The biggest day in the fashion calendar has finally happened, the Met Gala. The Met Gala Theme for 2023 was Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, the dress code being “in honour of Karl”.
This year’s Met Gala theme and exhibition honours the life and work of Karl Lagerfeld. A name so synonymous with fashion that even the most oblivious members of society know who Lagerfeld is and recognise him by his wispy white ponytail and dark shades. Karl Lagerfeld, most famously known for his work at Chanel, was one of the fashion industry’s most influential and highly sought-after designers. From the beginning of his career in 1954 until his death in 2019, Karl Lagerfeld worked alongside many great designers and was at the helm of many iconic houses, including Chanel, Fendi and Chloé.
The Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty theme has been met with criticism as Karl Lagerfeld was a largely controversial figure in his life. Often making disparaging remarks, which included fatphobia and misogyny.
At this point, the Met Gala dress code is merely a suggestion rather than a strictly carried out rule – as many chose to miss the brief again. For a theme honouring a man that heavily influenced the fashion industry as we know it, many of the looks were… uninspired. I was disappointed to see a lack of Chloé and Fendi on the Metropolitan steps.
The breakout star darling of the Met Gala 2023 was, without a shadow of a doubt, Thom Browne. His looks were interesting and daring – taking the classic Chanel tweed aesthetic and making it fresh.
Before the Gala, I was begging for someone to dress up as Choupette – Karl’s beloved cat. And whilst it’s not how I pictured it, we got two iterations by Jared Leto and Doja Cat. Now that I think of it, was there any doubt that Doja CAT was going to be dressed as else?
Despite the underwhelming display, there were some exceptional looks. Here are my favourite looks from the Met Gala 2023.
What were your favourite looks?
The Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty exhibition will be on display at the Metropolitan Museum. 150 original looks from his own line as well as the houses he worked under will be on display at the Met Gallery alongside the original design sketches until the 16th of July 2023.
Until next time,
Ashleigh x
Discover my favourite Met Gala looks through the ages.