By Diana Kesablyan
The highly anticipated Met Gala came with many controversial fashion styles after this year of isolation. Due to Covid, the Met Gala was postponed last year. As a result, people had double the expectations for the grand occasion in 2021.
This year’s theme was “American Independence,” which also ties to the institute’s major exhibition “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” which asked participants to give a nod to past American icons. An example of a very successful rendition of another American star was Billie Eilish’s homage to Marilyn Monroe, or even Kia Gerber’s rendition of a Bianca Jagger look.
However, many celebrities were faced with a flood of criticism for not conforming to the expectations of American fashion. Some felt that there were many celebrities who were either not flamboyant enough or simply off theme.
“Although there were a lot of people who were off theme, I think Grimes did a really good job. She stayed on theme as she incorporated a weapon into her outfit. I think the sword showed how America allows its citizens the right to bear arms in addition to the violence in America,” senior Joelle Nana said.
One of the most controversial looks of the night came from American reality star and businesswoman Kim Kardashian. She showed up head to toe, in skin tight black Balenciaga, covering her whole body including her face.
Many believed that she was giving a nod to her ex husband Kanye West’s new album “DONDA” because it was all black like the album cover. Additionally, Kim attended the event with a man who was also covered from head to toe in black. While many theorized that the “mystery man” was Kanye, it was soon revealed that he was creative director of Balenciaga, Demna Gvasalia.
With this statement, Kim was saying that she was the lexicon of American fashion. Without seeing her face, everyone knew it was Kim from looking at her body, which speaks volumes on the influence she has had on American culture, fashion, and entertainemnt.
“I think Kim’s look was creative and iconic because she was confident enough to know that even being completely covered, everyone would know that it was her,” senior Trisha Devchoudhury said.
However, not everyone shared this admiration. Facing a lot of criticism, some believed that it was a lazy or unfashionable choice.
“What was Kim wearing! This is the Met Gala, she should have worn a nice dress or something that fit the theme. It was terrible,” senior Aisha Siddiqi said .
The fashion was not the only controversy of the night. Many were upset that influencers such as Dixie D’Amelio and Addison Rae were invited to the Met.
“I just don’t see why they would add influencers to the Met Gala invitation list. They aren’t real celebrities and don’t even understand fashion. They just make TikToks,” senior Narek Tovmasyan said.
Although the night was filled with many debates over fashion, appropriate attire, and invitation lists, it sure did look like a lot of fun. The Met Gala never seems to disappoint, because despite the terrible outfit decisions and awkward red carpet moments, it always sparks conversations, curiosity, and inspiration.
The Plaid Press 