Celebrities in the Met Gala 2021 tell us what America is to them
The Met Gala is an event hosted by the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's held on the first Monday of May, although it had been postponed for a year and a few months. This year it wasn’t the first Monday of May, but the 13th of September. Obviously, due to COVID 19. This event is expensive and only A-list celebrities are able to attend. The purpose is to collect funds to be donated to the museum.
Each year this premier event has a different theme and the attendants always find a twist to it. This year was no different. The chosen theme was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” but celebrities used it as a way to stand up for celebrities' beliefs. Although some went way out of the theme, they all expressed what America means to them. Most focused on showing how America is a place where people have the freedom to express themselves.
Supermodel Cara Delevingne stood out with the idea that America should be “about women empowerment and gender equality.” This was a strong message, but not all were like that.
Timothee Chalamet’s look involved original 70’s Chuck Taylor Converse and was, as Vogue described it, “an American classic.” Lupita Nyong’o went along the same lines. She wore a denim dress because denim is a staple for America. Others also went classic American wearing sports outfits, like Ciara repping her husband’s football team.
Lupita Nyong'o with her designer dress made out of an American staple. Link
Many stood up for black culture and fashion design. Keke Palmer, Lewis Hamilton, and others wore black designers with pride.
Some just took inspiration from other eras, like the ’50s and old Hollywood. Marilyn Monroe styles were seen on Kendall Jenner and Billie Eilish. Kaia Gerber’s dress inspiration was from Bianca Jagger, who is proudly from Managua, Nicaragua. Barbie Ferreira went with a 20’s look as well.
Another popular fashion statement was supporting the LGBTQ+ community. We saw Jordan Alexander wearing a pride flag dress and Lil Nas X with his three-piece outfit. Of course, celebrities use their influence to help their causes and take advantage of the attention.
I missed seeing some Latino influence. Americans can’t deny the strong influence that the Latinos continue to have in their music, fashion,
architecture, and entertainment. Just like Bianca Jagger influenced some of this year’s Met Gala looks after her own, I hope someday we can see another Nicaraguan walking the Met Gala carpet. Maybe it could be me- it’s on my bucket list!
There’s a lot to talk about on this topic; designers, meaning, celebrities, and much more. However, we have run out of time. Stay on the lookout for more fashion articles to inspire you along your own expression journey.