For years it’s been an inside joke that MET Gala was all about celebrities flaunting their inner ‘campster’. Whatever be the theme, the celebs who walk down that red carpet have had a knack of driving the shutterbugs insane with their rather outrageous outfits.
This year, the organisers seem to have owned it. Invitees were asked to just come in their campiest avatars.
What is ‘Camp’?
Urban Dictionary describes it as “being so extreme that it has an amusing and sometimes perversely sophisticated appeal. Over the top and farcical, intentionally exaggerated so as not to be taken seriously.”
For the uninitiated, MET Gala is the annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City. To know in more detail, you can head here.
In short, this is that one red carpet (or rather pink carpet) event where international celebrities can make a statement, for a cause, or just because.
This year, the women of color have been exceptionally fabulous and bold on the red carpet. Let’s take a quick glance at their campiest avatar:
Serena Williams
We knew that monochrome was in but Serena Williams in her yellow furry Versace gown and matching Nike sneakers just took that to another level.
While the Grand Slam winner’s usual style quotient is classic, she went with this very loud outfit in the true spirit of MET Gala. And why not? After all she is co-chairing the fundraiser event this year along with Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Gucci’s Alessandro Michele and Vogue editor Anna Wintour.
The world knows how Williams can stand her ground against sexist and unjust dress-code standards of women in sports. Last year, the French Open banned Williams’ catsuit she had worn as a symbol of empowered mothers. In fact, throughout her career she has chosen fashion as way to make a point in the tennis court, whether it pleased the proprietors of the sport or not. So, it is not a surprise that she went to sport a sneaker with her gown to make a statement.
Janelle Monae
Singer Janelle Monae’s outfit made you not want to blink at all, and take in all the funky gorgeousness of her cleverly put together Christian Siriano outfit. We all can take a guess, but the winking eye — prepared with a combination of white and black beads and fax feathers to act as lashes — was inspired by surrealism in art.
Stylist Alexandra Mandelkorn also played a very important role in putting her look together. Although Monae was pretty hands on about her outfit and what she wanted from it, especially the part where the bodice covering her left breast winks at people.
Lupita Nyong'o
This extremely talented young Mexican-Kenyan actress of 12 Years of Slavery and Black Panther fame, proved that she is quite the sport with her outrageous avatar at the MET Gala.
Lupita sported a Versace gown, and topped it off with rainbow colored multi-layered shoulder wings – a touch of her roots perhaps? As her make-up artist Nick Barose told Allure magazine, her look was inspired by iconic drag queen Divine.
But the best part of her ensemble – which was already rife with various motifs — was the Afro headgear with golden fists pumping into the air. If that is not a statement of power, we don’t know what is.
Laverne Cox
Christian Siriano makes a comeback in putting yet another crazy but divine outfit together for a gorgeous woman of color, Laverne Cox. The Orange is The New Black actress hit the pink carpet in a black ruffled dress with big shoulders that reached above her beautifully done head, and topped it off with some bold make-up.
Yara Sayeh Shahidi
Actress Yara Shahidi made grand entrance on the pink carpet at MET Gala in a silver bodysuit, paired with same colored leggings, that were embellished from top to bottom with golden beads and metalwork. She topped it off with a black, furry shrug that trailed behind her, and hair done-up into something crazy that we do not have name for, (suggestions are welcome). All-in-all she managed to look, gorgeous, strange and pristine at the same time.
Lilly Singh
For a woman a color belonging to the LGBTQI+ community, Lilly Singh has come a long way, and backed by none but her fiery personality and talent. And fashion has been an integral part of that journey to success. The usually cool, dope but casual ‘Superwoman’ went all flowery on the red carpet debut at MET Gala, in a not-so-quaint representation of her very name, the flower lily. Call it narcissistic or self-love, her message was clear: I can and I will.
She was one of the few asian YouTube creators, who made an appearance at the MET GaLa, the other being internet sensation Awkwafina.
Priyanka Chopra
Last but not the least is our very own desi girl Priyanka Chopra (Jonas). Chopra has been known for keeping the true spirit of MET Gala alive through the years. Remember the brown trench coat from 2017 MET gala?
This year too she has managed to surprise us with this super-blingy version of the Mad Hatter. Chopra, who is known to be a Ralph Lauren loyalist, changed things up a bit this year by appearing in a Dior ensemble, twinning it out with her husband Nick Jonas.
With her Afro-style funky permed up hairdo, a crown-like hat, and a sheer silver bodysuit beneath the fluffy skirt of the gown, Priyanka was clearly having fun in not taking herself too seriously, but at the same time making a bold statement – exactly what ‘camp’ is all about.
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