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If you were tasked with paying homage to a designer as iconic as Rei Kawakubo for the red carpet, do you think you'd be up to the challenge? The reclusive Japanese designer commands as much attention with her anti-celebrity persona as does for the avant garde fashion she designs, which logically made her the perfect subject for this year's Costume Institute exhibition. For the Met Gala's red carpet (which was actually off-white with blue trim this year), how were guests to pay homage to a single designer's work, considering that the talent in question has deliberately tried to ruffle feathers throughout her career?
From co-chair Katy Perry to Met Gala queen Rihanna, attendees celebrated the spirit of Kawakubo's extraordinary vision in a few different ways. Some decided to give it their all, with the most grand, theatrical Comme des Garçons archival pieces, straight from the runway. And others nodded to her motifs, including polka dots, red velvet, workwear separates, and moto jackets. For a theme that's this much of a departure from your standard-issue red carpet, the results were certainly unconventional.
If there's one place, one over-the-top, sacred carpet where things can get weird, it's on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ahead, you'll find our favourite looks of the night.
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No, we're not surprised that Met Gala high priestess Anna Wintour showed up in custom Chanel. But didn’t you kind of wish she bypassed her own tradition and turned a Comme des Garçons look, too?
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Gisele Bundchen, one of this year's co-chairs and original supermodel, shined in a backless Stella McCartney number. We were hoping she'd throw it back to the archives (from her early days in Vogue), but she looked stunning nonetheless.
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Claire Daines may have opted out of wearing Comme, but she also forewent a whole floor-length gown, too. That’s how you nail it on your own terms. The actress is decked out in custom pants and a ruffled top by Monse.
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Model Aymeline Valade shut it down in this part Bowie, part Elton John mirrored suit.
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Despite the fact that co-chair Katy Perry is not, in fact, wearing a creation by Kawakubo, we can still admire her custom Maison Martin Margiela look through the same lens. That's one way to start the show.
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Model Candice Swanepoel gets kudos for wearing a black dress that doesn't play it safe.
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In custom Topshop, model Behati Prinsloo kept it classic and chic.
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Actress Rila Fukushima turned a black-tie event into a cocktail affair with a thigh-length number that stood out amongst the crowd. Those knee-high boots bring a '60s barbarella feel, too.
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Model Grace Hertzel's look is anything but ordinary - this is how you work a theme, guests.
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The Golden Globe winner went where most celebrities didn’t tonight and actually wore a Rei Kawakubo creation. Nice one, Tracee Ellis Ross.
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While many celebrities opted for the colour red to give off those Comme des Garçons vibes, actress Rose Byrne might have done it best thanks to this Ralph Lauren gown.
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Shoutout to Lily Collins for barely fitting her Giambattista Valli gown into her car on the way to tonight’s event and still looking this good. Just look at all that tulle.
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Sofia Richie knows the best way to play a silver gown down is to add a trust leather jacket.
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Behold, co-chair Pharrell and his wife Helen Lasichanh. Let it be known that Pharrell was working jeans at the Met Gala before Kanye West, but no one — and we mean no one — turned a Comme des Garçons look quite like his wife, Lasichanh.
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LaLa Anthony stepped onto the carpet in Thai Nguyen Atelier in a gothic spin on the ubiquitous naked dress.
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Okay, even though Mindy Kaling’s midnight blue Prabal Gurung number doesn’t exactly scream Comme des Garçons, it is gorgeous.
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If you were shocked that this is Ralph Lauren, you're not alone. Paired with a Balenciaga boot, Lily Aldridge went far more interesting than most.
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Solange Knowles is really into puffer jackets right now. After sporting one on her Elle cover, this Thom Browne number is the perfect followup.
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Selena Gomez may have blissfully ignored tonight's theme, but at least her Coach number was as ethereal. This one marks the label's first foray into evening wear.
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Zoe Kravitz, in this romantic Oscar de la Renta number, is about to end up on the Pinterest boards of alternative brides everywhere.
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Now, this is a corset we can get behind. Thanks to Diane von Furstenberg, Girls star Allison Williams makes monochrome slightly more exciting.
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We'll never say no to suiting (especially a pair of trousers with a red stripe down the side), particularly in a sea of dresses. Actress Keri Russell donned a Rag & Bone suit here.
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This is Bardot shoulders done well. Doutzen Kroes' drop-sleeve Brock Collection gown is beautiful.
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Kylie's date for the night? The designer who made her dress. Donatella has the Midas touch in her number, too.
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Riley Keough in custom Louis Vuitton by Nicolas Ghesquière? This is how you do head to toe sequins.
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This Ralph Lauren number could have been hit or miss - after decades of mastering the outerwear staple, we have a feeling they’ve been waiting for this trench/dress moment for quite some time.
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Lena Dunham’s Elizabeth Kennedy gown was accented by a Planned Parenthood pin that should serve a reminder to everyone that fashion and politics can go together.
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It looks like Michael Kors took note from Rei Kawakubo's continuous use of polka dots throughout her collections for Comme des Garçons. For Natasha Poly's sparkly number, the cutouts made it stand out from the sea of red dresses we saw.
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Courtney Love attends the Met Gala with daughter Frances Bean Cobain, both in Marc Jacobs. That's all.
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Céline Dion wore Versace for her first trip to the Met Gala. We're hoping next year will be just as Dion.
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Bella Hadid strutted her stuff along Alexander Wang tonight, and she was wearing one of his most risque creations to date.
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Wearing custom Tommy Hilfiger, model Gigi Hadid wore a cinched tulle gown by the American designer the two have been collaborating for quite some time now.
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Newly-signed IMG Model Paris Jackson wore custom Calvin Klein by Raf Simons tonight.
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We had a feeling model-cum-actress Cara Delevingne would be donning Chanel tonight, but we had no idea it’d be in the form of a kick-ass, belted jacquard suit.
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Do we even need to explain this? We knew Rihanna would do the theme proud tonight. The singer wears Comme des Garçons fall 2016, and just like that, she stole the show.
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We’re pretty sure Lily-Rose Depp’s fuchsia Chanel number was the only of its colour tonight on the Met steps. And even though we wouldn’t exactly call this reminiscent of anything Kawakubo has created (the designer has a penchant for more muted tones), it sure was pretty.
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Actress Lupita Nyong’o gave us one of the few Prada looks on the carpet tonight (the others being Jessica Chastain and Sarah Paulson).
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Model Karlie Kloss is ready to take over the world in this Carolina Herrera mini.
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Kate Hudson matches her hair to her Stella McCartney gown for a space age feel.
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Rita Ora wraps up the night in a Marchesa bows-and-all number.
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Prada plus Sarah Paulson? Fluffy hem perfection.
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This Dolce & Gabbana number is perfect for Zendaya - and that hair! This kind of look is what makes a red carper exciting.
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Designer Michael Kors really took to the drawing board to create this patchwork number for Kerry Washington tonight. And in terms of paying homage without crossing any copycat lines, Kors nailed it.
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The only thing missing from Mary J. Blige’s La Perla haute couture dress is a mic to drop.
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Kim Kardashian’s white Vivienne Westwood getup kept things low-key, and the structured shirt-like shape really suits her.
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Maggie Gyllenhaal’s checkerboard Marni dress is our spring inspiration sorted.
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Amy Schumer may have hated going to the Met Gala some years back, but we don’t blame her for letting this custom Zac Posen number lure her back to the steps of the Met.
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If you haven’t gotten enough Versace at tonight’s Met Gala, let the newly-pregnant Serena Williams show you how it’s done.
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Depending how you interpret it, model Liu Wen’s denim Off-White getup looks like it’s both falling apart and put together. And that’s because it is, which is quintessential Rei Kawakubo. Psst: The top is Off-White fall 2017 and the bottom is Off-White fall 2016.
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Bohemian looks served up again by the Olsen twins. And hey, didn’t we tell you the boa was coming back?
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Kendall stayed away from safe in a La Perla haute couture gown that left as little to the imagine at the back as the front.
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Introducing, the picket fence corset. Thanks to H&M, actress Sasha Lane had us thinking that was Comme des Garçons for a second.
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Actress Michelle Monaghan wore a chainmail Paco Rabanne gown.
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Naomi Campbell, alongside pal and newly-appointed editor-in-chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful, is wearing Azzedine Alaïa.
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Actress Kate Bosworth sported a gothic Tory Burch number - this is proportion play at its finest.
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In custom Proenza Schouler, singer Grimes added a bit of edge to tonight's Met Gala lineup. We're sure those floating hems are going to pop up on the fast fashion scene in no time.
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Model Adowa Aboah's deconstructed tuxedo dress was one of the more creative looks we saw on the carpet tonight. And, if you look closely, there's lots more to be found in the details.
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It's Raf Simons' first Met Gala since joining Calvin Klein (and making the move to New York), and the designer wasted no time in showing off his incredible craftsmanship at the biggest fashion event in his new home base. Julianne Moore did the honours, donning a feathered mini slip dress from the brand's newly-opened By Appointment label.
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When you can't pick between a the drama of a floor-sweeping train and the ease of fitted trousers, you can opt into both, as Emmy Rossum did with a little help of Carolina Herrera.
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There are cold shoulders, and then there are power shoulders — and Reese Witherspoon serves both simultaneously in a colourblocked Mugler gown.
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