Four Lingering Questions from Last Night’s Metropolitan Museum Gala
The fashion world’s elite came out last night in what is likely one of the most important events in the industry, as well as a huge fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The fashion world’s elite came out last night in what is likely one of the most important events in the industry, as well as a huge fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In absorbing last night’s festivities, I had a few questions.
Who put on yellow face for the occasion?
The evening’s theme — Chinese fashion — accompanied the Met’s exhibit China: Through the Looking Glass, which has been raising eyebrows of those worried about cultural appropriation for the past few months. Given that the past two years’ dress codes — Punk and White Tie — were evidently difficult for guests to grasp, it was easy to assume the worst when a predominantly white crowd was told to dress “Chinese inspired.”
Though some trotted out in their chinoiserie, like Sarah Jessica Parker in a blasé H&M gown and spiky headdress that looks like she borrowed it from a drag queen named Ming Vase, or Jennifer Lopez in an Atelier Versace dragon mess, most guests played it safe, simply wearing a Communist red frock (Amal Clooney in Margiela) or flat out eschewing any kind of reference to Chinese design elements at all (Dakota Johnson in Chanel).
Are tech and fashion growing ever closer?
Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American Vogue and trustee of the Met, always has her usual guests of honor at the Met Gala, with Jennifer Lawrence getting the coveted seat this year as gala co-host and Gong Li as the token Chinese actress to tie in with the exhibition. But this year had a surprising guest: Marissa Mayer, chief executive of Yahoo. Given the huge advertising tie-in Conde Nast did with Apple to promote the hottest piece of wearable tech, having Yahoo co-sponsor the exhibition makes Anna seem very savvy about the very real future intersection of fashion and technology.
Why is FKA Twigs so amazing?
Strutting out in a dress designed by Christopher Kane that looks like Matisse figures wrapped around your body is one thing. Having a visible penis above your thigh brings it to a new level of amazing.
What the hell did Rihanna’s Guo Pei couture coat resemble?
Pizza? A sous chef’s omelette being poured into a cast iron pan? The internet may not reach a consensus, but at least we have a hilarious new fashion meme.
