The Met Gala opening of an exhibition about 'the dressed body' presented an opportunity for the modern 1% to show off both their designer wardrobes and their expensive bodies. The evening raised a record-breaking $42 million for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with lead sponsors Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos contributing $10 million, and individual guests writing checks for up to $1 million.
Fashion Is Art, but Gold Rules
The official dress code was 'Fashion Is Art.' However, the elite crowd bent Anna Wintour's diktat according to their will. The red carpet was divided between looks paying tribute to fashion moments in art history and others celebrating the body as a modern masterpiece. Nipples, skeletons, and cleavage dominated discourse, lending a Madame Tussauds vibe to the glamour.
Beyoncé and the Kardashians Steal the Show
Beyoncé became the world's most glamorous skeleton, dressed in sparkling crystal bones over a sheer flesh-toned dress, in collaboration with designer Olivier Rousteing. The Kardashians went nipple-forward: Kim's gravity-defying bullet-pointed breasts were a collaboration with British pop artist Allen Jones; Kylie Jenner's nude corset had prosthetic breasts and belly button, a Schiaparelli homage to Venus de Milo; Kendall wore a corset breast plate.
Lisa from Blackpink had two additional arms within her veiled gown, sculpted from 3D scans of her own body by designer Robert Wun. Skepta's Thom Browne suit embroidery was copied directly from his tattoos.
Multiple Madame Xs and Art Homages
Three Madame Xs were present: Lauren Sánchez Bezos, Julianne Moore, and Claire Foy all channelled John Singer Sargent's painting, with one strap falling from the shoulder. Chloe Malle dressed as Flaming June in mango-hued Colleen Allen; Angela Bassett took inspiration from Girl in Pink Dress; Gracie Abrams came as Gustav Klimt's Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer in gold Chanel; Lena Dunham wore a red feathered Valentino homage to Artemisia Gentileschi; Madonna's gothic headpiece nodded to Leonora Carrington.
Tech Billionaires Keep Low Profile
The night was soured by unease over how fashion enabled tech billionaires to embed themselves within the Met. Jeff Bezos skipped the red carpet; Sergey Brin wore a navy suit with Matisse-style faces; Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan made a low-profile entrance but sat at Wintour's table.
