Met Gala Countdown

6 min read

The Met Gala is one of the undisputed highlights of the fashion calendar, when designers, models, celebrities and editors come out to celebrate in style. We take a look at what we can expect from fashion’s biggest night out and reflect on some of New York’s most memorable red carpet moments.

By Natalie Trevis

Cara Delevingne, Stella McCartney, Kate Bosworth and Reese Witherspoon at the Met Gala, 2014. Photography by Christopher Smith/AdMedia/Corbis.

Cara Delevingne, Stella McCartney, Kate Bosworth and Reese Witherspoon at the Met Gala, 2014. Photography by Christopher Smith/AdMedia/Corbis.

Each year the great and the good of the fashion industry convene at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York for its annual fundraiser and the opening of its fashion exhibition. The home of no-holds-barred red carpet dressing, this is when fashion’s royalty comes out to shine. Prepare for the continuation of this season’s love affair with orientalism as the theme of the exhibition this year is China: Through The Looking Glass

Valentino, “Shanghai” collection 2013. Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, photography © Platon.

Valentino, “Shanghai” collection 2013. Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, photography © Platon.

Andrew Bolton, Curator of the Costume Institute, leads the exhibition, while legendary Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kaw-wai (In The Mood for Love) acts as art director and Hong Kong fashion tycoon Silas Chou hosts the gala (alongside Jennifer Lawrence and acclaimed Chinese actress Gong Li of Raise the Red Lantern and Memoirs of a Geisha). The exhibition will feature more than one hundred examples of couture and avant-garde pieces inspired by China. It will examine how Western culture has celebrated but also at times misunderstood (and perhaps misrepresented) Chinese culture over the years, as designers view China through a cinematic lens. As John Galliano tells Andrew Bolton in a fascinating interview in the exhibition’s catalogue, ‘yes, my initial interest in China was fueled by movies, by their fantasised and romanticised portrayals.’ Galliano’s spring/summer 2003 haute couture collection for Dior, an explosion of colour, voluminous fabric and theatrics, is just one of several hypnotic occasions where the designer was inspired by the beauty of China.

Actress Gong Li. Photography by Stephane Cardinale/People Avenue/People Avenue/Corbis.

Actress Gong Li. Photography by Stephane Cardinale/People Avenue/People Avenue/Corbis.

From L to R: Louis Vuitton SS11, Roberto Cavalli AW05, Prada SS13, Valentino AW13, Alexander McQueen SS15, Antonio Beradi SS15, Emilio Pucci SS13, Etro SS13 and Marni SS15. Images courtesy of Corbis and Gorunway.

The challenge will be for today’s designers to interpret the theme in a way that honours traditional Chinese motifs. A modern reworking of the qipao or cheongsam is no doubt going to be a starting point for many. Sino-centric notes have consistently inspired on the runway, with designers from Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton to Roberto Cavalli and Valentino taking a peek through the looking glass themselves in recent years. 

Roberto Cavalli, AW05. Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, photography © Platon.

Roberto Cavalli, AW05. Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, photography © Platon.

Meanwhile, in celebration of the riot of fashion that is the Met Gala, and in anticipation of the delights to come on 4 May, we take a look back at some of the best red carpet moments from the event.

From L to R: Kate Moss and Marc Jacobs 2009, Sarah Jessica Parker and Alexander McQueen 2006, Douzen Kroes and Zac Posen 2010, Scarlett Johannson, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana 2008, Blake Lively and Karl Lagerfeld 2011, Rihanna in Dolce & Gabbana 2009, Beyonce in Givenchy Haute Couture 2012, Taylor Swift in Oscar De La Renta 2014 and Madonna in Louis Vuitton 2009. All images courtesy of Getty Images and Corbis.
Sarah Jessica Parker in Oscar De La Renta 2014, Karolina Kurkova in Marchesa 2014, Jennifer Lopez in Gucci 2011, Florence Welch in Alexander McQueen 2012, Gwyneth Paltrow in Prada 2012, Anja Rubik and Anthony Vaccarello 2012, Cara Delevingne and Sienna Miller in Burberry Prorsum 2013, Ashley Olsen in vintage Christian Dior Haute Couture 2013 and Beyonce in Givenchy Haute Couture and Jay Z in Givenchy 2014. All images courtesy of Corbis.