The first Monday of May just passed us by, which only means one thing: it’s time to browse our favourite Met Gala looks. This year, the biggest night in fashion is a grand tribute to the late Karl Lagerfeld, a visionary designer who helmed storied luxury giants such as Chanel, Fendi, Balmain and Chloé. To celebrate the Costume Institute exhibition Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, attendees were invited to dress “in honor of Karl“.
As global recognition increases for Asian talents across music, film, fashion and sports, familiar Asian faces, especially those at the forefront of the Hallyu wave, have taken centre stage at the Met Gala to flaunt their sartorial prowess over the past few years. Cue: NCT’s Johnny Suh in Peter Do, Blackpink’s Rosé in Saint Laurent and 2NE1’s CL in Alexander Wang.
On this year’s white carpet, all eyes were on Blackpink‘s Jennie as she made her Met Gala debut in look 164 from Lagerfeld’s fall 1990 ready-to-wear collection, reinterpreted by the Chanel team into a mini dress adorned with a white camellia and a black ribbon at the bust. The K-pop sensation’s appearance at the Met Gala comes as no surprise: nicknamed “Human Chanel”, Jennie is among the last of Karl Lagerfeld’s handpicked muses for the French fashion house and shares a close relationship with Chanel’s current Creative Director Virginie Viard.
Jennie was spotted taking a selfie with Korean actress Song Hye-Kyo, who also made her Met Gala debut this year. Fresh off winning Best Actress at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards for her riveting performance in the Netflix thriller series The Glory, Song looked ethereal in a pale pink lace dress from Fendi, of which she is the first Korean global ambassador.
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Also walking the famous Met Steps for the first time were Jackson Wang and Cai Xukun (Kun), who each channelled Karl Lagerfeld in their own way. Wang looked effortlessly cool in an all-black ensemble from Louis Vuitton and completed his look by dying his hair in a contrasting ashy grey which recalls the late designer’s white locks. On the other hand, Kun chose to accessorise his embellished tailored look from Prada with a hand fan — a practical accessory often spotted in the lands of Lagerfeld. Kun’s fan was printed with traditional Chinese calligraphy, which also nods to the singer’s Chinese roots.
After making history with their Oscar wins, the cast of Everything Everywhere All At Once was also present. Michelle Yeoh opted for a sweeping black and white gown with billowing sleeves from Lagerfeld’s eponymous brand, a dramatic yet elegant number fitting for a queen. Elsewhere, her co-star Ke Huy Quan paid tribute to the designer by styling his suit with Lagerfeld’s favourite fingerless leather gloves, while Stephanie Hsu rocked an androgynous look from Valentino, which featured a tie and collar that reminiscent of Lagerfeld’s iconic monochromatic tailored look.
And while Asian stars shone bright at this year’s Met Gala, one Asian designer also enjoyed his moment in the spotlight: Robert Wun, the first Hong Kong designer to enter the Paris Haute Couture Week schedule.
May 01, 2023 Eileen Gu wearing Robert Wun at The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City
Photo: Kevin Mazur/MG23/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Vogue Hong Kong cover star and Olympic skiing champion Eileen Gu chose Wun’s Wine Stain Gown as her Met Gala comeback look: a silk stain ensemble intentionally splattered with beetroot juice and red wine, finished with crystal beadings. Experimental yet realistic, with a just touch of irony — Lagerfeld would approve.
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Kaitlyn LaiCredit
Lead Image: Kevin Mazur/MG23/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
