The Met Gala: The Sleeping Beauties That Woke Us Up

In response to this years Met Gala; my two favorite looks and what we can learn from them.

This year’s met gala’s theme was as it usually is; all the rage. Celebrities and stars from around the world gathered on the infamous Met steps for this year’s Met Gala theme: “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”. Per usual, no one knew what to expect from this year’s Met Gala theme, as it was centralized around honoring the timeless elements in fashion that will live on forever.

This year’s Met Gala provides a glimpse into the future of fashion through many lenses, like the revival of vintage looks from 1999 and the introduction of cutting-edge designs and production methods, each pushing the boundaries of the industry.

There were several looks that I found most inspiring in terms of their innovation, and that teach us all to push boundaries; discovering new avenues in all types of creative industries (and not just fashion). Without further a do, here are my top two favorite looks, because deciding on one was absolutely impossible.

First Look:

Designed by Olivier Rousting, the Creative Director of Balmain

Worn by the singer Tyla

The first look I’d like to spotlight is the dress made of sand. It was designed by the creative director of Balmain, Olivier Rousting, composing of three different colors of sand that were mixed with extremely fine crystals, so the dress could shimmer when it hit light at various angles.

According to his on-site interview with Vogue magazine, Rousting was inspired by the sands of time to create this dress. Sand as a medium transcends anything we’ve seen before in fashion design. It reminds me of the Coperni spray-on dress; where the entire dress is outlined more by its production, construction, and composition, rather than aesthetic qualities.

What I appreciate about this dress is how it places more emphasis on beauty coming from the skill and technique required to make this dress, and less on traditional, physical conventions that may classify a dress as beautiful. Things like skill, technique, artisanal craftsmanship, and innovative ideas outlive physical conventions of beauty, and will be admired beyond the bounds of time.

What we can learn from this piece:

• Beauty transcends physical properties and while they’re relevant, they eventually expire. Whereas skill and technique is something that can always be appreciated.
• Let’s start using unconventional materials in our construction! I’m thinking of things like…
  • Egg shells
  • Hay
  • Wood shavings
  • Sea shells

Second Look:

Designed by Jonathan Anderson, the Creative Director of Loewe

Worn by actress Taylor Russel

At her very first Met Gala, Taylor Russel, the leading actress in Bones and All appeared wearing a stunning, “wooden” corset that fit snug to her body, with a draping, white circle skirt. Designed by Jonathan Anderson of Loewe, the two-piece look was intended to trigger the senses of the viewer and the wearer; its timelessness depending on the ever-lasting existence of the human experience.

Tugging on themes of surreality and the senses, Anderson tells Vogue that the corset was not actually made of wood; rather it was made with 3D-printed technology, which was then casted with a wood design to mimic the look of real wood.

“Playing with the senses is central to the experience of the exhibition, and we play similar tricks with trompe l’oeil in collections at Loewe, blurring the line between what’s real or surreal, what’s natural or unnatural,” Anderson tells Vogue.

Not only are the dress’s aesthetic qualities absolutely stunning, but the intent to play with the mind of the viewer is incredibly intriguing. Senses are universally shared, they’re organic, raw, and vulnerable. By using senses as the underlying theme/inspiration, Anderson and Loewe depict timelessness based on the human experience.

I also really appreciate how this look connects organic to industrial; by using modern technologies and materials to mimic organically existing materials like wood and cotton.

What we can learn from this piece:

• How to use the senses as inspiration for a piece. I’m thinking…
  • Triggering our sense of smell
  • Triggering sense of touch through illusive materials
• Gives us inspiration for how we can intertwine industrial, mechanized materials with organic ones– in a cool and innovative way– in an industry that relies heavily on industrial production.