Which Met Gala Outfits Were Most On Theme? Vogue Readers Voted

André-Naquian Wheeler

May 5, 2023 at 4:42 PM·3 min read

The Met Gala guests were asked to dress “in honor of Karl,” but who did it best? This was the question we asked readers shortly after the grand soiree, which celebrated the exhibition “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.”

Was the most on-theme attendee Jared Leto stepping inside a furry costume and all-but-becoming the late designer’s famous cat, Choupette? Or perhaps it was Cardi B transforming—according to the rapper herself—into a quilted Chanel purse on the bottom and a sexified version of Karl Lagerfeld’s go-to wardrobe on top? Or maybe it was Nicole Kidman, who was able to go straight to the source and re-wear the iconic Lagerfeld-designed dress that she wore in a 2004 Chanel No. 5 commercial.

Readers could vote on our slideshow of all the looks at the Met Gala. There was one clear winner: Cardi B. The rapper took the lead, with over 12,000 voters, for the night’s most “on theme” outfit. In second place, Anne Hathway. The actor turned to Versace to craft a dress that equally paid homage to “90s supers” and blended the signature codes of Chanel and the Italian house. In third place, Jenna Ortega and her tweed-heavy Thom Browne ensemble. The look appeared to be a vamp goth version of Lagerfeld, donning platform oxfords, a structured corset-cum-blazer, and sheer knee-highs. It was a look the late designer would have been proud of: a playful, high-femme spin on gender codes.

Other notable mentions from the results: Gigi Hadid in a black sheer corset gown by Matthew M. Williams at Givenchy; Rihanna in a cocoon-like, bridal-inspired look by Valentino; Bad Bunny in a pristine white backless suit and 26-foot train by Jacquemus.

Publicly, Lagerfeld almost exclusively wore black and white during the height of his fame. The same color palette frequently appeared on the Chanel runways as well—so it makes sense, in a way, that the public would land with either all-black or all-white looks. The shades are timeless, much like Lagerfeld’s designs.