The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit, more familiarly known as the Met Gala, is one of the most anticipated fashion events of the year. Held annually on the first Monday of May, the gala (which raises funds for the Anna Wintour Costume Center) unites celebrities, fashion designers and industry leaders in presenting their sartorial A-game on the red carpet. What makes the Met Gala that much more entertaining is the year’s mandatory themed dress code. From Catholicism to China’s influence on fashion, with a detour through the realms of Camp, the gala themes are a continual inspiration for our favourite designers. Nevertheless, watches are rarely seen on the wrists of the biggest female celebrities. The Met Gala, created by Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue US since 1988, is a prime example of the increasing influence that the media exerts on the world of luxury. We’ve therefore taken the liberty of completing some of the most memorable Met Gala looks over the years with some equally iconic wristwatches.
Blake Lively, Atelier Versace, 2022
Blake Lively wowed audiences as she arrived at the 2022 Met Gala, which was themed around "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" or, more precisely, "Gilded Glamour". Last year's Met Gala therefore focused on the American Golden Age, which took place from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century. During this time, the United States experienced rapid industrialisation and massive economic growth, affecting the upper class of the population in particular. The dress worn by Blake Lively, made by Atelier Versace, fit the theme perfectly with its specific meaning and deliberately crafted details. Indeed, the dress was a tribute to none other than the Statue of Liberty! Once in front of the dozens of photographers, furiously snapping away, Lively unfolded her dress, initially copper-coloured, to reveal a long light blue train. This unexpected transformation directly mirrored that of the Statue of Liberty, which changed from bronze to its current colour due to the oxidation of the material over the years. The strapless dress also alluded to the Empire State Building, a true reference of Art Deco architecture in the 1920s and 1930s.
The watch we’ve chosen to complete this highly referential outfit is the Reverso One Duetto Jewellery by Jaeger-LeCoultre. The pivoting case allows the watch to transform aesthetically, evoking the duality of the dress. This all-rose gold interpretation recalls the copper tones of the dress, while the bracelet with its geometric diamond-set links draws its inspiration directly from the Art Deco period, which coincided with the release of the very first Reverso watch.
Kim Kardashian, Jean Louis, 2022
Controversy followed the 2022 edition of the Met Gala, when Kim Kardashian took to the red carpet wearing Marilyn Monroe's iconic "Happy Birthday Mr. President" dress. The dress had only been worn once before, in 1962, when Marilyn Monroe appeared onstage to serenade US President John F. Kennedy with a sensual birthday song. Critics slammed Kim Kardashian's wardrobe choice, arguing that the dress was an important piece of cultural heritage and should be preserved and left intact. Given the value of the dress, the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum in Florida permitted Kardashian to wear the garment only until she ascended the steps of the Met and entered the museum. The dress was only seen for about ten minutes while Kim Kardashian posed for photographers, before she changed into a replica of the garment.
To accessorise this outfit, we chose Blancpain's "Valentine's Day" timepiece from 2020, limited to 14 pieces. This piece was inspired by a Blancpain jewellery watch owned by Marilyn Monroe in the 1930s. What could be more logical than for Kim Kardashian, often cast as the Marilyn Monroe of our time, to wear a white-gold reissue of the watch set with 84 diamonds that once belonged to her cultural precedent?
Gigi Hadid, Atelier Versace, 2018
At the 2018 Met Gala, whose theme was "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination", celebrity model Gigi Hadid arrived wearing a sumptuous gown inspired by the stained glass windows of a cathedral, designed by Atelier Versace. The theme, celebrating the relationship between fashion and Catholicism, was linked to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibition of clothing and artworks from the Vatican. Gigi Hadid's outfit was certainly not the most overtly themed of the evening, and it is precisely this hidden symbolism that pairs beautifully with Bulgari's Divas' Dream Peacock Dischi watch.
This timepiece, unveiled in 2021 in a limited edition of 50 pieces, features a marquetry dial made of natural peacock feathers. This technique dates back to antiquity and was popularised in Italy during the Renaissance, a key period in the history of Catholicism. Moreover, Bulgari was founded in Rome, the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, which reinforces the thematic link between the two. The pattern on the dial recalls the train of the dress, whose flashes of green on a blue background evoke the iridescence of a peacock's feathers. The golden seams of the dress are match the pink gold case of the watch, while the subtle visual allusions of the dress go hand in hand with the watch’s discreet hour and minute indications, represented by two diamonds on rotating discs.
Zendaya, Atelier Versace, 2018
Zendaya's look at the 2018 Met Gala was an unexpected tribute to the iconic Joan of Arc. The award-winning actress, wearing a silver chainmail dress and a wig cut in the style of the warrior saint's famous bob, looked like she had walked straight out of a Hollywood historical film. The outfit was based on traditional knight's armour, with Atelier Versace’s own stylistic interpretation of medieval breastplates and shoulder pads.
To accompany this bold look, we chose a Hermès watch, as both Joan of Arc and Hermès are revered icons who have left an indelible mark on French culture and heritage in distinct but significant ways. The Cape Cod with a double-turn braided steel bracelet gives the illusion of being an extension of the sleeve of the chain mail dress. The combative spirit of the outfit is thus reflected in even the smallest details.
Rihanna, Guo Pei, 2015
If we had to pick the most memorable outfit of all the Met Galas, the answer would undoubtedly be the famous yellow dress worn by Rihanna at the 2015 edition. Designed by Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei, the dress was in perfect alignment with the theme "China: Through the Looking Glass". It took 20 months, thousands of hours and about 50 people to create the dress, which was a work of art. Wearing the dress was a real challenge for the singer because of the length of the train (three metres) and its weight (25 kg). Although the bold and eccentric nature of the look has been widely commented on social networks and in the media, it is still a beautiful tribute to traditional Chinese art.
To accompany the outfit, we chose the L.U.C XP Esprit de Fleurier Peony by Chopard. The painstaking engraving of the dial and movement takes at least a month and a half to complete, paralleling the amount of effort that went into creating the dress. The double-layered gold dial has been sculpted in relief, rather than engraved, to create a striking contrast with the background, echoing the floral embroidery of the Guo Pei train. To top it off, this dress-and-watch pairing echoes another collaboration between Chopard and the performer, who joined forces in 2017 to create the "Rihanna Loves Chopard" jewellery collection.
