For an easy way to stay on theme, attendees would wear his designs. For example, Kylie Jenner wore an Off-White bridal gown to the 2022 Met Gala to honor the designer after he died the previous year. However, they could also choose to go with looks inspired by his legacy, such as working with one of the Chicago-based streetwear designers who are launching their careers in the same way Abloh did. They could also mix Off-White-inspired streetwear with Louis Vuitton–inspired couture pieces. Likewise, the aim of this Met Gala theme would be to honor Johnson’s legacy by showcasing Black designers and stylists. He also had an iconic sense of style. He was known for his caftans and capes, so there would be plenty of inspiration for attendees to pull from. Under this theme, participating designers would be encouraged to be more inclusive than past years with the attendees they chose to invite — a change that would also need to stick in the future. Similar to the Siriano theme, this Met Gala would honor the designer’s ethos of inclusivity. Attendees could wear some of Shoji’s designs, but I’d also love to see some interpret “the figure is the canvas” to adjust an iconic outfit from the past (such as Audrey Hepburn’s black Breakfast at Tiffany’s dress or Hedy Lamar’s starry Ziegfeld Girl gown) to fit their body type and personal style. This Met Gala would call for show-stopping, risky, never-before-seen experimentation in the name of fashion. IMO, a Roaring ’20s Met Gala would be unmatched. Imagine a red carpet packed with glamorous outfits inspired by Six, Hamilton, Phantom of the Opera, and Wicked… The exhibit to go with this theme would be so interesting, too. It could showcase old designs and collections that demonstrate “what designers of the past thought we’d be wearing today.” Basically, attendees’ outfits would be inspired by their favorite characters from pop culture, similar to Zendaya’s Cinderella look from the 2019 Met Gala. This wouldn’t be a completely new concept to Met Gala attendees. For the 2022 event, Emma Stone rewore one of the dresses from her wedding. Imagine someone going as Odette from Swan Lake and staging a transformation from swan to princess on the red carpet, or another attendee dressing as Maleficent in dragon form. Celebs pay homage to their heroes on the red carpet all the time anyway, so plenty of the attendees would already have practice staying on theme! For example, Dua Lipa took inspiration from Amy Winehouse at the 2021 BRIT Awards, and Zendaya channeled David Bowie at the 2016 Grammys. Attendees could even choose to collaborate with fashion students and recent grads to help them get a head start in their careers.
