With a distinct number of designer camps stationed on the pink carpet, never more has there been such a clear demonstration of Met Gala style #squadgoals. Lead by the creative directors of fashion’s key houses, which celebrities made the grade to be part of the Campest Camps? And who ignored Anna Wintour’s strict dress code guidelines and made their own fashion rules? MOJEH investigates…
CAMP LOUIS VUITTON:
Emma Stone, Jennifer Connolly, Alicia Vikander, Riley Keough, Chloe Grace Moretz, Ruth Negga, Laura Harrier, Sophie Turner & Joe Jonas, Justin Theroux, Indya Moore, Grace Coddington, Robyn
While there was nothing particularly camp about the pink carpet looks of the Louis Vuitton collective at this year’s Met Gala, Nicholas Ghesquire’s friends of the brand gave us some of our favourite outfits of the night. With Emma Stone a standout favourite in a divine silver sequinned jumpsuit, finished with shiny gold pumps and matching glittery eye make-up, and Jennifer Connelly’s Tetris-inspired sequin minidress, accessorised with a single fern-shaped earring, footed chain clutch, and embellished heels, there was plenty of style inspo to be taken – despite the fact it was as far from camp as it could have been. Meanwhile, Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas made their red (we mean pink) carpet debut as newlyweds in matching colourblock looks – with extra points for Sophie whose sequined geometric catsuit and colourblock bag was offset to perfection with wet-look hair and vivid teal eyeshadow.
CAMP SAINT LAURENT:
Demi Moore, Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth, Zoë Kravitz, Shawn Mendes, Rami Malek, Amber Valletta, Anja Rubik, Charlotte Casiraghi, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Anything, as long as it’s black, was clearly the memo that the super-cool Saint Laurent crowd received. Blithely ignoring the theme of the night, Anthony Vacarello’s nearest and dearest simply wore whatever they wanted, rocking signature house looks from the runway that, regardless of being camp in any way, set Mojeh’s fashion pulse pounding. Bar Amber Valetta’s Cookie monster-esque neon green feathered coat, which was swiftly removed to reveal a daring structured black body worn with the labels signature hosiery and classic black pumps; Rami Malek’s scarlet striped shoes and Miley Cyrus’ emerald striped sequined minidress, the all-black Saint Laurent army may not have been camp – but who cares, when you look this chic?
CAMP MOSCHINO:
Katy Perry, Bella Hadid, Stella Maxwell, Sarah Paulson, Tracee Ellis-Ross, Gwen Stefani, Maluma, Mindy kaling, Violet Chachki
With Jeremy Scott at the helm, this was the Met Gala moment Moschino had been waiting for. Renowned for his extreme theatrical catwalk creations, Jeremy’s Moschino movement saw Katy Perry living her best Disney character life dressed in a fully-working candelabra that spawned a million Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast memes; Kacey Musgraves reimagined as a real-life Barbie doll, clad in a zip-front hot pink leather gown, matching pink fluffy stole and sunglasses and flowing blonde wig; Sarah Paulson’s silver-screen goddess-like in an oversized black satin bow column dress finished with a champagne bottle clutch bag; a glossy brunette wig-wearing Bella Hadid pouring her curves into a rock-encrusted black velvet gown with cutaways on the hips and matching gloves with built-in bejewelled bangles; Tracee Ellis Ross taking face-framing to a whole different level in a slinky black silk, spaghetti-strap gown with attached gilt frame, and Gwen Stefani having a major Madonna flashback in a Blonde Ambition-era inspired bejewelled conical bustier, white fur stole and platinum blonde ponytail.
CAMP DUNDAS
Ciara, Gabrielle Union, Poppy De Levigne, Imaan Hammam, Emily Ratajkowski
Peter Dundas is all about Studio 54 glam, so when it comes to some major fun and fashion sparkle, this is a man whose crew were never going to go unnoticed. Flying the flag for being an eternally dazzling Dundas diva, Ciara gave major Diana Ross disco vibes in a stunning emerald-green cutaway gown with all-over embellishment and a train of feathers worn with matching gloves and topped off what could well have been the biggest hair of the night. Reminiscent of quite a different era, Gabrielle Union gave something of a nod to the Norman Empire in a custom sheer embroidered paillettes gown and floor length cardigan, finished with elbow-length leather gloves and embellished skull cap, while model Imaan Hammam championed the eighties in all its frilled glory in a fabulous ruffled-high low fuchsia gown. But it was Emily Ratajkowski, one of Peter’s favourite muses, who shut down the pink carpet in a way only she can. (Almost) wearing a halter-necked custom Dundas gown with a full bodice cut-out, open back, and a sheer silhouette, complete with a small train, Emrata’s near-naked entrance to the Met Gala was nothing less than internet-breaking. Sparkling from head-to-toe, including the winged headpiece she paired the look with, which included strands of crystals draped from ear-to-ear, the designer’s ode to Cher-in-her-Bob-Mackie-heyday was Met Gala history in the making.
CAMP VALENTINO:
Julianne Moore, Naomi Campbell, Mark Ronson, Joan Collins, Adut Akech, Lykke Li
Engineering one of the mic-drop moments of the night, Pierpaulo Piccioli welcomed the very Queen of Camp to his ultra-team of Va-va-voom Valentino muses. Joining Julianne Moore, Naomi Campbell, Adut Akech and Mark Ronson, Dame Joan Collins swept into the Met Gala in a cloud of white feathers and dripping in Chopard diamonds, in a look inspired by her legendary Dynasty villainess alter-ego. “I’m Alexis Morell Carrington Colby Dexter Rowan, and I’m wearing Valentino Haute Couture for the Met Gala” the 85-year-old actress Tweeted, pre-ball arrival, on the house’s account, doing a dramatic spin for the camera. Referencing a masked-ball costume worn by Joan on an episode of Dynasty, the huge custom ivory silk radzimir ruffled gown with volutes embroidered with feathers marked a reignited relationship with the house, sparked when she became firm friends with founding designer Valentino Garavani in her 1980s soap opera heyday. With Valentino’s latest Creative Director her new fashion fairy godfather, and similarly voluminous muses to play with, there’s literally nothing like a dame to skyrocket haute couture to interstellar camp status.
CAMP GUCCI:
Jared Leto, Florence Welsh, Harry Styles, Saoirse Ronan, Salma Hayek Pinault, Dakota Johnson, Ashley Graham, Hari Nof, Kiki Layne, Sinead Burke, Regina Hall, Karlie Kloss, Petra Collins, Dapper Dan, Chris Rock, Jeremy O. Harris, Dev Hynes, Grace Johnson, Chris Lee, Anderson Paak, Bethann Hardison, Omari Hardwick, French Montana, 21 Savage, Bevy Smith
Since Alessandro Michele was co-chair of this year’s Met Gala ball, it’s no surprise that his was the biggest of the celebrity style squads, the stage set for Gucci to showcase every reason why their Creative Director has made the Italian house the most profitable fashion label in the world right now. Clad in an array of typically opulent pieces, the all-star Gucci gang claimed numerous spots on best dressed lists across the globe, with Mary Queen of Scots star Saiorse Ronan and singer Florence Welch claiming Mojeh’s heart in two equally stunning looks: the former resplendent in a scarlet sequinned gown accented with three-dimensional golden dragon shoulder embellishments which trailed down the body; the latter combining her bohemian/ethereal signatures to perfection in a beautiful, mother of pearl-toned gown and matching winged cape.
CAMP CHANEL
Anna Wintour, Penelope Cruz, Tessa Thompson, Kristen Stuart, Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen, Lily-Rose Depp
As chair of the Met Gala since 1995, Anna Wintour sets the standards for what you can and can’t wear to what is basically the Oscars of the fashion industry. And while Anna is known for walking a very understated fashion line when it comes to her Met Gala looks – the glossy blunt bob and sunglasses are a non-negotiable – a surprisingly fun fashion Anna was Chanel’s campest member. Beating Kristen Stuart and Tessa Thompson to the title, whose respective neon-orange dip-dyed coif and sequinned corseted dress, vertiginous latex platform boots and trailing PVC bonded ponytail were not enough to outshine the 69-year old fashion icon, Anna opened the night in a pink crystal-embellished column Chanel gown with a pink and purple feathered cape and huge bejeweled necklace. Previously hinting that her outfit would pay homage to Susan Sontag, whose essay “Notes on Fashion” was the inspiration by this year’s theme, Anna revealed “There’s a quote from Sontag’s Notes [on Fashion] that says ‘Camp is a woman walking around in a dress made of 3 million feathers’ so I think I might be taking inspiration from that.” Comparably, Chanel team mates Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Penelope Cruz and Lily Rose Depp bravely ignored Anna’s dress code, instead opting for vintage and current Chanel looks that were decidedly sophisticated and super-safe. Ch-ame on you, ladies.
For more on who wore what at The Met Ball 2019 click here.
