American Stories of the Met Gala

Written by: Kelly Kreuscher

Originally Published October 12th, 2021

Just a few weeks ago, at the start of fall, the 2021 Met Gala was held. As we’ve spoken about here before, we will also get to enjoy the Met Gala again during its traditional season on the first Monday of May in 2022. Both of these Met Galas are themed after American fashion, and as always, some stars followed this theme more than others. Though this Met Gala has been cited as a let-down for many, with one reporter saying of the guests: “Unfortunately, most of them fell short, and all together, the looks appeared mismatched and wrong”.

Despite some less-than-rave reviews for the event as a whole, we wanted to highlight some of the uniquely American stories that came out of three different celebrities’ looks for the night.

Nikkie Pays it no Mind

Nikkie de Jager, better known by the title of her Youtube channel, Nikkie Tutorials, attended her first Met Gala in one of the most successful looks of the night. She paid homage to American activist Marsha P. Johnson, a transgender woman who is credited with a critical role in the 1969 Stonewall Riots that paved the way for LGBTQ+ rights in America today. The dress had a ribbon with Marha P. Johnson’s famous saying “Pay it no Mind”, which she said in response to questions about her gender or the meaning behind her middle initial. Nikkie stated that as a trans woman herself she wanted to honor Johnson, also saying “I hope I made my community proud tonight”. We loved this look, which isn’t only beautifully constructed, but followed the theme by paying homage to a uniquely American figure.

A$AP Rocky goes Thrift Shopping

            One of the most interesting stories to come out of the days following the Met Gala was surrounding the quilt ASAP Rocky wore to the event. Quilts have been a significant American craft since colonial times, and this one was originally found at a Los Angeles thrift store by designer Eli Russell Linnetz, who worked with quilter Zak Foster to add his own textiles to the piece, using his dad’s bathrobe and his own boxers. After the quilt made a splash as the centerpiece of one of the night’s final looks, someone else was in for a big surprise; a woman named Sarah whose great-grandmother knitted the quilt years ago. She posted on Instagram showing a photo of the same quilt on a bed in her family home, and says she’s in awe of the miraculous journey it’s taken. This story has become one of the most interesting aspects of this year’s Met Gala—the story of one American family’s heirloom making it to the biggest red carpet in the world.

Billie Eilish wears Old Hollywood, but makes Modern Changes

         Billie Eilish is a celebrity whose style is always noteworthy, and we loved how she managed to not only capture the essence of the American theme, but worked to improve the fashion landscape as she did it. She wore a dramatic, nude-colored gown by designer Oscar de la Renta as a co-chair of this year’s event. The fitted bodice, classic makeup and curled blonde hair was reminiscent of Marylin Monroe, the perfect subject to take inspiration from for the American theme. However, she didn’t wear the dress without conditions. Instead, she made the designer’s brand agree to stop the sale of animal fur. This was definitely one of the most successful looks of the night, not only for its aesthetic but the meaning behind it.