Met Gala 2021: A homage to ‘America’

(Image courtesy of Vogue.com)

4th October 2021

By Ainy Shiyam

The fashionably chic fundraising event for The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York had some iconic looks paying homage to the theme ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion’. The event, usually held on the first Monday in May, was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s Met Gala invited approximately 400 guests — a third of its normal amount in the past with attendees requiring to be vaccinated. Here’s a rundown of trends paying homage to American fashion.

Old Hollywood Glamour

Billie Eilish

One of the co-hosts for this year’s Met, Billie Eilish, who veered away from her typical style of comfortable, oversized clothing and wore a custom peach-colored Oscar de la Renta gown featuring a printed tulle ombré bustier top and with an oversize tulle skirt. Her new bleach blonde hair styled in soft curls brought out her inner Marilyn.

(Image courtesy of ELLE)

Megan Thee Stallion

Megan Thee Stallion debuted at the event wearing head-to-toe Coach, sporting a custom form-fitting, baby pink dress that featured dramatic asymmetric ruffling. The rapper’s hair was crimped in loose finger waves, which was made popular in the ‘20s and ’30s.

(Image courtesy of Elite Daily)

Kendall Jenner

Kendall, who stunned in custom Givenchy, walking the carpet with the brand’s creative director, Matthew Williams. Her outfit was a modern re-creation of the ball dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady.

The long gown had an illusion tulle, fully embroidered with crystal beads, flowers and fringe, over a nude corset bodysuit. Jenner topped the look off with matching gloves and beige leather sandals.

(Image courtesy of People.com)

Yara Shahidi

Yara Shahidi’s outfit was inspired by Josephine Baker, a legendary American-French entertainer. She was the first Black woman to star in a major motion picture, ‘Siren of the Tropics’, which was released in 1927.

Shahidi wore a custom Christian Dior strapless silk dress embroidered with beads, a thin belt around the waist, and complete with a short trail and gold tulle cape. She also wore matching gloves, a braided cap and a plunging diamond necklace. Her makeup was also by Dior Beauty.

(Image courtesy of Harper's Bazaar)

Kaia Gerber

Kaia Gerber made her debut at the Met Gala in custom Oscar de la Renta. The look was a re-creation of Bianca Jagger’s black Dior dress from when she attended the Met Gala back in 1981, with legendary American designer Halston by her side. The look featured a more floral-like pattern at the top of the corset, then flowed out like a ball gown.

The 20-year-old model even styled her hair just as Jagger did for the look, keeping it simple yet chic.

(Image courtesy of Vogue)

Gigi Hadid

The model wore a custom white column dress featuring a thigh-high leg slit in the back by Prada, with black leather elbow gloves, embellished tights and crystal black pointed pumps. Her normally blonde hair was red for the night, styled in a high ponytail finished with a black Prada clip.

The look was somewhat reminiscent of a pink strapless Christian Dior gown and white gloves the former first lady wore to a dinner at the White House celebrating André Malraux, then France’s Minister of Cultural Affairs, in 1962.

(Image courtesy of ELLE)

The Red Dress

Megan Fox

Jennifer’s Body actress Megan Fox channelled Bettie Page wearing a stunning red lace-up dress by Dundas with a high leg slit. Her hair was styled into a braid with baby bangs with fiery red lipstick which completed her sexy pinup girl persona. According to the designer the dress took 50 embroiders to work through out to make this a significant piece.

(Image courtesy of People.com)

Emily Ratajkowski

The model brought the heat to the red carpet. She sported a red fitted sheer lacey dress by Vera Wang with a gigantic flower on the neck of the dress. Many fans believe that it was a nod to the HBO series Sex and the City’s character Carrie Bradshaw. The off-the-shoulder look featured a sharp plunging neckline with sheer cut-outs that highlighted her figure.

(Image courtesy of Grazia)

Karlie Kloss

The model opted for a custom-made gown by Carolina Herrera that featured a plunging neckline mini dress that mimicked a gown’s look with the super glamorous pleated train that swept the floor in a circular pattern. This outfit is a straight-up inspiration borrowed from the national flower of America also referred to as roses. The full-sleeved attire had fabric roses placed at the neckline that cascaded from her shoulders to arms.

(Image courtesy of pop sugar.co.uk)

Ella Emhoff

The daughter of second gentleman of US and recent Parsons graduates certainly earned her fashion cred, sporting a dramatic, bedazzled long sleeved bodysuit with sheer panelling and shiny, patent paper bag waist pants in a matching shade of vivid scarlet, portions of which were reportedly made from recycled materials. Both pieces, as well as her matching mask and platform sneakers are by Stella McCartney for Adidas, and the look manages to put into practice her passion for feeling comfortable in her own skin.

(Image courtesy of People.com)

Activism at the MET

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

New York congresswoman AOC attended the gala wearing a full-length white gown with ‘Tax the Rich’ written on its back in bold, red letters. Ocasio-Cortez told AP that her dress was about, ‘having a real conversation about fairness and equity in our system,’ and added how it related to the debate over the budget reconciliation bill.

(Image courtesy of Teen Vogue)

Cara Delevingne

The model walked the Met Gala 2021 red carpet wearing a white bulletproof vest with the phrase ‘Peg the Patriarchy’ written out front - designed by Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri. Upon seeing the final outfit, Delevingne was reportedly emotional. ‘I nearly burst into tears; I felt so grateful. It’s my most simple Met piece, but it says got it all for itself,’ she told Vogue while getting ready for the met.

(Image courtesy of refinery29.com)

Dan Levy

Collaborating with Loewe designer Jonathan Anderson, Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy created a custom look honouring ‘the resilience and the love and the joy’ of the LGBTQ+ community. Levy and Anderson used the artwork of AIDS activist David Wojnarowicz depicting two men kissing. The outfit also reportedly asked ‘you hear that, DaBaby?’ at the back.

(Image courtesy of Vanity Fair)

Nikkie de Jager

The YouTuber who goes by the name NikkieTutorials paid tribute to activist and drag queen Marsha P. Johnson by wearing a ‘pay it no mind’ sash, pointing out Marsha's motto on gender and identity. Nikkie, who came out as transgender last year, was also inspired by the costumes of Midsommar for the Gala.

(Image courtesy of People.com)

Quannah Chasinghorse

Indigenous model and activist Quannah Chasinghorse went viral after users started circulating photos of her appearance at the Chasinghorse is of Hän Gwich’in (from Alaska and Canada) and Oglala Lakota (from South Dakota) ancestry, and her ensemble at the benefit gala reflected that. Her flowing gold lamé dress was paired with layered pieces of turquoise jewellery that came from Jocelyn Billy-Upshaw’s personal collection and featured Navajo artists from across the Southwest. ‘The turquoise jewellery represents protection, guidance, and love in Navajo culture,’ explains Chasinghorse. ‘I grew up close to Navajo people and culture.’

(Image courtesy of Vogue)

Grimes

Grimes made a statement on the met gala’s red carpet by debuting in Iris Van Herpen. She wore a dune inspired gown and a mask holding a lighted book and a SWORD. Iris always has a pretty heavy presence on the carpet but grime’s look is all about the sword. The sword was made from melted down AR-15 assault rifle giving a nod to call for more stricter gun control regulation. The sword is set to become a part of Met’s this year’s collection.

(Image courtesy of People.com)

Americana

Jennifer Lopez

Singer and Actress opted for a cowgirl persona in a dramatic beaded brown Ralph Lauren gown with a plunging neckline and super-high slit, along with tons of Western-inspired accessories. The look was completed with fur bolero cape, holster belt and a wide brimmed hat.

(Image courtesy of ELLE)

Ciara

The singer paid homage to one of America’s favourite past times: American football in a lime-green sequined dress, inspired by her husband, Seahawks quarterback, Russell Wilson. Ciara sported his jersey number (No. 3) — and his Super Bowl XLVIII ring, when Seattle beat Denver 43–8 in February 2014. Ciara’s custom dress was designed by Peter Dundas and was also inspired by Geoffrey Beene’s jersey dress — a sequined design that emulated a Minnesota Vikings jersey in the 1960s. Her look featured side cut-outs, exaggerated shoulders and an open back. She accessorized with a bedazzled football clutch, and wore her long, blonde-brown hair in a voluminous ponytail.

(Image courtesy of People.com)

The naked dress

Zoe Kravitz

Zoë Kravitz opted to go a bit more, well, naked. The stunning actress opted for a halter chainmail dress made entirely out of rhinestones. (There were little YSL initials in the middle of each chainmail diamond.) Kravitz’s slinky look left little to the imagination and came with none other than a matching rhinestone thong.

(Image courtesy of ELLE)

Irina Shayk

If there’s anyone who can pull off an (almost) completely sheer look at the Met 2021 it’s none other than Irina Shayk. The Russian model hit the red carpet tonight wearing Moschino, currently helmed by American designer and Shayk’s close friend Jeremy Scott. She wore a sheer beige gown with floral cut-outs slathered across the train. Even then, Shayk’s risk-taking didn’t stop there. She also opted to do a major leg reveal that trailed all the way up to the upper thigh – subtly invoking a major Angelina Jolie moment.

(Image courtesy of Vogue)

Camp 2.0

Kim Kardashian West

Kim is always known for going out of her way to make a statement for the red carpet. While her face was covered, Kim turned heads when she hit the red carpet in a custom outfit designed by the Balenciaga creative director. The bold look includes a black curve T-shirt under a T-shirt dress, while she also sported an incorporated bodysuit. The KUWTK star and mogul completed the ensemble with jersey boots leggings, jersey gloves, and a mask that hid her entire face.

The look launched a lot of memes across the internet and has set to become one of the most iconic looks to grace the Met Red Carpet.

(Image courtesy of Glamour)

Lil Nas X

The Call me by your Name singer had not ONE, not TWO but THREE outfit changes on the Red Carpet. This year is Lil Nas X’s first time attending the Met Gala. The rapper chose to wear a dramatic ensemble custom-designed by Donatella Versace.For his first outfit reveal, Lil Nas X wore an ornate cape that was covered in intricate gold beading. The design had a royal feel to it. The cape had a long, flowing train that couldn’t help but command attention on the red carpet.

Shortly after taking to the carpet in his cape, Lil Nas removed it to reveal a golden suit of armour underneath it. But the bold statements didn’t end there. The star shed that layer and slithered out in a slinky bodysuit, the bodycon design covered in crystals and Versace’s signature house print.

(Image courtesy of Page Six)

Rihanna

The Met Gala might as well be named after Rihanna as everyone wants to see what she’ll pull off. There’s not a super-clear statement relating to the theme with her duvet-dress ensemble to the theme, but if one is going to ignore the theme the way to do is through Balenciaga Couture. Rihanna completed the look with a bejewelled head piece and statement necklace by topped with a black beanie. But what was iconic about her look was that it was a message for empowering black community.

‘Well, I wanted a look that seemed very powerful, yet feminine, yet like a Black hoodie, which is usually the thing that we are incriminated by as Black People I wanted to empower that and take it and make it mine and make it fashion,’ said Rihanna.

(Image courtesy of Allure)

Iman

There were a lot of eye-catching looks in this year’s met however, nothing compares to Iman’s show-stopping Harris Reed gown, produced with the support of Dolce & Gabbana. Beginning with jacquard gold bustier and flared trousers, the look erupted into an enormous crinoline skeleton bedecked with layers of feathers covered with gold leaf. Topped with an extravagant, Bob Mackie-esque feathered headdress that radiated outwards like a glowing halo, it was an outfit befitting of a queen. The Costume Institute will host its first two-part exhibition, on the theme of American fashion, during 2021 and 2022. Part one, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, will open in the Anna Wintour Costume Centre on 18 September, 2021 and will remain on display when In America: An Anthology of Fashion, opens on 5 May, 2022 in the period rooms of the American Wing.

(Image courtesy of People.com)