Like every year, the Met Gala 2022—one of fashion's biggest events—was anticipated with much gusto, ever since the theme for the year ‘Gilded Glamour’ was announced. The period that denotes America's late-19th century age of economic boom proved to be an interesting choice for the gala, as some of the biggest celebrities from the world of fashion, film, sports, music, and even politics, sashayed down the red carpet dressed to the nines, all set to rewrite history on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
The annual fundraiser that is organised to raise millions of dollars for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, finally returned to its original slot on the first Monday of May after the coronavirus disrupted its schedule. In 2020, the event was canceled and in 2021, it was postponed until autumn.
The big night may have ended, but social media can’t stop talking about the many looks that screamed grandiosity. From formal evening dresses to coats with tails, bleached brows to wavy, textured hair and aesthetic headgears to complete the look—Met Gala 2022 red carpet turned out to be quite a fashionable affair. Celebs like Blake Lively, Maude Apatow, Naomi Campbell, Kim Kardashian, Cardi B, Phoebe Bridgers, and more turned up the heat.
Indian entrepreneur and philanthropist Natasha Poonawalla was a sight to behold in a custom-made couture saree and trail by one of India’s favourite designers, Sabyasachi Mukherjee.
It’s now time to take a look at some hits and misses from the red carpet, trends to watch out for, and more!
The stunners
The hosts for the Met Gala 2022 evening—Hollywood couple Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively—set the tone for the star-studded affair and received a thumbs up for their choice of attire. Blake’s stunning Atelier Versace gown that transformed into a verdigris-toned train was quite a revelation, giving her the second red carpet look that was all oomph. Reynolds was clad in a classic suit-and-tie and looked every bit dapper.
Another hit on the red carpet was Cardi B, who was also dressed in an Atelier Versace column gown, and a Barocco print-wrapped convertible to go along! “Cardi B’s look definitely stood out for me. It was high voltage, dazzling, and everything extravagant. The excess gold chains ruched at the right places were a winner. I believe this all-bling look ticked all the boxes of glamour for the theme this year,” says Vandana M Jagwani, Founder of Vandals and Creative Director of Mahesh Notandass.
For Akanksha Arora, CEO of Tribe Amrapali, Kendall Jenner delivered all the drama in a black ball gown from Prada with a long train, along with a sheer fishnet top. Her accessories stood out too — the diamond drop earrings from Lorraine Schwartz were gorgeous! But the icing on the cake was the bleached brows.
“I also think Lizzo in Thom Browne ensemble carried herself well; she looked great and confident. Kaia Gerber looked like a million bucks in Alexander McQueen,” Akanksha adds.
Kiran Khanna, Founder of Style Junkiie picked Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour’s look to be one of her favourites. She ditched her staple sunglasses for a tiara that looked every bit striking.
“Anna Wintour totally oozed elegance with not only her on-point attire but also her extravagant neckpiece and tiara. Fredrik Robertson aced the theme with his avant-garde porcupine silver bodysuit. One cannot miss talking about Chloe Moretz who defined powerhouse in a metallic tailcoat and pumps, Vanessa Hudgens' bold appearance in all sheer, as well as Brooklyn and Nicola Beckham who surely won everyone's hearts twinning in pink,” she says.
Sarika Pawar, Founder and Creative Director, House of Soi, loved Sarah Jessica Parker in Christopher John Rogers, confidently owning the extravagant dress. For her, Amber Valletta wearing Azzaro was gilded glamour at its best.
But the one who made heads turn was none other than Kim Kardashian, who lost 16 pounds to fit into the iconic Marilyn Monroe dress by Jean Louis, which she borrowed from the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum. Draped in the world’s most expensive dress, she chose to go bold with a blonde look and won hearts with her fashionable appearance. “Kim being blonde was quite a surprise. It went well with her outfit and she pulled it off well. She looked like one of those award trophies herself,” says Eesha Amin, celebrity stylist, and designer.
The other celebs who rocked the red carpet included Quannah Chasinghorse in Prabal Gurung, Kate and Lila Moss in Burberry, Shalom Harlow in Ralph Lauren, and Hillary Clinton in Altuzarra.
The misses
Akanksha was not too impressed with Kylie Jenner's baseball cap, given it was the red carpet. She wore off-white, as a tribute to Virgil Abloh, artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection. “Although the dress was amazing, the baseball cap could have been skipped. Also, I think Sophie Turner’s makeup was a bit dull, which made her look washed out,” she adds.
Kourtney Kardashian and Emma Stone were too simple and did not do any justice to the theme. Lala Anthony, on the other hand, didn't have enough oomph, says Kiran.
But the ones who were sorely missed on the red carpet were Rihanna and Beyonce. Rihanna, who is expecting her first child with rapper-boyfriend ASAP Rocky, could not make it to the event but was honoured with a statue.
Natasha Poonawalla: The golden goddess from India
Natasha won the internet with her head-turning look at the Met Gala 2022, as she rocked gilded glamour in ace-designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s custom-made couture saree and trail, paired with a bustier from the house of Schiaparelli.
In an emotional Instagram post, Sabyasachi wrote, “For me, the saree is a truly unique and versatile garment that owns its identity even as it transcends boundaries and geographies. Back when I was a young fashion student, I often wondered when I would see the saree at big global fashion events like the Met Gala.”
For the 2022 Met Gala, themed ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’, Natasha’s vision was to interpret the dress code ‘gilded glamour’ with an Indian gaze that revels in its multi-culturalism and authenticity. Sabyasachi contributed to Natasha’s vision by celebrating Indian craftsmanship with a gold handcrafted printed tulle sari and trail embroidered with silk floss thread and embellished with bevel beads, semi-precious stones, crystals, sequins, and appliquéd printed velvet.
The jewellery is a curation of custom pieces from Sabyasachi Fine Jewellery and limited-edition collectibles from Sabyasachi’s Curiosity Art and Antiquity Project—crafted using traditional techniques with precious and semi-precious stones.
Her look was hailed by fashionistas across age groups, making her one of the best-dressed celebs at the gala. “Natasha Poonawalla’s look was on point, showcasing the perfect blend of Indian craftsmanship with a futuristic spin. The pairing of the saree and the bustier is done so well and simply unforgettable,” says Vandana.
Ace designer Rina Dhaka believes that Natasha looked like a ‘siren’ and is happy that she has done something very different this time around. Preeti Jain of Nirmooha also credits Natasha’s over-the-top jewellery and nails for the much-needed drama that played a huge role in completing the exquisite look.
The trends to watch out for
Whether it’s apparel, hair, or makeup, trust Met Gala to always make the right noise. This time around, corsets, headgears, metallics, and bleached brows ruled the roost, but are they here to stay?
“For starters, I think metallics and lustrous gold outfits are definitely at the top. Statement shoulders are an interesting trend that I noticed too. Glittering headpieces attached to the dresses is quite a new spin on headgears that will translate into a trend. And lastly, corsets are quite the favourite,” says Vandana.
This year more than the hairstyles, hair chains and headgears took centre stage. Eesha believes that they are a cool accessory to add to red carpet looks. “These are not over the top and they did not look costume-like. That is a trend one must adopt. You don’t have to look costume-like, or that there is an artefact on your head. There was a lot of elegance I saw in a lot of looks at the event,” she says.
Owing to the Bridgerton trend, body cinching corsets, and gloves are making a comeback, says Kiran.“Talking about jewellery, diamond earrings could be seen in all shapes and sizes. Other noticeable trends include natural makeup, black and white fashion as well as cutout detailing,” she adds.
Are bleached brows the next ‘in’ trend? Eshaa says, “Brows are such a vital part of your face, you can’t mess with it. If you will bleach it, make sure it works with your skin tone and hair colour. For us, with Indian skin tone, brown skin, and black hair, I won’t recommend it unless you have really light hair and skin tone. You could go for darker brows or tint them. It can add a lot of sharpness to your look.”