The rigid minds in the industry love to call the Met Gala “fashion prom,” but this year, it’s something else: the afterworld. A world of neverending happiness; you can always see the sun, day or night. There’s a lot of wiggle room in its 2018 theme, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” and with Catholicism as a prevailing theme in designs throughout history—including Gala co-chair Donatella Versace—less chance to fuck it up culturally speaking.
So, who’s coming as an exorcism? My lapsed-Catholic ass is ready for this shit, and praying (get it) that everyone thinks outside their Dolce and Gabbana and gets ruthless. I’m hoping we’ll get some commentary on the prevailing and globally oppressive anti-abortion mandate of the Vatican, for instance, or perhaps a cool, bloody homage to the Crusades. This is wishful thinking, I’m sure—if anyone comes as La Virgen I’ll cut their ass, maybe—but with Rihanna and Amal Clooney as fellow co-chairs, and in the wake of last year’s Rei Kawakubo homage, at the very least the directive may be more outré than in recent years. Please consecrate your night with our annual, constantly updating guide to all the looks as they happen; maybe after 8 p.m. we’ll start turning water into wine!
This year’s winner for earliest arrival: Jenna Bush Hager, whose image showed up on the wires by 5:04 p.m., which means she promptly arrived before happy hour in a god-crimson floral lace gown. She’s clearly covering it for Today—all the first people on any red carpet are television hosts—but the distinction of number one at the Met Gala is my favorite one to give; it is not an admission of thirst but an admission of stick-to-itiveness. The dress is whatever, a portent of what’s to come.
E!’s Alicia Quarles arrived in a Cristian Siriano quinces gown that for SURE will be the first of many tonight. Keltie Knight is here in Paolo Sebastian but it’s her earrings we’ll remember forever. Talk about religious iconography! Here’s Laura Love looking like a Dolce knight’s page, or a member of the band Cub.
Wow, the HOLY GHOST is in the house! The rumors are that Anna Wintour will retire after this year’s September issue, and if her level of happiness is any indication, all smiles point to yes. Additionally, she looks blessed, look at her working the light on the lower third of this image. Touched by a freakin angel.
The ever glamorous Amal Clooney kept it unconventional in cigarette pants and some kind of foil floral pattern, which looks like the carpet in somewhere that smells perpetually of Easter incense. Do your thing ma.
Daniel Kaluuya is every bit your altar boy crush; Francesco Carrozzi and Bee Shaffer are the flawless spawn of fashion royalty, like Westworld invented them. Gisele Schmidt is always somewhat funereal except now the event calls for it, and Gary Oldman.
Yessss, let’s get weird! Jasmine Sanders is out here looking like the chalice from whence you take the Eucharist. As your Priest would say monotonously, “BODY OF CHRIST. BODY OF CHRIST. BODY OF CHRIST.”
For my Riverdale hive, Lili Reinhart is interpreting Catholicism as more of an Ebenezer Scrooge joint. She’s the ghost of Christmas future and you betta recognize wind as the renewable energy it is, bish!
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