Every first Monday of May, the Met Gala rolls out its carpet and the online games begin. For starters, there’s the ranking one, where everyone under the sun picks up their phone to mentally sort the night’s looks according to the exhibition’s theme (this year’s being “Costume Art”). And then there’s the guessing game, which demands a bit more imagination, given a standard black tuxedo doesn’t exactly scream “Fashion Is Art.” And yet, for a few men, it is.
Karan Johar
Johar’s look, originally inspired by painter Raja Ravi Varma, took Manish Malhotra’s army of artisans over 5,600 hours of work across 86 days. A six-foot garment doesn’t hand-paint itself. That, of course, includes dori and Zardozi embroidery, oil and acrylic finishes, velvet drapes, saree constructions, pillars, lotuses, and, clearly, a lot of very focused eyes.
Manish Malhotra
Malhotra didn’t do bad himself. His look turns to Mumbai and the people who helped build his dream (Johar’s cape too). An Indian bandhgala sits under an architectural cape that carries dori work, zardozi, chikankari, and kesab, translated into fashion elements, monuments, and what appeared to be 3D human figures climbing over his shoulders. Even at this level of excess, there’s still room left, especially when it’s meant to bear the names and signatures of every artisan involved.
Bad Bunny
Ever wondered what Bad Bunny would look in his 80s? This year’s Met put that thought to rest with a little help from prosthetic makeup artist Mike Marino, who made the artist look 50 years older tapping into “The Aging Body,” one of the exhibition’s key sections. As for the tuxedo, think Zara again, and a pussybow detail pulling from Charles James’s 1947 “Bustle,” housed in the Costume Institute’s permanent collection.
A$AP Rocky
Guessing what Rocky would wear didn’t require much guesswork. His affinity for Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel is clear (and mutual). The artist arrived in a custom pink wool cape with black satin lapels and detailing, a camellia at the chest, and a tie at the waist (with a few fringes, of course). On his fingers and around his neck? Maison Codognato x PAVĒ NITEO.
Wisdom Kaye
If anyone could make eBay work on the Met carpet, it’s Wisdom Kaye. The social media favorite teamed up with Public School’s Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne to craft a look made entirely from upcycled materials sourced on eBay. Not that you’d guess it, judging by the custom velvet cropped jacket, detached trousers, and metal-boned corset.
Connor Storrie
Typically, a man in a suit needs his jacket, especially when Saint Laurent is on the back. Storrie managed to look even better without it. Who knew a polka-dot halter top required a long train, or that feminine references came with Heated Rivalry muscles? And don’t get me started on the after-party scarf.
