Fashion

The Messages of the 2021 met gala

By freyja elwood

Photo: Wikipedia Commons

Following the Coronavirus pandemic, the Met Gala was rescheduled to the 13th of September this year, with vast anticipation surrounding the event. Seen as the main fundraiser for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it is regarded as the annual crescendo of fashion, art, and popular culture. According to Vogue, the event raised eight-figure funds for the museum - with 2019’s edition also raising £12 million. This year’s theme was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” and showcased outfits influenced by the sociopolitical climate in the US, references to American icons, and the promotion of American designers.

Old Hollywood glamour certainly proved a popular sub-theme, with Megan Thee Stallion wearing a Coach dress and Billie Eilish in a peach Oscar de la Renta ball gown. However, it was those who chose to emulate pioneers of the era that stole the show. Yara Shahidi chose Josephine Baker, an AmericanFrench performer and civil rights activist, as an inspiration. Meanwhile, Gemma Chan took inspiration from Anna May Wong, often considered the first Chinese-American Hollywood star.

There were, however, odes to more modern icons - notably, Nikkie de Jager and her reference to Marsha P Johnson, a black trans-rights activist who is credited with playing a big role at the Stonewall riots. The “P” in Marsha P Johnson stood for the phrase Marsha used when faced with negativity - “Pay it no mind”, which Nikkie has embroidered on her dress. Other references include Kaia Gerber’s Bianca Jagger-inspired dress worn at the 1981 Met Gala, and Gigi Hadid in Prada using America’s first ladies as a reference point.

American Materials were also a focal point. Stars like Ben Platt and Lupita Nyong’o both wore full denim ensembles, whilst Jennifer Lopez and Pharrell Williams adorned themselves with leather and fringing, associated with the American “Wild West”. Whilst most attendees stuck to one or two designers, Kris Jenner and Timothee Chalamet highlighted the breadth of American designers by sporting several different brands in their outfits. In an interview with Vogue, Kris Jenner said: “... mix and match is American fashion,”.

Symbols of America and national identity shone during the event. Actress Lili Reinhart wore the state flowers on her dress, whilst Model and Entrepreneur Karlie Kloss sported a dress shaped like a rose, the national flower of America. In contrast, singers Rosalia and Saweetie referenced their pride in their other identities. Saweetie trailed a Filipino flag behind her dress and Rosalia wore a custom Rick Owens dress inspired by the traditional Spanish garment worn at “Manton de Manila”.

Commentary on the sociopolitical climate of the US was also prevalent. Rep. Carolyn Maloney wore a gown with Suffragette colours and banners saying “Equal votes for women.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also donned a slogan, with “Tax the rich” across her back and handbag. Ocasio-Cortez also chose to wear Aurora James - “A sustainability-focused, black woman immigrant designer.”

The catchlines also turned to sexuality and gender. For instance, with model Cara Delevigne wearing a Dior army vest with “Peg the Patriarchy” inscribed on the front and American soccer star Megan Rapinoe’s “In Gay We Trust” purse. Daniel Levy dressed in a Loewe suit was a highlight of the night. The suit was inspired by an art piece from American artist and AIDS activist David Wojnarowicz, christened as a celebration of “queer love and visibility” by Levy on his Instagram.

Two attendees chose to embody the traits and words associated with America - bravery, freedom, and hope. Both Olympic gold-medalist Sunisa Lee and Model and Entrepreneur Iman chose to wear gold. Iman, who wore a spectacular Harris Reed gold corset, trousers, crinoline, and headpiece said in an interview with Vogue: “This whole evening is about hope - a ray of light,”. Sunisa Lee chose a gold SUKENIA dress, in reference to not only her gold medal success but “bright light.” These two dresses chose to represent hope and light after a pandemic and a new chapter for fashion.

With the Met Gala’s “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”, a range of designers, visuals, interpretations, and thereby messages would crowd the carpets of the event. Whether Hollywood, nostalgia, national identity, politics, or sexuality, the messages this prompt spurs were wide and varied, showing us that “America” is not composed of a monolith, but an amalgamation of many things.

Fashion

11 The 2021 Met Gala: What is ‘American Fashion’?

By sam Gordon webb

“Who gets to be American?”

This year’s Met Gala - New York’s most exclusive fashion event of the year - set out to answer exactly that question. Two exhibitions with unique themes, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, and In America: An Anthology of Fashion, aimed to celebrate the broad and multilayered nature of individual fashion choices throughout US history.

In order to answer this question, many began by asking a different one: “What is American fashion?” According to Andrew Bolton, the Wendy Yu Curator in Charge of the Costume Institute, the problem centres “the idea of reducing American fashion down to one definition is totally antithetical to what the exhibition is about”.

In the fashion universe, America’s unfashionable relationship with Europe is all too familiar: the simplified younger sibling of a much more refined and elegant elder. Though American fashion has been heavily influenced by European fashion trends - from the fashionable Empress Eugenie de Montijo of France in the 19th century, to the European imprint of fast-fashion through stores such as Zara and H&M, Europe has also benefited from US trendsetters. The 2021 Met Gala has been criticised for demonstrating a white-Eurocentric pattern with unyielding stubbornness.

American designers have worked for European fashion houses - such as Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton, and Marc Jacobs before him. But a simple question arises in the context of our vastly interconnected world: does that make the brand, more American, or the creative director, more European? Few know the definite answer, and many were left confused by the curator’s choice to correspond each outfit with a particular noun, unable to decipher the true meaning of any one exhibited piece.

One thing is certain: fashion is in the public eye, and style choices are often dedicated to what we see and hear, with the latest trends adorned by our favourite stars. In America, things are no different. From the silky gowns worn by Jackie Kennedy in the 60’s, to the ripped jeans of the noughties, the thinking goes: we wear what they wear. The essential quality of fashion in the US stems from its democratic quality, allowing everyone to clothe themselves however they choose. For example, President Reagan was once photographed wearing a shirt, tie, and sweatpants on Air Force One.

Due to the polarised identity for most countries (Brexit or Remain, Conservative or socialist, pro-vaccine or anti-vaxxer), finding a single sentence to describe what makes anything truly American is impossible. Instead of focusing on design, many of the country’s most prominent designers understand American fashion - and fashion globally - as a reflection of the nation’s people. What defines fashion in the US instead are the simple yet elegant pieces explaining the success of brands such as Supreme and Obey.

We all know why. The average person wears ripped jeans and muddy sneakers, dressing according to their budget. UEA students don’t dress up in Oscar De La Renta dresses and Gucci sweaters for a night out. From Norwich to New York, Los Angeles to Birmingham - affordability and comfort have become the most important ingredients of any successful fashion statement. Consequently, the Met Gala disappointed more people than it inspired. Photo: Unsplash

the return of london fashion week

by elizabeth woor

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

September for the fashion world only means one thing: Fashion Weeks. Here in the UK, the London-based event saw 130 designers showcasing their spring and summer 2022 collections. Although the week is memorable for any fashion fan, this year’s shows were perhaps much more anticipated, with the models gracing the catwalks in person without restrictions. With Naomi Campbell hosting the whole event, it definitely did not disappoint.

Although iconic British brands Burberry and Christopher Kane were absent from the week, others such as Simone Rocha, Erdem, and Richard Quinn reminded the world of why London is still a fashion capital. Key trends emerged across the board – bodycon and netting being some of the key favourites of the week. Victorian-inspired clothing was also popular, with designers like Yuhan Wang and Edward Crutchley highlighting voluminous silhouettes.

Richard Quinn closed the week of celebrations with a star-studded show. Filled with his signature florals, Quinn showcased colourful pleated trousers and daring, fullskirted gowns. He described how his collection was based on “beauty and tension, and how they work together, after a time when everyone’s been locked up”. After so much time away from the packed rows of fashion week, I am sure many fashion lovers would agree that it has been fantastic to see established designers showing their work again.

Likewise, the smaller, newer designers impressed just as much. A stand-out show for many was put on by Maximilian Davis, who is quickly becoming London’s ‘it’ designer of the moment after dressing Rihanna. Heavily inspired by his Caribbean roots, Maximilian showcased genderfluid, sleek outfits, which are fashion-forward yet wearable. His final piece, an all-black outfit featuring a wearable art piece, dazzled as it flew down the runway.

Another young designer turning heads was Chet Lo. Featuring every vivid colour you can imagine and extremely oversized shoulder bags, Lo displayed a fun side to fashion. Having already gained celebrity fans such as Kylie Jenner and Doja Cat, Chet Lo’s signature pinch-and-twist fabric designs are undoubtedly only going to rise in popularity.

The London fashion scene is slowly but surely getting its buzz back, proven by all the spectacular designers that helped rebuild the high-end fashion community. Outfits were bold and thoughtful, often reflecting on the past few years of struggle, and yet the week was a tremendous celebration of what London designers have to offer. Personally, I cannot wait for the next.