Although I can appreciate his artistry, I’m not a Karl Lagerfeld fan — the theme of this year’s Met Gala — I even misspelt his name yesterday (whoops). However, I am a fan of fashion events. Being a jewellery designer, I was looking forward to seeing what jewellery the guests on Anna Wintour’s hallowed list were wearing and how they were wearing it.
I must preface this by saying I’m not a celebrity gossip person, and I had no idea who many of the guests were. I don't want to throw any shade at people who follow celebrity stuff — you could probably give me some pointers — only to say that these opinions are from the perspective of an outsider who happens to make jewellery and like fashion. Okay, let's get to it!
Diamonds with pearls
Chances are, if the guests weren’t wearing diamonds, they were probably wearing pearls. Gigi Hadid wore both. This look is giving me ‘ethereal dark mermaid meets untouchable, radiant goddess’ vibes, with the diamonds speaking to the statuesque and glowy goddess aesthetics and the pearls giving mermaid undertones adding contrast and energy to the otherwise black ensemble.
Rhianna wore both diamonds and pearls, too. Actually, she wore everything, which is why I almost didn't notice the necklace.
Diamonds
Let's talk about diamonds! Dua Lipa is up there with my favourite looks of the night. To complete her stunning Chanel tweed ball gown (which has pockets), she wore an equally stunning 200-carat diamond necklace, which perfectly complements the neckline: a surprisingly challenging thing to get just right.
And wow, did you see all of those diamond chokers? I gave up counting after 10. I get it; they look amazing, especially with décolletés on display in bustier-style gowns and corsetry. Given the chance, I'd probably wear one too. Here are just a few diamond chokers worn at the Met Gala.
I also noticed diamond brooches worn with black and white suiting à la Lagerfeld — proof that they're not just for grandmas.
Pearls
Guests at the Met Gala wore collier pearl necklaces, pearl bracelets, pearl hair accessories and, my favourite, cascading ropes of pearls. Serena Williams kills it in this outfit, and l love how her pearls drape and flow over the body, mimicking her outfit's silhouette.
Karlie Kloss had the same idea, draping pearls around her neck and hips to show off her baby bump. The other KK took the cascading pearl theme to a Kim-appropriate level, and I’ve gotta say, I don’t hate it at all.
Head-to-toe Bejewelled
These looks may not be ‘jewellery’ in the traditional sense of the word, but they are head-to-toe jewelled. Michaela Coel’s outfit is hard to look away from, with a sheer dress embellished with pearls, gold-toned gemstone and chain, turning her body into a galaxy of distraction. I find the look visually overwhelming, but for some reason, my brain loves the asymmetry of the starry jewels covering her nips. Also, note the star-spangled butt! To me, the ‘vagenecklace’ (an excellent descriptor coined by my friend) is distracting in a way my brain doesn’t like and somehow feels too much. Apparently, that’s where I draw the line.
This look instantly made me think of an upturned jewellery box. If you’re playing along at home, you could recreate the look by popping on a sheer dress, pinning some brooches to cover whatever you want to cover, adding some diamante necklaces to the bottom half and hooking a few hundred earrings into the empty spaces. Ta-da!
And, holy moly, this is one very bedazzled Lil Nas X! In one sense, it’s quite a minimalist look, wearing only a g-string, silver body paint, jewels and platforms. It is also a head-turning silver sparkle explosion in the shape of a man. I think he is supposed to look like a glittery Choupette (Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved cat), but if it weren’t for the whiskers, I see visions of an ice god instead.
While we are staring at this silver-shimmering Adonis, did you notice the lack of gold at the Met Gala? I saw way more silver-toned jewellery at the event than I was expecting. I heard that silver is taking over global jewellery trends this year, but I was still surprised to see it mimicked at the Met Gala in such a literal way. I also noticed that many traditionally pale and cool-toned folk left the fake tan at home and instead, opted for more of an icy complexion that can look striking in silver. I wonder if all this silver will influence makeup trends, too?
Et al.
Arm cuffs! Hey, if it’s good enough for Naomi Campbell, who looks like a statue of a deity carved from marble. Doja Cat also wore an arm cuff, which was completely overshadowed for me because she’s a CAT. And although her appearance as a literal cat freaks me out in ways I can’t vocalise just yet, I adore her bracelets.
My favourite accessorised duo from the Met Gala has got to be Taika Waititi and Rita Ora. Taika Waititi looks fantastic in his pearls and silky suit combo, and Rita Ora has stacked bangles and rings, only to continue the jewels way past her hands by bedazzling her nails with draping chains.
Here are some more miscellaneous jewellery looks that I enjoyed staring at.
And I know it’s not technically jewellery, and I don't think she even got past the front entrance, but can we all take a moment to appreciate North West’s pearlescent conch shell clutch? I never thought I'd say this, but consider me influenced by a Kardashian-Jenner.
What did you think of the jewellery at the 2023 Met Gala? And do you think we'll be seeing some of these trends out in the real world? Let me know what you think and thanks for indulging me :).
All photos from Getty Images.