The Met Gala occurs on the first Monday of May each year in New York City, and on that day we get to see celebrities dress up to match a theme. This year’s theme was Karl Lagerfeld, who was a German fashion designer. Lagerfeld began his career in fashion in the 1950s, working for several top fashion houses including Balmain, Patou, and Chloé, before joining Chanel in 1983. Sadly, Lagerfeld passed away in 2019 at the age of 85 due to pancreatic cancer. While past themes like “camp” and “punk” have given attendees broad creative leeway, this year’s theme is intended to honor Karl Lagerfeld and his work.
There’s been a controversy whether Karl Lagerfeld was a bad person due to actor Jameela Jamil criticising the Met Gala’s Karl Lagerfeld theme, saying the event celebrated a man who “was publicly cruel to women, to fat people, to immigrants and to sexual assault survivors.” Although the full story hasn’t been shared, the outfits can still be admired.
There were many well known celebrities such as: Rihanna, Jenna Ortega, Pedro Pascal, Kendall Jenner, Bad Bunny, Kim Kardashian, Doja Cat, Lil Nas X, Kylie Jenner, Dua Lipa, Cardi B, Jared Leto, and many more who attended. Of course, people can’t help but have their own opinion when it comes to how another person does things. At Durango High School, students were interviewed on their favorite and least favorite Met Gala outfits.
Avery Edgar, a sophmore and a fashion design student was questioned about her favorite Met Gala outfits. “I like Dua Lipa’s. It just looks really good on her, it’s simple but also has a lot of really great aspects to it. Just like the structure, the neckline, the fitted bodice and then it goes to this big skirt. And then I also like how it’s just like this off white cream color and then this black lining. It’s really sleek and simple but also really pretty and I think it goes with the theme really well. Edgar didn’t have a specific one that was her least favorite but she did have to say something about some of the celebrities who attended, “A lot of them are interesting like Lil Nas X and the one in the cat costume (Doja Cat), and then Pedro Pascal’s those are just…a lot.” Edgar’s thoughts were that some of them didn’t fit the theme as striking as others but they still looked magnificent.
Alyssa Scott, another sophomore and a fashion design student was also asked the same questions as Edgar. “I feel like my favorite was Kim Kardashian. I just felt like it really went with her body and the look, and I’ve had a thing for pearls lately like that’s what I’m doing for [my outfit]. So I just like it [due] to the elegance of it.” Just like Edgar, Scott didn’t have a specific least favorite outfit but she did have an opinion about everybody’s: “I feel like they were either hit or miss there wasn’t any in between. But I do have a thing for Kylie Jenner because it looks like that one interview of her mom where she wears the blue.”
Daniela Martinez is a freshman who was a model in the 2022 fashion show. Martinez’s favorite outfit was Jenna Ortega’s: “Jenna Ortega’s outfit is my favorite because the dress looks fashionable, the sleeves and the heels are super cute so no doubt her outfit is my favorite.” Martinez did have a least favorite, “I don’t find Kendall Jenner’s outfit to be appealing because the top looks like a bathing suit and the sleeves don’t help it. It’s almost like the designer didn’t know what to do exactly, but her shoes do make up for it.”
Luke Elias, who is also a freshman at Durango High School, was asked which was his favorite outfit and he responded with Jenna Ortega stating “I thought it was really understated but still super stylish and unique.” When asked what his least favorite outfit was he said Rihanna’s and A$AP Rocky’s. The reason for this being, “it was kind of weird, which is fine, but it seemed like it didn’t have any point or relatable aspects.” Another freshman at Durango High School, Kara O’Donnell, comments that her favorite outfit was Florence Pugh’s because, “she’s the best… she slayed so hard.” Lil Nas X was her least favorite because, “he just looked like a tin soldier.”
The Met Gala is always a well watched event with outfits that shock viewers every time. The outfits are often talked about for days after the event and the Gala circulates through social media every year with influencers rating them and giving their opinions on the creative outfits and the choices made by the celebrity wearing them. There are always occurrences at the Met Gala that make people laugh or cringe. For example, this year Doja Cat dressed as Karl Lagerfeld’s cat and meowed in an interview with Emma Chamberlain. Whether you’re into celebrity drama or not, it is always fun to tune into the Met Gala and see what outfits they show up in and what takes place each year.
