The only outfits that imported at the 2021 Met Gala
It hardly passed as an act of praise for how good America is in terms of culture.
Who would have foreshadowed the next outrage Met Gala 2021 had to offer, right? Regardless of the theme, or presumably making it a fair pass, many outfits turned out pretty flat for millions of viewers.
Disappointment spread like wildfire among all those who became critics, and Instagram feeds were more memes than dress appreciations. Therefore, to balance negative opinions, it is best to focus on the outfit that made the cut, even if it is quite subtle.
The nuances of the subject
Many were quick to point out how the issue itself was a mistake. However, I would walk away from that thought. No matter what the subject is, it can and should be conceptualized into something as big as the Met.
A fashion lexicon does not necessarily mean to show only the good things about America, it can also be used to challenge existing problems, which some outfits did, but many ignored.
American history is not devoid of its whitewash, victories and learnings that could have been fairly used to provoke viewers to think of a better and inclusive future for all in the American Dream.
That said, the second half of the event would certainly be outrageous to behold, considering the backlash netizens gave to the first of two rounds of praise for upcoming American fashion designers.
An article titled Democratizing Fashion aptly explains the phenomenon, even though the study is related to the fine line between journalism and blogging.
“Although historically it may have been possible to identify a popular figure who personified beauty (eg Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe), we are now faced with multiple ideals of beauty that reflect the proliferation of lifestyles, cultures and ethnic groups that comprise American culture. "
The statement could have been the advantage so that the theme of the event was taken correctly.
Controversial and provocative attacks
From talks about taxing the rich to benchmark cuts called unappealing and nondescript, many stars were "denounced" for controversial statements (or none) they made.
ERL - A $ ap Rocky
Beyond all the netizen memes, the ERL quilt was one of the few that had a significant American history woven into what A $ ap Rocky appeared at the Met Gala. Quilts in American history had a time as family heirlooms and were often passed down from generation to generation.
For the Gala piece, designer Eli Russell Linnetz used scrap fabric and scraps of old clothing. The entire practice became known as 'Memory Quilting', which was renewed by ERL. Often times, the practice created quilts that were in the spirit of the fabric age, and therefore someone can point to the year the quilt belongs to if they are familiar with fabrics and textiles.
Balenciaga - Kim Kardashian
This has been the elephant in the room for quite some time and therefore deserves to be solved soon. Kim Kardashian's custom Balenciaga outfit revealed nothing, as many sources mention. The ensemble consisted of a figure-flattering T-shirt dress with two extended trails and what looked like long boots. The long ponytail was by far the only non-opaque accessory.
The explanation justifies the outfit as a promotion for Donda, Kanye West's latest album. The whole story of the divorce between the two is unrelated to the Met, and it shouldn't be taken into account if she really wants to promote the release.
However, promoting a music album at The Met seems like too superficial a reason to don an outfit and end the night. Sure one can overthink it and define it as an act of showing how their assets became a benchmark that the world aspired to, but it is far from this universe that anyone will downplay their success just to demonstrate a repentant reality.
Many also noted the similarity of the garment to Burka, a traditional piece worn by Muslim women by choice. The double standards were evident on how Muslim women are ridiculed for their choice of 'modest' clothing, considering them oppressed, while the same outfit is celebrated when worn by a mainstream celebrity. "The hypocrisy is obvious, so in that sense, maybe it was very American." mentions Hafsa Lodi in Independent.
Zac Posen by Debbie Harry
An American fashion designer known for his dress designs did not flinch from his deliveries to the Met and was certainly on the list of designers who understood the 'homework'. Posen chose an ensemble reminiscent of the American flag for American singer Debbie Harry.
Created from repurposed denim, the jacket is matched to blue with red and at the same time wrinkled with straps underneath, completing the colors of the flag. The straps are gathered around a wide caged crinoline made of metal, reminiscent of the crinolines used in the 1860s.
Posen made no reference to anything ingrained in American history except the cage, however the symbolism with the craftsmanship is evident, citing Denim's rich history and the tattered condition of the strips, very similar to the duality of American life. .
Dundas - Ciara
The floor-length green dress with a little trace and cutouts was worn by Ciara. This was one of the views at the Met that completed the theme from head to toe. Dundas' new mindset kept the dress gleaming green in keeping with Geoffrey Beene's creations.
Beene, as an American fashion designer, was known for his baggy pullover dresses for women back in the 1960s. Combining pop art with something conventionally masculine and promoting it to women in the 1960s was a great goal he accomplished. .
Dundas puts a modern take on original jersey dresses, giving it a figure-hugging silhouette, with a quarterback shoulder design to match the shoulders of football players. The number 3 on the torso has meaning to Ciara as her husband Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks) wears it as her jersey number.
It's quite a feat at this point to mention something as American as football, and the concept is carried to its epitome with a sequined bag designed like a soccer ball and a super bowl-shaped ring.
Dan Levy - Loewe
Loewe's creation was one of the rare ones with multiple points of reference. It can be difficult to begin to explain the ensemble, but the overall inspiration goes back to gay artist David Wojnarowicz, who also happened to be an AIDS activist.
The graphic of two men kissing was taken from one of the artists' works titled F * ck You F * ggot F * cker. The image was in response to a cartoon in which homosexuals were mocked. Thus, the image changed the dialogue from hating the preference to celebrating its growing acceptance.
The map details in print are also reminiscent of David's time, when after WWII maps (made from silk for easy folding) were reused to create dresses, without letting the fancy fabric go to waste. Not to mention, the shoes had crepe roses on the front to denote America's national flower.
Hollywood references
America's avant-garde is incomplete not to mention Hollywood in the hills, and the same was embraced by many designers for the Met's red carpet. Once again, many missed the mark by creating shocking nostalgia for movie enthusiasts.
Prabal Gurung - Gemma Chan
Prabal Gurung is a namesake brand run by said Singapore-born Nepalese fashion designer. Raised in Kathmandu and New York, his ideas arise from the conjunction of diverse cultures.
For the Met, her statements were no less subtle. Honoring Anna May Wong, the first Asian-American Hollywood star (of Chinese descent) in the 1920s. The dragon dress the actress wore was the brainchild of costume designer Travis Banton, which Gurung put a twist on turning it into a cocktail length with a pastel green pseudo-layer spread.
Herself, actress and producer, muse Gemma Chan is proud to sport Wong's iconic hairstyle and claims that she "despite facing prejudice and stereotypes, she fought against the discrimination she faced in Hollywood."
Givenchy - Kendall Jenner
Almost all the Met give us a different version of the 'nude' dress. Similar to her previous versions, the one Kendall Jenner wore was quite reminiscent of the one Kim Kardashian wore.
However, the symbolism struck differently, with Kendall as Givenchy's muse, she regards the dress as an ode to Audrey Hepburn and her close friendship with Hubert de Givenchy. It's not questionable deep down, but the concept completely fades knowing that the scene being referenced was from My Fair Lady in which the dress wasn't even designed by Givenchy (it was by Cecile Beaten).
Another area where the dress did not hit the mark was in reference to Hepburn herself, who was British. She was a well-known and celebrated Hollywood actress, but her ethnicity, even in the conceptualized film, was not American.
The dress could have been a perfect pass on symbolism if the American characters played by the actor were prominently displayed.
Notable items and accessories
Of the roughly three hundred invited guests to the Met, more than half of the celebrities wore a recent piece from the designer's Fall-Winter or Spring-Summer line. Of course, the influence was for American designers to shine, but the reaction they received was ten times greater.
However, some pieces had elements that refer to the history, victories and semiotics of the United States. Not as flashy as the camp, however, some subtle handbags or headdresses make the cut to call it a representation of the West.
Iris Van Herpen - Grimes
The highlight of the Grimes ensemble was not the creation of Iris Van Herpen, but the medieval presence of the sword juxtaposed with the futuristic imagination of the Dutch designer. Known for experimental versions of her music, Grimes became the perfect muse. Herpen calls it the 'Bene Gesserit' look, mentioning the details of the twenty-six meters of draped silk.
The sword was created from a melted AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle by the low-key art brand MSCHF. That level of lethal presence was also accompanied by a book, an obvious nod to the Lady of Liberty. The sword will become part of the Met Museum as a memory.
Brother Vellies - Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
The mermaid dress that blatantly read 'Tax the Rich' looked controversial (again). Being a politician, the tax scoreboard was itself a bold move by Vellies, however, given that Cortez was covered in a pre-event conference on the situation of the Taliban.
While there were many more that can be listed in terms of American symbolism as a statement in fashion history (Nikki Tutorials and Amanda Gorman, to name a few good ones), it is often comprehensive enough to study each garment. .
The fact that the highlights of the Met can be summed up in a short review makes it a brand to increase its potential next May with the theme 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion'.
