Mark your calendars! - by Mark your calendars for the first Monday in May! The theme for the 2023 Met Gala has been announced and it's already facing backlash. Watch Below: Met Gala 2022: Red Carpet Outfits The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced the theme for next year will pay tribute to none other than Karl Lagerfeld, who was undeniably one of the most prolific designers of the last century. Karl,
who passed away in 2019 following an ongoing battle with pancreatic cancer worked with a number of iconic brands including Chanel, Chloe, Fendi, Balmain and his own eponymous fashion label. The exhibition, aptly titled “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” will open next May, but all eyes are already on the gala looks.
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So what can we expect from the famed-red carpet? Karl Lagerfeld's contribution to the fashion industry was massive, from the creation of Chanel’s signature interlocking CC monogram to the double F logo for Fendi - so these will no doubt pop up in the outfits.
However, Karl himself had his own unique sense of style, which will no doubt be an inspiration point for many designers.
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Despite the solemn undertone of the gala, the night will remember and celebrate the life and legacy of the late fashion icon.
And don’t expect to see a traditional approach to the exhibition, The Met’s custom curator Andrew Bolton spoke to Vogue about what one can expect.
Watch Below: Kim Kardashian Tries On Marylin Monroe's 1962 Dress Before The 2022 Met Gala
"At its heart, the exhibition will look at the evolution of Karl’s two-dimensional drawings into three-dimensional garments," he explained.
"We could not do a traditional retrospective. For one thing, I think Karl would have hated that. Even though one of his facets was that he was a historicist, and he would revisit themes in his work, he was always looking to the future in his own work—he hated looking back at the past."
"It was something he had a very conflicted relationship with.”
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Although the theme was initially met with excitement, a number of people have slammed the decision to celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, who faced a number of controversies throughout his career.
Not only was the designer called out for his anti-fat language [he called Adele "too fat," Heidi Klum "too heavy" among other comments] he also claimed he was "fed up" with the Me Too movement and claimed Coco Chanel wasn't a feminist as she "was never ugly enough for that."
Following the announcement of the theme, Jameela Jamil took to Twitter sarcastically writing "A line of racism, fat phobia and a hatred of the Me Too movement. Excited to see all the ladies celebrate this great lover of women!" and it seems many agree.
"Regarding the next Met Gala theme focused on Karl Lagerfeld. As much as he contributed to the fashion industry, we should not be celebrating a person who made fatphobic, racist, and sexist comments throughout his career," wrote another Twitter user.
Karl Lagerfeld attends the Conde' Nast International Luxury Conference at Palazzo Vecchio on April 22, 2015 in Florence, Italy.
Vittorio Zunino Celotto | Getty Images
The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced on Friday next year's Met Gala theme: a celebration of the works of the late German designer Karl Lagerfeld.
The Gala, formally known as The Costume Institute Benefit, is an annual fundraiser scheduled for the first Monday in May — for next year, that means May 1. It is followed by the institute's annual spring exhibition, this year titled "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty," which will be on view from May 5 through July 16.
Lagerfeld spent the majority of his life in the fashion world, with his first designs debuting in the 1950s. His final collection — following a nearly seven-decade career — was released in 2019. Lagerfeld died that same year at the age of 85. The Met's exhibition will showcase approximately 150 garments from Lagerfeld's time as creative director at several iconic, high-fashion retailers, including Chloé, Fendi and Chanel, as well as from his eponymous label.
"This immersive exhibition will unpack his singular artistic practice, inviting the public to experience an essential part of Lagerfeld's boundless imagination and passion for innovation," Max Hollein, a director at The Met, said in a press release.
The pieces will also be accompanied by Lagerfeld's sketches.
The Gala operates on an invitation-only basis, bringing celebrities, influencers and media personalities from around the globe. Themes are intended to guide attendees' fashion choices. This past year's theme, "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion," focused on American fashion throughout the decades. Other notable recent themes include "Camp: Notes on Fashion" [2019], "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" [2018] and "China Through the Looking Glass" [2015].
The benefit serves as The Costume Institute's main source of funding for its exhibitions, publications and other operations. This year's celebrity co-chairs — who will follow on the heels of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds — are yet to be announced.
Funding for this year's event comes from Chanel and Fendi, as well as from Karl Lagerfeld and Condé Nast.