made sure she would be above fail even in H&M. Well done for her. Loved everything she put together for this night!
See also: Hits and misses on the Met Red Carpet!
At the other end of the flamboyance line is where I’d put Liya Kebede. A longtime favorite model of mine, Liya accompanied designer Philip Lim to the 2015 Met Gala and she was stunning head to toes! So very much illustrating the Costume Institute’s exhibition theme for this year: simply flawless and fabulous with a clear Asian style penchant. Congrats to Philip Lim for the excellent choice!
As much as I would love to take on more positive style notes from the 2015 Met Gala, I felt slightly off-put by graffiti-like gowns and hand-kissing-red-carpet bows (Katy Perry & her Madgesty with Jeremy Scott). I had to step away from the Ball’s theme for two days to get the right grip on the fashion matter!
I loved many details from the soiree’s participants and I think dealing with them separately makes more sense than including a Dolce & Gabbana dress to an event honoring the Chinese cultural heritage. As I’m certain many people pointed out before and during the fashion Red Carpet parade, it would’ve been largely sufficient to wear a dress signed by a Chinese designer or an American-Chinese designer. So simple, yet so complicated!
See also: The best & the rest from last year’s Met Ball!
Going back and forth over the top of the theme is not unusual, it makes a lot of ink flow on the Celebrity river. But does it serve the purpose? Does it make the exhibition more meaningful? If your organizer is wearing Chanel, how would you pull it off by wearing a Chinese designer?
Like an omelet! Rihanna was the target of all internet memes since she stepped on the Met Red Carpet wearing something she took pride in finding herself browsing the internet. Guo Pei, A Chinese couturier who took two years to complete the meme-dress. Two years! And the world turned it into a huge laugh.
Perhaps they would’ve felt safer praising a Princess (Zendaya Coleman), the Geishas (Dee Hilfiger and Georgia May Jagger)! Last year’s hidden Rage Queen behind a fan (Solange Knowles), an odd-jumpsuit-ed colored girl (Cara Delevingne) and the sea of winged eye-makeup. People like to feel safe and familiar, I’m certain they wouldn’t stretch their judgement and make the right call because they’re afraid of being in the wrong.
See also: 20 Red Carpet mistakes at the 2014 Met Ball!
I wonder who got the last laugh of the night? Lady Gaga who caged her fashion in Alexander Wang or Grace Coddington who walked among la crème de la crème in PJs! I know who: we did! We did, behind our computer screens, browsing every look, every angle, every brow and every frown! We did, free of fear, free of commitment, free of pressure. Taking time to look, to sink in and synthesize. This is what I get from the 2015 Met Gala! What do you get? (images getty)
2 comments
Hi Kpriss! Glad to see that you followed through!
I love SJP’s head piece and her gown, she totally understands this event and is always on point.
Solange is one of my favourite fashion icons. she has such a sense of art/quirky, style and fun with her clothes and she never looks like anyone else. I always prefer her fashion choices to Beyonce’s.
Rhianna was rather the show stopper and I enjoyed her regal look and wearing the Imperial Royal Yellow. only the Emperor was allowed this colour. I did not laugh at this work of art outfit, but sadly people often make light of what they do not understand.
Liya Kebede looked lovely, stylish and comfortable in her beautiful outfit.
I liked Zendaya Coleman she looked great and I loved that her outfit was on theme and it suited her.
I did not like what Madonna and Katy Perry wore, with Madonna for me it is often hit or miss, I never like Katy Perry’s fashion choices ever.
I also did not like Cara D’s outfit, I am not a fan of Stella MacCartney’s designs. Cara’s fake tattoos were interesting but that was it.
Thankfully you did not post any of the nekid trio Beyonce. JLo and Kimye. I hated what they wore it was just so attention getting and showed no imagination or fashion creativity. Yes they all three have wonderful shapes but I have seen those shapes so many time that I do not care.
I also loved Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravtiz and their daughter Zoe’s outfits.
I like this event because I love the creativity and the combination of fashion, theme and art! It is no ordinary red carpet thing, but sadly there are those who go to it who think that is all that it is.
Nice post Kpriss and have a lovely Mother’s day tomorrow! : )
Thank you Ellington! <3
a mention I didn't make in my story: Cara D's drawings caught my eye at first but then I realized they're oddly not-Chinese :-) I did a little research to confirm my hunch (I do have a thing for body ink) and I concluded that they're more Japanese than Chinese. So I skipped them for this reason only.
Lenny and Lisa supporting Zoe was a social endearing fact more than an inspiring in-theme sighting. I wish I could've slipped a mention about them as Lisa was very boho-Asian but not enough to convince me to actually write about her dress.
I honestly feel sorry for those who use this kind of occasion as a self-promoting pretext. I wasn't expecting that from Beyonce, given that she's famous for very solid reasons, but Kim K and even J Lo (oh, that dragon was so tasteless and kitsch - but Versace does kitsch like nobody's business).
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