Met Gala Moments
By Lily Krakoff ‘25
Fashion’s biggest night has come and gone, and the Bolt team has many thoughts to share. This year’s Met Gala, the iconic yearly fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, took place on the evening of September 13th. After a year’s hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event came back strong with the theme “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”, named after the Costume Institute’s subsequent exhibit that opened on September 18th. The event’s four co-chairs were an ensemble of trailblazing, ever-relevant young artists and athletes — Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Naomi Osaka, and Amanda Gorman were hosts for the evening. This year’s Met Gala theme suggested a celebration of Americana and the rich patchwork of identities and cultures that make up the country’s fashion landscape. Fringe, patchwork, Western nods, and high-and-low juxtaposition, as well as sparkly star accents all shone on the runway.
Our team’s group chat was particularly active that night, as members discussed their hot takes and pointed out their favorite looks. It’s only right for us to compose our very own, Bolt-approved best-dressed list: read on to find out who best followed the theme and did not take Americana too literally!
Several attendees stood out, bringing stunning drama to the event’s red carpet.
Normani was radiant in a billowy yet sculptural bright yellow gown. As the musician stated in her Vogue livestream interview, Black excellence inspired the regal look. There are few designers who create gowns as beautifully as Valentino’s Pier Paolo Piccioli does, especially in color! The sleeves on this gown are particularly mesmerizing, as they almost mimic the dimension of angel wings. Her makeup coordinated with her gown, featuring a sparkly gold eye, and her hair was swept up in an elegant top knot.
Another stand out look was actress Lupita Nyong’o in Versace Jeans Couture. The gown featured a corseted top, which is particularly on-trend right now, and the designer’s fabric choice could not have been more spot-on: no fabric is more American than blue denim. After all, Levi Strauss was the first person to manufacture and sell jeans in 1873, and this happened in none other than the United States. Despite denim’s typically casual connotation, it was elevated to new heights in this couture look and complemented by rhinestone accents throughout. The contrast between denim and bedazzled sections on this dress exudes the high-low juxtaposition that has become synonymous with American fashion. Nyong’o’s glam was equally beautiful, with a bold red lip, dramatic winged eye, and a sculptural hair look.
Our final attendee in the drama category is actress Hunter Schaefer –– she wore a crop top and maxi skirt ensemble from Prada’s archives; both pieces were silver with mirrored embellishments. Her accessories were probably the most jaw-dropping in this look: she wore a spidery metal sculpture on her forehead, and had contacts in her eyes to make it seem as if she had white irises. This look can be interpreted as a thoughtful nod to the future of American fashion and what the industry could possibly be producing decades from now.
It wouldn’t be the Met Gala without an array of classic elegant looks, and three standouts came from actress Yara Shahidi and models Gigi Hadid and Anok Yai.
Yara Shahidi stated that her Christian Dior gown was meant to honor Franco-American performer and activist Josephine Baker. It was a beautiful choice to pay homage to a figure in such a theme-appropriate way. The Dior gown was equally remarkable, with a beige color and crystal embellishments throughout the bodice and skirt. This gown had gloves to match, as well as a golden train and veil perfect for the Gala’s famous flight of stairs (or perhaps infamous, if you’ve seen that Jason Derulo meme…). Her hair and makeup evoked timeless old-school glamour, the perfect complement to such a striking look.
Gigi Hadid teamed up with Prada to pull off a classic yet highly fashionable ensemble filled with interesting contrasts. She wore a sleek fitted white gown with standout boning on its bodice, as well as a pop of black peeking out of the bodice. The gown was paired with fun accessories, including black leather opera gloves and a Prada logoed barrette. Perhaps the most shocking aspect of Gigi’s look was her dyed hair –– the natural blonde transformed her hair to a dark auburn color. Overall, this look is definitely emblematic of American glamour –– and needless to say, so stunning.
Fellow model Anok Yai wore a striking look by Oscar de la Renta, a fashion house that always delivers beautiful drama for their evening wear designs. This look stood out for its impeccable command on detail and embellishments –– silver stars, reminiscent of those on the American flag, covered the black gown, and a luxurious black feather shawl finished the look.
It is no secret that male attendees at the Gala tend to play it safe and dress in classic black tuxedos… However, multiple standouts caught our eye for their inventive take on menswear.
Pete Davidson wore American designer Thom Browne and looked super cool. He donned a black tunic dress with a button-down shirt layered underneath, and an oversized white blazer with black trimmings topped both pieces. The choice of a dress was a refreshing foray into androgyny. On his feet, he wore the classic Thom Browne striped knee-high socks and leather desert boots. He wore round sunglasses for a fun accessory –– and we thought the indoor glasses look was reserved for Ms. Wintour!
Schitt’s Creek actor Dan Levy stunned in a unique ensemble by Loewe. The top featured exaggerated large shoulders and sleeves with ruching and ties at the wearer’s wrists. The designer also added a collar peeking out of the top of the garment, which even further emphasized the size and structure of the garment’s sleeves. A geographical map and glittering ocean motif bled onto Levy’s pants, and for shoes he wore chunky combat boots with gold hardware and decorative blooming flowers. Wow factor aside, this look also has a larger meaning as it highlights gay representation. The outline of two men kissing decorates the torso of the garment, allowing Levy to make a meaningful statement on the carpet.
And last but not least, rapper Kid Cudi ventured into the territory of bright colors with a design by Louis Vuitton. He wore a furry blue sweater with text along the front, paired with oversized sheer pants decorated with different Vuitton logos and patches. Around his neck, he wore an astonishingly large and blinged-out chain, which contrasted in a tongue-in-cheek way to the equally sparkly G-Shock watch on his wrist. His makeup was composed of a dramatic, smudged smokey eye that added a rock-and-roll flair to this elevated streetwear look.