Notable politicians, celebrities, and fashion luminaries will grace the red carpet on Monday night at the Met Gala, a grand fundraiser celebrating the launch of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual fashion exhibit.
Anna Wintour, Vogue’s longstanding editor-in-chief, and Andrew Bolton, the exhibit’s mastermind, provided CBS News with an exclusive preview of the event, which pays tribute to the late Karl Lagerfeld.
“Considering the volume of work he created over so many years, I believe that it warrants recognition,” Wintour told CBS News’ Gayle King about the legendary fashion designer who passed away in 2019. “It deserves to be celebrated. I anticipate tremendous interest in this exhibition.”
The exhibit showcases nearly 200 of Lagerfeld’s designs, chosen from over 10,000. According to Bolton, curator at the Met’s Costume Institute, it highlights Lagerfeld’s creativity and is organized around the various design houses he collaborated with, such as Chloé, Chanel, and Fendi.
Wintour noted that Lagerfeld “was well-versed in history” but always focused on the future. “He was a historian, yet also intensely modern and forward-looking.”
The decision to honour Lagerfeld during fashion’s most significant night has sparked controversy due to his history of fat-phobic and sexist remarks, including dismissing the #MeToo movement in 2018 and commenting on Adele’s weight a decade ago.
However, Wintour asserted that Lagerfeld was “provocative, full of paradoxes, and sometimes said things…to shock, not necessarily reflecting his true beliefs.”
Wintour acknowledged that she and Bolton disagreed with some of his statements but emphasized that the exhibition is about Lagerfeld’s work, not a biography.
Bolton appreciated the collaborative nature of the exhibit, calling it a team effort.
Wintour, who has hosted the Met Gala for nearly 30 years, stated the event’s primary goal is fundraising and ensuring guests enjoy themselves. In 2022, the Gala raised a record-breaking $17 million.
Regarding the exclusive guest list, Wintour said they aim to “reflect a cultural moment and what we feel is happening in the world at any given time.”
In response to King’s question about uninvited guests’ “hurt feelings,” Wintour explained that the guest list is curated to align with the exhibition’s theme or those who have known, loved, and supported Lagerfeld over the years. “There’s always another year, and we try to make each year different, inviting different people. So, there’s always next year,” she concluded.
Anna Wintour and her team have worked diligently to create an event that showcases Lagerfeld’s immense talent and fosters a greater appreciation for fashion and its influence on culture.
Several celebrities and fashion insiders were excited to attend the event and honour Lagerfeld’s legacy. Many have also shared their favourite Lagerfeld moments and his work’s impact on their careers.
The retrospective, which features pieces from Lagerfeld’s time at Chloé, Chanel, and Fendi, will highlight the designer’s unique vision and innovative approach to fashion. Visitors can explore his creative process, discover how he reimagined style through a modern lens, and learn about the historical context that informed his designs.
Despite the controversy surrounding some of Lagerfeld’s past statements, Wintour and Bolton emphasize celebrating his artistic contributions to the fashion industry. The exhibit aims to spark conversation and reflection on Lagerfeld’s lasting influence and the role of fashion in shaping societal values and perceptions.
Wintour hopes that the Met Gala and the Lagerfeld retrospective will raise vital funds for the museum and inspire guests and visitors to think more deeply about the power of fashion and its capacity for positive change.
With the Met Gala set to break records once again and the Lagerfeld exhibition poised to draw large crowds, Wintour and her team have demonstrated the enduring relevance of fashion as both an art form and a cultural force. As they unveil the retrospective, the fashion world eagerly awaits the opportunity to pay tribute to one of its most iconic and influential figures.
