Fashion’s big night out made it’s glittering return last night with the 2022 Met Gala.
Co-hosts Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds led the way up the 13 foot Metropolitan Museum of Art steps, serving some of the Met Gala drama we have come to expect. Half way through Lively’s ascent, a team of helpers appeared to reveal a secondary skirt to her Versace gown. Peeling away from a glowing orange to bright turquoise, the final look was an ode to the Statue of Liberty, which was unveiled in New York in 1885.
It nailed this year’s theme, which was ‘Gilded Glamour’ referring to 1870s to 1890s Gilded Age of America, in line with the Costume Center’s new fashion exhibition In America: An Anthology of Fashion, which last night’s attendees will have enjoyed a first look at.
Also fully committing to the evening was Kim Kardashian, who arrived with boyfriend Pete Davidson, and sourced and wore the actual Marilyn Monroe dress worn to serenade President John F Kennedy in 1962. She was a vision in the nude, sparkling gown, and revealed she lost 16lbs to fit into it. The dress is a piece of fashion history, made by Jean Louis, and selling at auction in 2016 for a record $4.6 million.
Elsewhere corsets loomed large, headed up by Billie Eilish who could have stepped out of a 19th Century portrait in her custom Gucci lace and stain frock, and Gigi Hadid, who gave the constrained look a modern twist with a huge red Valentino puffer cape and red PVC jumpsuit.
Many fashion designers took the chance to come hand in hand with their muses too. Donatella Versace smiled with a gold chain laden Cardi B, while Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli gave Glenn Close a spin, in her electric pink, floral embroidered cape. Jeremey Scott of Moschino brought Iris Law to experience her first Met, while Gucci’s Alessandro Michele went the extra mile dressing as identically, in cream suits and fuchsia bow ties, with actor Jared Leto.
The Brits turned out in force too, specifically on the Burberry table where Kate Moss, who looked effortless in a black trench dress, brought daughter and recent Vogue cover girl Lila Moss to her first Met. Lila sparkled in her crystal encrusted, nude mesh dress and body suit, as she was joined by Naomi Campbell and Stormzy, both in Burberry too.
And though it was not directly in line with the 1800s theme, talk of glamour prompted the revival of Old Hollywood glitz yesterday. From Daisy Edgar-Jones in a disco ball, crystal fringe flapper dress by Oscar de la Renta, to Kaia Gerber in a 20s style, drop waist dress by Alexander McQueen, it was a night defined by sophisticated, and – somewhat surprisingly for the Met Gala – restrained dressing. And the guests have not looked better.
Scroll the gallery above for the best Met Gala looks 2022