The First Monday of May: Connection of Fashion, Architecture and Product Design
Something big in the art and design world happens every year on the first Monday of May: The Met Gala. The Met Gala is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is an annual black-tie fundraiser for their Costume Institute which corresponds with the opening of a new fashion-centered exhibit. Last year's gala raised over $12 million for the Met. The guests of the gala range from A-list entertainers to political heavyweights, and they are expected to dress within the theme of the upcoming exhibit. Along with many others, I get so excited to see the creativity and beauty of the outfits the guests show up in. It's like waiting to watch Cinderella walk into the ball.
This years theme: “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination”.
The dress code will reflect the practices and traditions of Catholicism. "The exhibit, which will feature papal robes and accessories from the Vatican alongside designs from names including Coco Chanel and John Galliano, will be the largest in the Costume Institute's history, spanning three of the museum's spaces: the medieval galleries, the Anna Wintour Costume Center and the Met Cloisters uptown."
As with almost every part of life, the outfits always remind me of elements of design and architecture. For this post I thought I would share my favorite outfits from the gala and how they relate to a piece of art or architecture. I also added how the clothing relates to one of my favorite products: the chandelier.
Fashion is such an intriguing sector of design, and I invite you to expand your mind when looking at the next outfit worn by someone walking out on the town, at the club, or in the magazines. Think about what the materials, lines and texture remind you of outside of the fashion world. The fashion designer's inspiration starts from somewhere, and sometimes it is totally unexpected.
Solange Knowles Wearing Iris van Herpen
Solange Knowles never disappoints at the gala and this year she showed up in a sculptural and high-gloss dress designed by Iris Van Herpen. The shapes in the body of the dress reminded me of the points and arches found in gothic cathedrals, like this photo of the interior of the Cathedral of Liège (photo taken by Philipp Klinger Photography). Her halo-like crown reflected the painting Hagia Sophia Virgin and Child (also note that she is also wearing a du-rag alongside her halo- love her). I found the Vickery Chandelier from Arteriors had a very similar sculptural shape. Solange was a gothic queen that night.
SZA Wearing Versace
The most angelic look of the night came from SZA, who floated around in Versace. She also carried a celestial crown on her head that reminded me of a beautiful angel statue, like Our Lady of Fatima (photo found on Lawrence OP's flickr account). The blush pink and gold colors correspond with the Rococo era like the style of the Wurzburg Residenz in Germany, and I immediately linked her dress with the Blush Ombre Fela Tassel Chandelier by Justina Blakeney. SZA's color palette was on point for this event.
Janelle Monae Wearing Marc Jacobs
Janelle Monae is another crowd favorite, and this year she brought classy Art Deco vibes to the gala. Her dress and hat ensemble designed by Marc Jacobs correlates with the black, stone and gold found on the Metropolis Building in Madrid. Her outfit also reminded me of the Art Deco style skyscrapers like the Bryant Park Hotel in NYC. The Osiris Large Reflector Chandelier from Circa Lighting captures the modernistic but classy feel of Janelle's gala outfit.
Diane Kruger Wearing Prabal Gurung
The most elegant dress train award goes to Diane Kruger for the night. Designed by Prabal Gurung, the details and color of the dress made me think of the Sistine Chapel. Like the chapel I can imagine the dress took a very long time to create, and the results are just jaw-dropping. She glistens with confidence and looks like an angel walking up those stairs, like the statue found at Park Mount Royal. Her ensemble looks like this antique chandelier found at Eloquence, one of my favorite chandelier companies. She was for sure a show-stopper.
Rihanna Wearing Maison Margiela
Last but certainly not least, the one who people look forward to most every year: Rihanna. She stole the show wearing a Maison Margiela dress and overcoat along with a beaded bishop's hat. All eyes were on RiRi as she paraded around like Pope Francis on his throne. She shined bright and her outfit had many points and curves like the Dom of Koln Catholic Church in Germany. Rihanna's dress and overcoat sparkled (and probably weighed similar to) the 19th C. Rococo Iron & Clear Crystal Round Chandelier by Restoration Hardware. Rihanna is such a fashion icon and she is always willing to take risks and turn heads. Bravo.
