Strict rules Kendall Jenner had to follow to wear her Met Gala dress
Topics: Met Gala, Kendall Jenner, Fashion, Celebrity
Jess Hardiman
Featured Image Credit: Gotham/Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Topics: Met Gala, Kendall Jenner, Fashion, Celebrity
The Kardashians didn’t disappoint at the Met Gala last night, even if Kim’s cinched waist proved to be a little on the controversial side.
Sister Kylie went for a champagne-coloured Oscar de la Renta gown inspired by a garden statue, while mum Kris - accompanied by long-term boyfriend Corey Gamble - also went for a chic Oscar de la Renta number.
But it was arguably Kendall that got heads turning for all the right reasons, having turned to the archives for her dramatic look.
She opted for a dress by Alexander McQueen from his time as creative director of Givenchy between 1996 and 2001.
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The black gown was from his autumn/winter 1999 collection for Givenchy Haute Couture, with the pieces presented on the runway on mannequins.
This meant that nobody has ever worn the gown, which is constructed of nude and black tulle and covered with more than 100,000 black and brass beads and sequins - which were hand-embroidered by hand over the course of upwards of 500 hours.
“I made a dream list of who I would ideally want to go with, and I would have died to wear something by Alexander McQueen,” Kendall told Vogue about her Met Gala look, with stylist Dani Michelle adding: “The House of Givenchy is in a unique transition of creative directors, and the house is opening its privately protected archives for Kendall at the Met.
“We did a tonne of research, specifically on the work of the talented and remembered Alexander McQueen, and Kendall and I both fell in love with this dress. Shockingly, they had it.”
Because the dress had never been worn by a human, having since been preserved in the Givenchy archives - where it will return after this year’s Met Gala - there was one strict rule Kendall had to follow.
“It’s been sleeping for the last 25 years. It’s literally a ‘sleeping beauty’,” she continued.
“It’s such a special moment. I feel extremely honoured that they’re allowing me to wear it.”
As it’s been carefully preserved in pristine condition for more than two decades, tailoring was completely forbidden.
“So the big moment of truth was, does it fit me? and it literally fits me like a glove,” Kendall said.
“The rest is history, and it really feels meant to be in a way.”
The evening marked Kendall’s 10th Met Gala, and her first time wearing an archival look.
The reason behind the historic swivel lies within the theme of the Met’s new exhibit, 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion' - which she said ‘screamed archival’ to her, explaining how she also interpreted it as a ‘beauty that’s been slept on’.
"The way it’s cut in the back, and the low butt - all these beautiful things feel very me,” Kendall said.