By Jodi Jantjies
New York was alive again with the arrival of celebrities celebrating style icon, Karl Lagerfeld’s legacy at this year's Met Gala, who passed on in 2019 at the age of 85.
The Met Gala is an annual fundraising event in aid of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), according to Harper's Bazaar. This annual fashion extravaganza is not foreign to interesting fashion choices, and in Ode to Lagerfeld, the outfit choices were in line with The Met Gala’s reputation of wowing the world.
Many A-list celebrities were seen paying homage to Lagerfeld’s legacy in different ways. Stars like Jared Leto and Doja Cat dressed up as Lagerfeld’s famous cat “Choupette”, whom he is rumoured to have left his fortune to.
Other celebrities honoured the late fashion icon’s work by wearing interpretations of his designs. According to INSIDER Lagerfeld, he was responsible for “now world-famous models enter the industry” such as Kendall Jenner and Claudia Schiffer.
Lagerfeld was known for his distinctive black designs and ensembles, his distinctive pink tones that are specific to the Chanel brand was also a trend amongst stars such as Viola Davis, Sydney Sweeney, Ashley Graham, and Cardi B.
The celebration of Lagerfeld’s legacy, however, was not met without criticism. Sara Ziff, founder of The Model Alliance, who advocates for the safety and the rights of models told Jezebel that the “choice to honour Lagerfeld embodies the dissonance of an industry that claims to be progressive, that celebrates body positivity and survivors on the one hand, and then reveres figures like Lagerfeld without even acknowledging their regressive views”.
Lagerfeld is known for his hateful comments against women and his apparent raging fatphobia, which many of his models fell victim to. He was also known for his blatant racism and disregard for the queer community – albeit being in a relationship with Jacques deBascher, a model and socialite.
