Met Gala 2023: All about Karl Lagerfeld who has inspired this year's theme

Paris Fashion Week held in September last year, was iconic for more reasons than one. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, now synonymous as a platform for the annual elite fashion parade, the Met Gala, announced its sartorial theme for 2023 - 'Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty'. The Met has now further elaborated, in the month running up to the ball, that this year's theme is in fact, "in honour of Karl". 

Karl Lagerfeld: A profile of fashion powerhouse

The German designer needs no introduction in the business of fashion. His mammoth imprint on vintage and contemporary sartorial luxury is evident from his unwavering role as creative director of fashion powerhouses Chanel from 1983 and Fendi from 1965, right up until his passing in February of 2019. He also worked for his own brand - Karl Lagerfeld, launched in 1984, in the same capacity. His dark glasses, snow white hair, glovelettes and super-starched collars left an eternal impact on the evolving fashion scene and emerged as one of the most memorable beacons of personal branding. 

Source: AP

His final show

Karl Lagerfeld's death in February of 2019 was seen as a massive loss to the global fashion scene. His final show, held posthumously, had an Alpine theme featuring the very niche category of après-ski clothing. His decades long career featured, several instances of Karl establishing trends only to discard them by flipping them on their heads. This dichotomy is what the Met has envisioned, as a tribute to the fashion legend.

Image: Chanel

A little about the theme and possible interpretations

Andrew Bolton, curator for the Met, also opened up about the intention behind the theme and the expectations from the esteemed attendees. Sharing a little about Karl Lagerfeld's vision, Bolton explained how though the visionary was deeply inspired by history and its narratives, he kept striving to take his inspiration from those themes forward into the future. What is not implied in the announcement and enunciation of the theme, are that linear and basic interpretations of the fashion maestro and his work are outside the scope of expectation. The Met Gala will take place on May 1.