T
he long-awaited Met Gala 2023 has come and gone. On May the First, some of the world’s brightest stars convened to celebrate fashion and culture at the most glamorous fashion night of the year. This year’s theme paid tribute to the late legendary fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who influenced the fashion industry for decades. The theme of the ball, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” inspired A-list celebrities to don their maximalist assemblages and strut down the red carpet and stairs determined to draw gasps.
The Met Gala is well known for its magnificent outfits and bold fashion statements, and this year’s event was no exception. We saw the wildest and most flamboyant ensembles that gave an approving nod to contemporary maximalism. These creative looks certainly made their loud bellows, and the fashion world vibrated as a result. From statement cuts to heavily embellished frocks, there was nothing minimal about the offerings. The stars spared no expense to honor the fashion icon as they boldly walked the red carpet paying homage to Largerfeld’s unique aesthetic as well as his vision for the future of fashion.
Check out these maximalist Met Gala 2023 outfits that kept the theme and tradition…
#1. Rihanna
Riri left us bedazzled with her grandiose outfit (it’s not like we didn’t lowkey expect it). Arm-in-arm with her partner, A$AP Rocky, the beauty mogul stunned the Met Gala in a white maxi Valentino number that featured an extravagant floral cape. To complement this attention-grabbing outfit, she opted for a Bulgari necklace made of pearls and diamonds, a Verdura cuff, earrings by Camilla, and costume lashes sunglasses. Again, it’s Rihanna — the daring sartorial Queen.
#2. Cardi B
The rapper and mother-of-two decided to be a female version of Karl Lagerfeld in an elaborate ball dress by Chenpeng. The black floral-and-quilt-detailed ball gown features a corset bodice with a collar. She then rocked it with a black tie and elbow-length black gloves, all reminiscent of Lagerfeld’s signature look. An effeminate streak to the late designer’s norm-challenging concepts — he’d approve.
#3. Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe brought maximalism out to play in a spectacular black-and-white coat by Thom Browne that took preppy fashion to overdrive. She paired it with white-and-black platforms and a white Choupette-cat purse. No doubt, a worthy carpet moment was when the star took off the bulky coat to reveal a see-through embellished crinoline dress. Monáe is in her bad girl era, and she’s unapologetic about it.
#4. Anok Yai
The melanin-popping model wore a sleeveless bejeweled dress by Prabal Gurung. The dazzling masterpiece features gold and silver sequins, long silver fringe trims, and a sheer black train. To finish the look, she opted for sheer black gloves that perfectly blended with her rich skin tone and strappy heels that punctuated the look perfectly.
#5. Ashley Graham
For the Met Gala, supermodel and mama-of-three, Ashley Graham donned a pink-and-black off-shoulder dress by Harris Reed. The structured mermaid dress features a corset bodice, notable pleats at the waist that almost form a heart, and a voluminous hem. The structures, contrasting hues, and noughties hairdo cemented Graham as one of the few maximalist Met Gala 2023 outfits to be etched in history.
#6. Tems
One thing that star girl Tems will do is to remind you that she’s The View. The Afrobeats artiste graced the Met Gala in an astonishing outfit by Robert Wun. The ebony-skinned singer donned a white-and-black number featuring a regal train and a black corset. She paired the offering with black gloves and a grand headpiece. The corset and headpiece were accented with feathers, as the details [on the headpiece] towered above her head in a thoughtful pose.
#7. Felisha “Fe” Noel
What happens when a boss designer rocks her work? Creativity overload. Felicia Noel, the CEO of the women’s fashion brand Fenoel, attended the Met Gala in a luxurious black dress from her brand. This mesmerizing ensemble was encumbered with interesting details: puffy sleeves, sequin embellishments, ruffles, a side train, pantyhose, a crinoline, and jewelry made of pearls and gold.
#8. Michaela Coel
As we herald the outlandish outfits at this year’s Met, British screenwriter and producer, Michaela Coel, can’t be ignored. For the night, she wore a brown Schiaparelli maxi sheer dress baptized in all the gold embellishments one could imagine. (Trust the brand to always render a head-turning piece). This mesmerizing number was inspired by a piece of custom jewelry by the legendary designer, Karl Lagerfeld. The richly-garnished look was on of the maximalist Met Gala 2023 outfits that slapped hard.
#9. Larissa de Macedo Machado
While everyone dressed in eccentric and outrageous outfits, some people maintained their signature style but chose to wild out with structures. The latter was the case for Brazilian resident singer and actress Larissa de Macedo Machado popularly known as Annita, in a Marc Jacobs’ number. The classy dress unraveled an exaggerated shoulder and a dramatic train, and her platform heels and crisp white gloves made the outfit a perfect Met match.
#10. Rita Ora
Rita Ora‘s manicurist Naomi Yasuda surely deserves an award. The American singer looked like she had her fingers dipped in shimmery glam. The nails, which were designed with jewels and flaunted an eye-catching length, were exactly what her sheer black dress by Prabal Gurung required to show up and out. Trust the blondie to always put up a worthy show.
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