All the motifs that featured at the Met Gala 2023 in honour of Karl Lagerfeld, explained
A mirage of cats, flowers, pearls and wedding gowns appeared on the Met Gala red carpet on Monday.
The theme of the event was dedicated to the late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, a fashion icon whose work for Chanel between 1983 and 2019 revived the brand.
Below are some of the most compelling motifs seen on the red carpet, and an explanation of how they relate to Lagerfeld.
Click here for all the incredible celebrity arrivals at the 2023 Met Gala
Late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld worked for Chanel from 1982 until his death. Getty
Cats
Fans became instantly amused with the celebrity outfits related to cats, notably Doja Cat and Jared Leto, who literally came dressed as the popular pet.
Lil Nas X's more subtle nod, including shimmering whiskers, became more obvious as he meowed and purred during interviews.
The outfits were an homage to Lagerfeld's cat, Choupette; his love for the pet was well known in the fashion world.
READ MORE: Doja Cat and Jared Leto pay homage to Choupette in cat costumes
Doja Cat and Jared Leto took a literal approach to this year's themes, showing up in cat costumes. AP, Getty
The blue-cream tortie Birman cat was adopted by the German fashion designer around Christmas 2011 and stayed by his side until his death in 2019.
Choupette is now reportedly worth millions of dollars with rumors that she had inherited Lagerfeld's fortune when he died.
Pearls
Kim Kardashian wears pearls as a nod to the late designer. Getty Images for The Met Museum/
Pearls are an iconic Chanel jewellery staple, and made for quite the accessory on Monday's red carpet.
It was Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, the founder of the French fashion house, who first popularised pearls as everyday jewels in the 1930s.
She was famous for saying, "A woman needs ropes and ropes of pearls."
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Lizzo also utilised the timeless jewel in her Met Gala 2023 outfit. Getty
Chanel knew pearls have the versatility to empower women to create their own style statements, and they featured in Lagerfeld's designs.
Kim Kardashian and Lizzo were among the celebrities who used pearls as an element in their stunning Met Gala outfits.
Camellia flowers
Floral embroidery and detailing clearly took centre stage during the Met Gala red carpet, most notably in Rihanna's outfit.
The camellia flower seen in many of the outfits is the official symbol representing Chanel.
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Rihanna stuns on the Met Gala red carpet in this stunning piece. Getty Images for the Met Museum
The symbol has a long history with the brand, dating back to 1913, the day Coco Chanel pinned one of the white blooms to her belt.
Jennie Kim and Stormzy were among other stars who paid homage to Lagerfeld and Chanel via the motif of the flower.
Jennie Kim's outfit also included the camellia flower motif. Getty
Stormzy's deep blue Burberry suit featured floral embroidery. Getty Images for Karl Lagerfeld
Chanel brides
During the Met Gala, many celebrities leaned into bridal wear and accessories to make up their fits for the evening.
Two notable stars were Ava Max and Alton Mason, who hit the red carpet in stunnning bridal pieces.
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Ava Max really leaned into the bride aesthetic with this stunning number. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Chanel Couture Brides have become signature to the fashion house, which has designed bridal wear since the late 80s.
In looks spanning all bridal styles, the Chanel brides have walked the runway in everything from over-the-top ballgowns, mini dresses, pantsuits, and even a swimsuit.
Chanel Couture Brides have become signature to the fashion house. WireImage
Tweed
Many stars hit the red carpet in designs that featured tweed; a rough woven fabric usually made from wool and a fundamental part of most Chanel looks.
In the 1920s, Gabrielle Chanel became the first fashion designer to adapt the material to womenswear.
Since then, it's been reinvented with every season, and the label continues to weave this nonchalant, elegant and highly desirable allure into all of the Chanel Haute Couture and Ready-to-Wear collections.
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Teyana Taylor's outfit included tweed. Getty Images for The Met Museum/
Teyana Taylor's look was definitely right on point, made mostly of tweed.
Her Karl Lagerfeld-inspired backless tweed jacket and matching low-slung maxi skirt worked well and was particularly memorable thanks to it's snug fit that caused the singer to hop up the Met Gala steps after struggling to walk.
Anne Hathaway also spotlighted tweed in her Versace safety pin gown.
Anne Hathaway attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue) Getty Images via the Met Museum
Black and white suit attire
Stars like Conan Gray and Kristen Stewart honoured Lagerfeld by wearing black and white suit-inspired costumes, a nod to his style.
Despite the wide array of colours available, many Chanel designs are black and white.
Some explanations featured in the official Chanel YouTube video The Colours Inside Chanel include that black sets off a woman's beauty and white is transcendent.
Conan Gray wore black and white, teamed with pearls. Getty Images for The Met Museum/
Kristen Stewart opted for a classic look. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Archival looks
While some stars worked with designers on custom pieces to honour the fashion legend, others dipped into the label's archives for golden-era Lagerfeld pieces to walk the red carpet in.
Nicole Kidman treated fans to a blast from the past wearing this dress from a 2004 Chanel ad campaign directed by Baz Luhrmann, titled Le Film.
Looking stunning in the pale pink Chanel gown, the 55-year-old was followed by an impressive four-metre train, crafted from silk tulle and embroidered with pink ostrich feathers and sequins.
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Nicole Kidman treated fans to a blast from the past, wearing this dress from a 2004 Chanel ad campaign. Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Margot Robbie also dipped into the archives, wearing a stunning black Chanel number that featured a see-through corset adorned with the brand's signature gold chain.
The one-shouldered gown is a recreation of the 1993 iteration famously worn by supermodel Cindy Crawford.
"I'm wearing Chanel, this dress was worn by Cindy Crawford in 1993," Robbie told La La Anthony during Vogue's live coverage of the carpet.
"They remade it for me and it's obviously a Karl design. I feel really great in it actually."
Margot Robbie's gown is a recreation of the 1993 design famously worn by supermodel Cindy Crawford. Getty
Rebellion
Despite the evening theme encouraging attendees to honour the death of late fashion designer Karl Lagerfield, not everyone was very fond of the fashion icon.
Controversy surrounding the designer was borne from comments made by the self-proclaimed "big mouth", who publicly made fatphobic comments.
His vile portfolio didn't end there, with the designer speaking against gay men who want to adopt children, migrants, sexual assault survivors, the #MeToo movement and "ugly" people, without apology.
READ MORE: Why is Karl Lagerfeld, the Met Gala theme, controversial?
Karl Lagerfeld was a controversial figure. WireImage
And he left behind the receipts – his own contentious words.
His commentary didn't fall on deaf ears and it was obvious many celebrities were not going to shy away from dressing in defiance, making statements with their fashion.
Karl Lagerfeld once said "See life in pink, but do not wear it!"
Viola Davis and Quannah Chasinghorse were among the celebrities who seemingly leaned into a subtle rebellion, wearing pink despite the fashion designer's spite towards the colour.
READ MORE: Moments and details from the 2023 Met Gala that have everyone talking
Viola Davis wore hot pink. Getty
Quannah Chasinghorse also wore pink, possibly as a show of rebellion. Getty
Michaela Coel, co-chair of the gala, was another star whose outfit could be interpreted as a diss at the controversial theme.
The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star rocked a sheer, custom Schiaparelli gown dripping in sparkle and gold, which she told Vogue was made with over 130,000 crystals and 26,000 mixed stones.
Michaela Coel's Schiaparelli dress made a statement on the red carpet. Getty
Schiaparelli is one of the known Chanel rivals, with the respective founders of the brands, Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli having gained a reputation in the fashion world as bitter enemies in their time.
