A Comprehensive Review of the Met Gala 2023
Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty: Reviewed by Marley Vogel: On Her Substack Newsletter
It’s the first Monday in May which means happy holidays to all who celebrate. This year’s theme was Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty, celebrating the life and works of–you guessed it–Karl Lagerfeld. Lagerfeld was not only a personal friend of event chairwoman Anna Wintour, but also a prolific designer, having work at houses such as Chanel, Fendi, Chloé, Patou, Balmain, and his own label.
Admittedly, I am not a Karl Lagerfeld superfan, I don’t happen to love everything he’s ever said, and I also kind of think his work pretty much stopped being super innovative around the 90s and the aughts. That is to say, I’m no expert on this year’s red carpet and please fact check me on my references. Nonetheless, I will proceed and tell you all of my opinions on this year’s looks. I have organized them by what theme’s of Lagerfeld’s work they appear to be playing on. Interspersed with some “iconic” quotes by the man himself.
“Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.”
- Karl Lagerfeld in his book The World According to Karl
Suiting, Socks, and Tweed!
Personally, I think Karl Lagerfeld’s most iconic work was done at Chanel. He started his work at the house in 1982 and continued as the face and visionary behind the brand until his death. For me, the idea of “Vintage Chanel” always brings to mind tweed, mini-skirt suits and white socks paired with mary janes. In honor of this concept, my first category of looks for the evening is Suiting, Hosiery, and Tweed.
As a host for the evening’s event, Emma Chamberlain was under a lot of pressure to perform. On top of that, she dared to go out in Miu Miu, a brand that Lagerfeld has never worked for. In advance of this year’s Met, I was most interested to see how other brands would respond to the theme while staying true to their own image. Miu Miu was an excellent choice for Chamberlain, as the Miu Miu girl is a playful young woman, just like the influencer herself. I also think Miu Miu nailed the balance of staying true and staying on theme. Cropped suiting, white socks with sandals, low skirts, and crystal embellishments all harken back to trademarks of Lagerfeld’s style. But the powder blue color, raw hems, chunky headband, and mega platforms are quintessential Miu Miu.
This isn’t a suit, I know, but it’s got a collar? If I’m being honest, I find this look pretty boring. Lagerfeld loved a signature black and white color palette, and he loved his black suit jacket over a crisp white shirt. And again, that crystal lapel on Kendall’s look plays with themes of suiting and workwear, but other than that I don’t think there is much to look at here. Sure, the sleeves are interesting, but they aren’t really ground breaking and the shoes are giving Heaven by Marc Jacobs and not in the good way.
Where would we (or Karl Lagerfeld’s legacy) be without a stunning woman in a tweed suit. Teyana Taylor in this low waisted skirt paired with the high-cut hips on the jacket make her just about the hottest thing to ever sport the pattern. The tweed on this suit is accented with the iconic Thom Browne, criss-cross stitching on the seams, making this look the meeting of two iconic styles. Taylor also completed the look with a gorgeous netted headpiece, as seen in many Chanel shows over the decades, and an homage to Lagerfeld’s signature sunglasses (more on that later).
After giving birth to her first child, Keke Palmer could not look better. With a retro inspired glam, she looked absolutely magical in a custom Sergio Hudson gown. I could admire the attention to detail on the pearl encrusted, pastel tweed (pictured far left) all day. Palmer nailed the theme while still staying young and fresh.
"Pissing everywhere is not very Chanel."
- Karl Lagerfeld
Camellias…or Camélias if You’re Fancy/French
Coco Chanel was known for her love of the camellia (camélia) flower. “Compared to the opulence of a rose, she preferred the camellia’s sobriety and geometric roundedness, with classic and consistent ordering of the petals, intelligible yet beautiful, like the woman that she was” (read more on that here.) In 1913 Mademoiselle Chanel pinned a white camellia to her belt, and the rest was history. Naturally, the prevalence of camellias at the house continued under Lagerfeld’s reign, and references were plenty at the Met this year.
First of all, the eyelashes on the sunglasses; please let me know if they are referencing something and if so what that something is. Onto things I do know, Rihanna looked absolutely immaculate in her hooded Valentino gown. She then looked even more stunning when the hood was converted into a wrap and revealed camellia references down to her earrings and jaw dropping Bulgari pearls around her neck. I also cannot get over her glam.
London based label Chenpeng Studio nailed this year’s theme when dressing Cardi B for the evening. The rapper looked stunning in a black ball gown adorned with absolutely giant camellia appliqués covering every inch of the skirts. Further, the neckline of the gown playfully juxtaposed a sweetheart neckline with a white collared shirt and black tie. Cardi B’s silver hair with a thick black headband was the ultimate retro reference. She continues to be a welcome Met Gala guest in my books.
Oh to be Bad Bunny in a backless, crystal embellished Jacquemus suit with a dramatic floral train. I hate when men on the red carpet just wear a designer suit like it’s any old day at the office on Wall Street. From carrying around a massive sunflower at the 2021 Grammy’s to custom Burberry at last year’s Met, Bad Bunny does not shy away from a theme. This year was no exception, the backless suit played with typical menswear in a modern way and paired with the camellia train the inspiration for this look was clear and impactful.
“I’d kill myself first.”
- Karl Lagerfeld when asked, “Between Virgil Abloh, Jacquemus and Jonathan Anderson, who would you willingly take to a desert island to end your days with?”
Direct References to Lagerfeld’s Work
As mentioned earlier, Karl Lagerfeld has had a prolific career across various fashion houses. Starting at Patou in the 60s, and until his dying day in 2019, Lagerfeld left an impression on global fashion and lended his voice to the legacy of many designer houses. Many celebrities on the Met Gala carpet either riffed on looks from his rolodex or borrowed them all together.
Debuting in 1983, the violin dress Lagerfeld designed for Chloé was worn not once, but twice, at this year’s Met Gala. After being revamped by Chloe Sevingy in 2013 both Olivia Wilde and Margaret Zhang decided to take the design for a spin last night. In 2023, both woman decided to turn this mini dress into a red carpet gown. Zhang kept the black color and added a cape while Wilde turned the dress white and retained the wrist gauntlets (sans gloves.) Personally, I think Zhang’s version is cooler and more modern, her electric blue bob and sunglasses channel the funky and playful design into something fresh and modern. Conversely, I think the violin effect gets lost against Wilde’s choice of white fabric and the gauntlets are too Wonder Woman without the classic gloves underneath.
Eva Chen’s dress is referencing the penultimate and the finale dresses from Lagerfeld’s SS2000 Fendi Ready-to-Wear show. However, this year, the mermaid inspired dress has been couture-ified by Kim Jones, Fendi’s current Creative Director. The color seems to be drawn from one ‘00 dress and the crinkled, mirrored effect from the other. The green and silver were a welcome sight on this heavily black, white, and gold carpet, and Chen’s headpiece beautifully references some of Lagerfeld’s most iconic styling moments over the many decades of his career.
Naomi Campbell proved why she is one the world’s first super models. She looked like a vision of simple elegance in a Chanel Couture gown from SS10. The sleek hair serves to make the gown look more mature and effortless than the original hairpiece on the runway, and the asymmetric placement of the silver cuffs on her arm play excellently with the one shoulder drape of the gown.
“I’m a kind of fashion nymphomaniac who never gets an orgasm.”
- Karl Lagerfeld
Gold Chains and Pearls
Karl Lagerfeld loved a pearl necklace embellishment and a sweeping gold chain. There isn’t really much else to say about that, so here are some guests who wore Gold Chains and Pearls.
Karlie Kloss announced her second pregnancy while wearing a Loewe gown printed with the shadows of Karl Lagerfeld’s signature draped necklaces and low-waisted chain belts. (A direct reference to a dress once worn by Anna Wintour in which all the chains and necklaces were in fact embroidery. ) The effect was further accent by actual pearls worn in both of these areas, presenting both the suggestion of this iconic look and the actualization. Meanwhile, the whole look called back to the blurred dresses in Loewe’s most recent runway show. Genius. I love you Jonathan Anderson.
Anne Hathaway and Versace continue to prove to be a powerful pairing in terms of celebrity fashion (and when it comes to styling Annie, Erin Walsh never disappoints). This look also could have fell under the tweed category, but I was much more interested in the gold safety pins encrusted with massive pearls that appear to be holding the gown on Hathaway’s body. The blend of textures and materials here serves to masterfully blend modern Versace with classic 90s Chanel in a gorgeous way. I will also be talking about Anne Hathaway’s Priscilla Presley style bump-it hair for months to come.
This may be the only look from the Karl Lagerfeld label I have ever liked, but I also can only find sources telling me that Lagerfeld designed the cape, I have no clue where the rest of this look came from. Regardless, as we have established, I love a man in a giant dramatic cape or train. I also love how the classic white pearl necklaces are blended with black pearls and black lace ruffles in order to create an androgynous, gothic feel. And though the pearls aren’t the focus of this look, they stand out to me.
“She is like a kept woman. She has a strong personality. She has lunch and dinner with me on the table, with her own food. She doesn’t touch my food. She doesn’t want to eat on the floor. She sleeps under a pillow and she even knows how to use an iPad. She has two personal maids, for both night and day. She is beyond spoiled.”
- Karl Lagerfeld on his cat, Choupette
Choupette the Cat
Karl Lagerfeld loved no one more than his Birman cat, Choupette. He loved her so much he nickname his favorite models and muses as his “Choupettes.” Thus, celebrities on the Met carpet chose to channel their inner Choupette this year in her honor. (She’s still around and kicking by the way.)
Doja Cat took her stage name to heart, and I am not upset about it. This woman can commit to a theme better than anyone else. In full facial prosthetics, Doja Cat wore my favorite look of the night. The Met Gala is hosted by the Costume Institute afterall. Not to mention the Oscar de la Renta gown is absolutely mesmerizing, in white and silver, with a full crystal cowl, and a cloud-like feather train. Doja Cat committed so her she even “meowed” in her interviews.
Jared Leto. The eyes are literally haunting. They are piercing. He must be so hot in there. I know he changed into something else but I don’t even care. This is his only look I’ll ever remember. Scarier than Morbius, but at least it’s a costume!
“[Critics] are fat mummies sitting with their bags of crisps in front of the television, saying that thin models are ugly.”
- Karl Lagerfeld
Chanel Brides
Karl Lagerfeld was known for closing many of his Chanel shoes with his “bride.” This bride was a muse of his dressed in, you guessed it, a white gown designed to make a lasting impression. Here are my thoughts on some of 2023’s Chanel Brides.
Dua Lipa looked jaw dropping in this Chanel FW92 gown, but I can’t help feeling it is under-styled. I much prefer the hat worn by the Chanel Bride in ‘92 to the massive pendent worn around Dua Lipa’s neck here. The dress draws a lot of attention to the chest and the deep scoop neck speaks for itself on the original model. I find that Lipa’s necklace distracts from this effect, and the vintage glamour is lost with the elimination of the classic, little hat. Gorgeous but underwhelming.
Elle Fanning referenced her first meeting with Lagerfeld, where she wore a little black jacket and a daisy crown. Except this time she was in a Vivienne Westwood gown and looked like a true bride down to the bouquet. Alton Mason also sported a bouquet with his all white bridal look and veil. This heart-stopping look is made even more magnanimous when you learn that Mason was the first black male model ever to walk for Chanel, and that was as late as 2018. Penelope Cruz looked boring in a Chanel bridal ballgown and veil, that’s all I have to say about her.
"I think tattoos are horrible. It's like living in a Pucci dress full-time."
- Karl Lagerfeld
Karl’s Likeness
Karl Lagerfeld was known for his signature look, black sunglasses, black (fingerless, leather) gloves, white shirt, black tie, and a black jacket. As was to be expected, this year’s Met Gala guests were inspired by his iconic uniform.
Some took the inspiration more literally than others. Oscar winner Key He Quan nailed it with a spot on reference to the designer’s iconic look, down to the fingerless gloves and broach on his tie. Pete Davidson wore a more personalized version of the style, but even though he was in a t-shirt, trench, and bucket hat, the reference was clear through his gloves and glasses.
The most beautiful woman in the world, Jessica Chastain, shocked everyone with platinum blonde hair that honestly stole the show for me. As one of the world’s most famous redheads, seeing her blonde was definitely jarring, but unsurprisingly she looked amazing. Her black gown, sheer black gloves, and black sunglasses were clear references to Lagerfeld’s iconic style, but I think it looks better on her.
Whether it is Lily Collins in Vera Wang or Jeremy Pope in 5,000 meters of Balmain silk chiffon, apparently trains are like those flags that fly out of the back of little airplanes with ads on them that you read at the beach. You know the ones. Sorry, but these are too on the nose for me. The attention to detail in the Balmain look is amazing, and the manpower required is definitely awe-inspiring. But I still don’t like the way it looks. On the flip side, is the font on Lily’s Vera Wang gown Helvetica?
“I am a sort of vampire, taking the blood of other people.”
- Karl Lagerfeld
????
Whether I loved these looks or I hated them, I don’t get what they have to do with the theme. Can someone please help me?
Ok Pedro Pascal looks hot, truly this is fantastic. More men on red carpets in little shorts and socks like a young Prince Louis of Wales, please. And Kylie’s JPG gown is sexy with a fabulous color and texture contrast. But can someone please explain to me what either of these have to do with Karl Lagerfeld. I can vaguely see how Pascal’s look is suggestive of the male equivalent of a little Chanel mini skirt suit, but I feel like there has to be more here. With Kylie’s look I think I have to be missing something…
I’m gonna make the assumption that this feline-esque mask is to reference Choupette, but I’m honestly not sure. Regardless, Lil Nas X looks incredible and the attention to detail here is show stopping. Not to mention, the body paint and jewel work was done by Dame Pat McGrath, a personal favorite of mine.
“It’s unbelievable. If you don’t want your pants pulled about, don’t become a model! Join a nunnery, there’ll always be a place for you in the convent. They’re recruiting even!”
- Karl Lagerfeld on the #MeToo Movement
Shoutout to Elsa Schiaparelli
Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel were notorious enemies. I’m serious, read about it. Now, I know the theme was Karl Lagerfeld’s work, but his name is tied so closely to the Chanel brand that a special acknowledgement is due to anyone who dared wear Schiaparelli.
How am I ever supposed to feel good about myself again when I’m not Michaela Coel and I’m not wearing this custom Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown. The boob stars, the naval accent, and the drooping pearls on her lady parts are classic Schiaparelli anatomy. Is it very Karl at all? Perhaps, as the Schiaparelli instagram itself describes the “embroidered tromp l’oeil bijoux [as] inspired by Karl Lagerfeld’s costume jewelry.” This dress is perfection and so is she. Daniel Roseberry can do no wrong.
You’re doing amazing sweetie! Well actually, this is not my favorite look from Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli, maybe he can do a little wrong. I don't actively dislike it, it just is not my favorite look from Roseberry, Schiaparelli, or Kim for that matter. I think the pearls are too small, so when the image zooms out the effect is lost as the the drama turns into vague, white strands. Though the drooping pearls and floral sleeves on Kim’s cape liken back to Lagerfeld’s work, I don’t have much to say about them in terms of creativity, it is nothing nobody else wore. I’m much more interested in the way this references the classic meme of Kris filming Kim with words of encouragement.
"When I was four I asked my mother for a valet for my birthday"
- Karl Lagerfeld
Was that fun for you? It was fun for me.
I feel like after discussing 30 looks, it’s an appropriate time to wrap up this review and leave a little something to the imagination. However, I will leave you with a parting gift of what I would have worn if I was invited to Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty… tweed sweatpants. Destroy what he loved most by combining it with what he resented.