‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’

The 2023 Met Gala took place at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on May 1, 2023. The Met Gala is a fundraising event where celebrities come dressed accordingly to the theme. This year’s theme was ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’ as a way to honor the German fashion designer who passed away in 2019. 

Because of Lagerfeld’s deep influence on generations of designers and models, the red carpet (or, this year, white carpet) turnout has been big, with stars paying tribute by channeling his best designs over the decades, as well as reinterpreting his own distinctive black-gloved personal style.

Black, white, blush and pearls have reigned, echoing Lagerfeld’s classic Chanel palette. A number of archival looks from the label have made reappearances via Met Gala guests, including Margot Robbie wearing a 1993 dress once worn by Cindy Crawford and Nicole Kidman arriving in the iconic feathered gown made famous in her romantic, Baz Luhrmann-directed Chanel No 5 commercial from 2004.”

With good intentions to exhibit the work and accomplishments of Lagerfeld, others disapprove of the Met’s decision to host a theme in his name due to “Lagerfeld’s complicated legacy as an influential designer who also had a penchant for problematic quips that were fatphobic, racist, and misogynistic.” 

Although Lagerfeld is perceived as a controversial person, he did try to make statements on important issues however it never went in the right direction. He stated that “everything I say is a joke”. “He defended his use of size 0 models, claiming in 2009 that ‘no one wants to see curvy women’”. The remarks he made, caused people to separate his art from the statements he would make. 

With the Met Gala honoring his accomplishments in the fashion industry, there have been a few people who oppose to that idea. However, it seemed that celebrities enjoyed the night and had a great time.