October 8, 2021

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit, also known as the Met Gala or the “party of the year,” occurs annually to raise money for the Costume Institute. Four hundred of Hollywood’s most elite donate as much as $300,000 to walk the red carpet wearing extravagant designer pieces followed by an exclusive evening. This year’s theme: American Independence, was drawn from this year’s exhibit “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” which encompasses the relevancy of power in American fashion. Each celebrity’s interpretation of this theme and the designers they chose to craft these masterpieces was very intentional and particular. For the first time, we saw American designers represented on the carpet, as opposed to the big name designers who we are used to seeing dominate the fashion scene such as Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, and Ralph Lauren, to name a few. Regardless of whether we gush over prestigious, statement pieces that designers nail or carefully inspect outfits designers put out just for the sake of having them on the carpet, the Met provides meaning to the work that is celebrated only so often.

We have seen everything from Rihanna’s yellow fur cape look in 2015 to Miley’s fishnet dress in 2013. Every year the designers show up and show out, and this year did not disappoint. I am going to be rating my top five must-see looks of the Met Gala 2021 and discuss how these looks contribute to this relevant theme.

Starting at number five we have Amanda Gormon wearing Vera Wang. This stunning royal blue dress was inspired by the Statue of Liberty and is complemented by a purse that quotes Lady Liberty herself. This outfit is perfect for a poet and activist such as Amanda, who you may recognize from President Joe Biden’s inauguration where she performed her poem titled, ‘The Hill We Climb.’ She fights for education, gender equality and environmental justice and her look certainly represents everything she stands for.

At number four, I have to give it to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for taking the theme literally and expressing herself via fashion. The Met Gala is supposed to be a place for spontaneous one-of-a-kind looks and AOC did just that. Wearing Brother Vellies, the statement, “Tax the Rich” is spray-painted in red on the back of the beautiful white gown. Despite receiving backlash regarding wearing this at one of the most exclusive events, it did certainly get people talking about the issues she stands for.

Coming in at number three we watch Lil Nas X commence the carpet as he literally comes out of his shell, shedding two layers before revealing his final look. The singer compares his outfit, designed by Versace, to his big break in Hollywood. He reveals the outfit represents the real, authentic version of himself coming to light in the industry.

At number two we have Barbie Ferreira rocking her pearl draped gown designed by Jonathan Simkhai. Barbie was capturing the theme by executing a vintage Hollywood glamour look and sparkled while doing so. A look like this was once at the forefront of fashion as women transitioned from working class to socialites. This piece is a modern rendition of a classic look that draws inspiration from fashion icons of that time such as Marilyn Monroe.

And last, but certainly not least, my favorite look of the evening was Iman who strutted this show-stopping Harris Reed x Dolce & Gabbana design. This glowing goddess drew inspiration from the idea of being a Queen and pushing limits in the industry. Designer Harris Reed believes fashion has a responsibility to ignite difficult conversations about inequality in our world. He drew inspiration from his belief that, "America is a country where anything is possible, so to be yourself, the most heightened, most radiant, most over-the-top version of that,” and I think Iman’s gown does exactly that.

Although these outfits were extravagant, beautiful, and carefully crafted, it is important to remember what these outfits represent and who they represent. The chosen theme of American Independence can be interpreted in many different ways and we saw that on the red carpet where celebrities graced us wearing what American Independence means to them. Each person that walked the carpet comes from a different background, status, identity, religion, etc. Some individuals were handed their power through old money and relatives in the industry and others had to struggle and fight to earn their place in Hollywood. As a society in general, we have taken steps forward towards progression, while also taking many steps backwards as well. From the Me Too Movement to the Black Lives Matter Movement, we see Americans coming together to fight for equality among all genders and races. Unfortunately, we also need to dig deep and acknowledge why these monumental moments even needed to take place to begin with. The importance of this theme is that it sparks conversation. For any change to happen in our world, the issue first must be addressed. It is incredible seeing what we can do when we come together and work towards progressing our society as a whole, and I hope we continue to use fashion as an outlet to express ourselves and our beliefs as sometimes the most powerful messages are left unspoken.