2023 Met Gala Critique — Spoiled Splendid

It’s often said that the Met Gala is fashion’s biggest night and I couldn’t agree more. This year was a tribute to the controversial designer Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty. Lagerfeld passed away in 2019 and held the helm of the Houses of Chanel, Chloé and Fendi as well as his eponymous brand. Love him or hate him, no single man of our generation has had more influence on fashion. The night was to honour his legacy - and while some attendees nailed it, others missed the mark. And when the stakes are as high as the Met Gala, simply wearing a vintage dress does not cut it.

THE BEST

Emily Ratajkowski stunned in this geometric Tory Burch gown. The pattern of this dress is meant to mimic the stitching on a classic Chanel bag. The plunging blush tulle dress was a refreshing change from the sea of black and white dresses. The hair and makeup gave me Audrey Hepburn vibes. One of the top picks of the night.

Janelle Monae was born for this event - Lagerfeld, like Monae, wore signature black and white. This year Janelle gave us a Lady Gaga-esque performance as her stylists unwrapped her on the carpet. From her Thom Brown oversized hommage to a Chanel coat to her futuristic embellished crinoline, Janelle was ready for the cameras. Overrall, this look stood out from the rest but I have 2 minor criticisms: the boots are a miss and the jacket should have been pinned to the petticoat so it had lined up (the first picture shows it was uneven). But beyond that, I love the Thom Brown ties in the hair, her hair and makeup are stunning, and she has yet again proven to be a fashion dream.

Doja Cat was the cat’s pajamas in Oscar de la Renta. Lagerfeld had one love in his later life - his cat Choupette. And who better to pay tribute to a cat than…Doja Cat! The gown fits her perfectly and took over 5000 hours to create. The dress is embellished with 350,000 glass beads and weighs over 30 pounds. To complete the look, her makeup artist used prosthetics to give her a feline look. Meow!

Bad Bunny was perfectly on theme in Jacquemus. His all white tweed tuxedo featured a very daring backless jacket/shirt. To complete the look, he added a 26 foot long white floral scarf to pay homage to the signature Chanel camellia flower. Bad Bunny embraces fashion and I was thrilled to see a newcomer to the carpet take such a risk, and it paid off. This is what I would have worn if I was in attendance. (Sorry I couldn’t find a shot of the back)

Jared Leto as Choupette made me smile. I didn’t love his embellished black caped Gucci outfit that was underneath. But watching him walk the steps in this incredible furry costume made my night. The guy has guts to walk up the 24 steps in that outfit. Well done - I’m sure you would have given Karl a giggle. Next time stay in the costume for the rest of the night please.

Naomi Campbell looked radiant in a 2010 Chanel couture gown. The details on this dress are so tasteful and elegant - just like Naomi’s hair and makeup. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look better. And with the carpet underneath her, the dress pops even more. Perfection.

Nicole Kidman didn’t wow me in this dress BUT….when I heard the story, I got it. Nicole has been the face of Chanel for years - but this is the dress she wore in the Chanel No. 5 commercial n 2004. The light pink silk gown is completed with over 250 ostrich feathers and over 3000 sequins. However, I just need her to run her hand through her hair please…I get the casual hair, but this is bordering on messy.

Cardi B looked like a Chanel Barbie in this look that would have made even Karl smile. This creation was created by Chenpeng Studios and there are just so many things to love. The nod to Karl’s love of tailoring, the quilting on the skirt reminiscent of the quilted Chanel bag, and the black leather Camellia flowers. This is a very put-together and intelligent look for the evening. Someone did their homework and ended up Best in Class!

Cara Delevingne was one of Lagerfeld’s muses and closest friends. So it’s not surprising that she nailed the look tonight. While Lagerfeld is mostly known for his women’s wear, he was also known for his own sense of style. His crisp white shirt with oversized collar was made specifically for him (and his tailor still today refuses to recreate it for anyone!). Cara takes the iconic dress shirt and turns it into a sexy mini-shirt dress with black leggings and fingerless gloves. She even colored her hair to Karl’s silver color. The oversized sleeves also gave a cape-like effect to add to the drama. So fierce!

Lizzo won the night in custom Chanel. She took a classic Chanel look and pushed the envelope…then pushed it a lil further. I love all the lil the details including the pearl Chanel boots and stacked bracelets. While this might be a bit literal for the event, the girl looks stunning. Love. Love. Love.

Jessica Chastain made my jaw drop in the velvet and tulle Gucci gown. She floated up the stairs with her new platinum hair and black sunglasses (both a nod to Lagerfeld). The attitude. The silhouette. The sexiness. Karl would have been proud.

THE WORST

Kylie Jenner clearly went to the wrong event. She is a beautiful girl but this dress didn’t belong at this event. This red Jean-Paul Gauthier gown is lovely but I do not see the Karl Lagerfeld connection. Fail.

I adore Dua Lipa but this Chanel dress was boring - especially for a co-chair. Claudia Schiffer originally wore this dress…but it’s too matronly for Dua Lipa. And even the 200+ carats of Tiffany diamonds can’t save this look. Sorry.

Kim Kardashian’s Schiaparelli dress is lovely - but not on Kim and not for this event. First - the positives: the dress is incredible. It took over 1000 hours to make and utilized over 50,000 freshwater pearls. Kim’s hair and makeup look beautiful. Now the rest of it. It’s a nude illusion dress - so why is the nude fabric so far from Kim’s skin tone. A dress of this calibre would have taken this into account - which makes me think that this dress wasn’t actually meant for her. Secondly, the pearls are covering all the essential parts….though a few more strands would have been more tasteful. However, with so much going on with the dress, why add a crazy heavy diamond choker. And when I saw the scarf/wrap/etc around her, I could only assume she had it for the same reason she had the fur coat last year - because the dress didn’t do up in the back. Lastly - while Lagerfeld did use a lot of pearls in his designs, this was too much of a stretch. It was close, but no cigar.

Jeremy Pope - you need to surround yourself with people who are more educated in fashion. This was too…basic. Time to hire a new stylist. Btw - did Anna Wintour really approve this bad Rihanna knock-off?