Attending the Costume Institute Benefit for the third year in a row, H&M design team created one-of-a-kind looks for Nicki Minaj, Future, Ashley Graham, Joe Jonas, Jourdan Dunn, Sasha Lane and Stella Maxwell for the 2017 Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit (MET GALA 2017), which were inspired by this year’s Costume Institute exhibition Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.
The customised looks explored many of Kawakubo’s recurring themes – which included deconstruction, subverted tradition and asymmetry, mixed with the charm of bows, flowers and polka dots, with each look made especially for this exclusive evening of fashion.
Rapper and singer Nicki Minaj wore a sheer tulle gown with a long train in raw-edged silk taffeta, featuring extravagant black vinyl roses trappedat the hem andbeneaththe train. The dress was held by an off-the-shoulder silk duchesse kimono top, its leather Obi belt featuring a mask of the face of Kawakubo. The train was decorated with rays of black and red, with one red Swarovski crystal ray extending to the front.
Rapper Future was dressed in a slim-fitted black tail-coat made from organic silk, TENCEL® and wool, its back embellished with a hand-embroidered black skull with a red Swarowski crystal heart. He wore it with a dark navy shirt in organic silk and a bow tie.
Model Ashley Graham wore a corset dress influenced by Kawakubo’s interest in revealing the inner workings of garments. An off-white corset was subtly deconstructed, while a long red silk skirt was boned and fastened by hook-and-eyes, both decorated with exuberant ruffles of dark red silk organza.
Model Jourdan Dunn wore a body-skimming dress that played with the theme of deconstructing and subverting traditional garments. A top of off-white silk taffeta shirting appeared as if falling off a calico bodice, its skirt of deconstructed navy pinstripe suiting that was cut asymmetrically and into bows.
Actress Sasha Lane wore a sheer net-like structured dress embellished with various sizes of polka dots, one of Kawakubo’s key motifs. The dress was held by a sheer, boned upper body with black Swarovski crystals, the playful dots in tactile materials such as raffia and velvet.
Singer Joe Jonas was dressed in a deep red slim fit suit in Italian double-silk satin with black stripe and lapels. His black silk shirt was in 100% organic silk, finished with a black bowtie.
Model Stella Maxwell wore a sheer organic silk chiffon dress covered in strands of pearls. Beginning as a necklace that draped the open back, the pearls crossed the chest and formed the lines of a crinoline into the dress, before falling free to play around the body.
