So much was said about Kim Kardashian’s 2022 Met Gala appearance that it’s hard to believe a year has passed since she paraded the Met steps in Marilyn Monroe’s iconic naked dress (on the arm of Pete Davidson, no less). Now, the reality star is back in a brand new look.
On Monday, May 1, Kardashian arrived at the 2023 Met Gala at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in nothing but pearls. Well, pearls and shapewear.
This year’s event honored the late Karl Lagerfeld with the dress code “in honor of Karl.” The prolific designer may have worked more closely with Kim’s younger sister, Kendall Jenner, who has walked as Chanel bride for Lagerfeld, but Kardashian had no trouble gaining access to his archives. A week before the big day, she shared pictures of herself posing with Lagerfeld’s famous feline, Choupette, while poring over his personal artifacts.
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Pearls, of course, were a Lagerfeld staple during his 36-year tenure at Chanel, so the idea behind Kardashian’s custom Schiaparelli look is definitely on theme (though a little on the nose, if you ask me). In addition to the draped strands, which were layered over a tan corset that looks a lot like a pair of Skims, Kardashian wore a massive bejeweled choker necklace. She finished off the look with an ivory shawl that spooled artfully at her sides, the layers reminiscent of a buttery croissant.
For glam, Kardashian went with a classic, piled-high updo, with two face-framing layers hanging loose in the front. She kept her glam ’90s, with a frosty pink lip, bubblegum blush, and a soft smoky eye.
Just last month the rumor mill was buzzing about a Met Gala snub for the Kardashians, but things were quickly cleared up when a source revealed to Page Six that Kardashian would definitely be in attendance.
Last year Kim Kardashian made a splash when she arrived at the 2022 Met Gala wearing a dress that had been tailor-made for Marilyn Monroe. The late Hollywood bombshell originally wore the sparkly gown while serenading President John F. Kennedy with her iconic rendition of “Happy Birthday” in 1962. Ripley’s Believe It or Not purchased the dress in 2016 for nearly $5 million and only agreed to lend it to Kardashian on the condition that she work closely with museum handlers to protect the famous piece.
The Met moment caused quite a stir, with many worrying that Kardashian would ruin the extremely fragile dress, though Ripley’s has claimed the dress was returned untarnished. (Though, photos from a private Marilyn Monroe memorabilia collector say otherwise.)
The 42-year-old was also roundly criticized for discussing the lengths she went to in order to fit into the dress, which could not be altered. “I tried it on and it didn’t fit me. I had three weeks and I had to lose 16 pounds.… It was like a role,” Kardashian said on the red carpet. “I was determined to fit into it. I don’t think they believed I was going to do it, but I did it.”
She elaborated on her weight-loss process to Vogue, telling the publication, “I would wear a sauna suit twice a day, run on the treadmill, completely cut out all sugar and all carbs, and just eat the cleanest veggies and protein. I didn’t starve myself, but I was so strict.”
Fans and stars alike called out Kardashian for promoting a crash diet, and for the idea that she should need to change her body at all simply for fashion.
Of course, Karl Lagerfeld was no stranger to controversy himself, so perhaps these two were a match made in fashion heaven?
