Last night's Met Gala had one of the most promising themes in years—guests were asked to dress for an exhibit titled "Camp: Notes on Fashion"—and celebrities ran with it. Lady Gaga turned outfit changes into performance art. Katy Perry went from a chandelier to a hamburger. And Cardi B wore $250,000 worth of rubies embedded in her look.
The most impressive looks, though, required a second look, to really understand the layers and references embedded in them. Yes, there were a handful that were unmistakeable—Zendaya as Cinderella, or Kacey Musgraves as Barbie. But the majority were much more subtle, homages to style icons from the 20th century (from Elizabeth Taylor to Cher) and lesser-known heroes of camp (like Klaus Nomi or black drag queens).
Here's a full rundown of the fashion callbacks you might have missed on the 2019 Met Gala red carpet.
Gemma Chan
Chan's custom, crystal-embroidered Tom Ford look—complete with a matching headpiece—was inspired by Elizabeth Taylor. The actress said so herself on Twitter, sharing images of herself on the red carpet alongside stills of Taylor in the 1968 film, Boom.
X content
X content
Tracee Ellis Ross
Leave it to the daughter of a camp icon to understand the theme. Ellis Ross arrived on the pink carpet wearing a literal frame around her face. On Twitter, Shelby Ivey Christie noted the similarities between the actress' Moschino look and Lorraine O'Grady's "Art Is..." performance from the 1983 African-American Day Parade in Harlem, where passersby were encouraged to stand inside white frames and "become" art.
X content
Kim Kardashian
Kardashian's "Mugler Drip" (Thierry Mugler came out of retirement to make the look) was an original design inspired by the designer's archives—and, according to her Twitter, Sophia Loren in Boy on a Dolphin.
X content
Lena Waithe
Waithe and Pyer Moss designer Kerby Jean-Raymond wore coordinated, reimagined zoot suits that appeared striped—but, when you looked closely, the stripes were actually quotes from hip-hop artists and members of the LGBTQ community. Even the buttons, which were made by Johnny Nelson Jewelry, were decorated with the faces of folks from these communities. The back of Waithe's jacket read:"Black Drag Queens Invented Camp."
Instagram content
Winnie Harlow
The model brought carnival to the Met with her custom Tommy Hilfiger design. "M E T my take on “Camp” is a tribute to my beloved Caribbean Carnival. See you on the carpet! 🇯🇲✨," she wrote on Instagram.
Instagram content
Elle Fanning
Fanning's Miu Miu look was a hodgepodge of references, ranging from '80s charm necklaces to Barbie. Stylist Samantha McMillen told Vogue Australia: “Prada and Miu Miu use a lot of oversized charms—whether it be on a keychain or big brooches—and we were inspired by those 1980s necklaces with the kitschy plastic charms that you can take on and off because Elle’s mum has been collecting them for years. We took that concept to Miu Miu and they made big, chunky charm necklaces for us to layer. The charms make them really special. There are ones that say: ‘The Met’, ‘Camp’ and ‘2019’, and smaller ones with flowers, animals and unicorns. There’s even a charm that is a cameo of Elle, with a picture of her from the last Met Ball she went to, the one in 2017 where she had the blue Miu Miu gown and vintage tiara. So it’s meta and it’s camp!”
"It’s Elle, but to the nth degree – super Barbie-ish and super camp," McMillen continued.
Instagram content
Laverne Cox
On the red carpet, Cox talked to E! about the literary origins of her Christian Siriano ensemble. "I was obsessed with Susan Sontag's essay in college, I read it in college and I was like...this whole idea of surfaces, and this sensibility that is historically very queer, excited me to no end," she said. "And then, there's another book I read in college called Camp: The Lie That Tells the Truth, and I love that title and I love that sentiment that camp is this thing that is sort of exaggerated and making fun of and commenting on, but that can reveal something that's very truthful about our culture, our society, about humanity."
Leslie Grossman
Grossman channeled Zsa Zsa Gabor in pastel feathers. "When fairy godfather/mad genius @mrrpmurphy says 'Let’s go to the Met Gala and you’ll be an homage to Zsa Zsa and I’ll be Liberace' you pinch yourself and thank your lucky stars. It was the most fun 💞," the American Horror Story actress wrote on Instagram.
Instagram content
Alicia Keys
Keys' seafoam-green, hooded Carolina Herrera gown
The singer's seafoam green, hooded Carolina Herrera dress instantly called to mind camp icon, Grace Jones—and that was exactly the point: The brand shared that she and Elton John inspired Keys' look.
Instagram content
Céline Dion
To many, Dion's every move is camp. But for the 2019 Met Gala, her look wasn't self-referential—rather, her fringed Oscar de la Renta bodysuit was a throwback to MGM's classic "Ziegfield girls"and the old Hollywood days of Hedy Lamarr and Lana Turner. According to the New York Times, it took 3000 hours to create the look.
Instagram content
Danai Gurira
The Black Panther actress always kills it on the red carpet, but her Oscar Wilde-inspired suit, created by Gabriela Hearst, is one of her best looks yet. "Me and Oscar Wilde, my inspiration for the evening: the dandy reimagined. @gabrielahearst #MetGala," Gurira wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of her posing next to a portrait of Wilde.
Instagram content
Emily Ratajkowski
The model's custom Dundas outfit calls to mind the early days of Cher in her iconic Bob Mackie creations, which often featured headpieces and a lot of skin.
Natasha Lyonne
The massive structured shoulders on Lyonne's Jean-Paul Gaultier jumpsuit were reportedly a nod to Klaus Nomi, a German countertenor with larger-than-life stage persona.
Instagram content
Ciara
Ciara was stunning in green Dundas and, perhaps, the biggest hair in the Met. "It was a bit inspired by Diana Ross, 54 club [Studio 54]," the singer explained to Entertainment Tonight. "It's like a 2020 version of it. It's drama. It's camp. You gotta go there."
Instagram content
Lizzo
On Twitter, writer and comedian H. Alan Scott likened Lizzo's pink Marc Jacobs look to 1964's What a Way to Go!, starring Shirley MacClaine. And the rapper confirmed that was the inspiration.
X content
Oh, and by the way, Marc Jacobs... Good luck getting that coat back.
