Met Gala

Karl & The Met in the New Gilded Age

Karl Lagerfeld took front and center at the Met Gala 2023. KARL LAGERFELD:A LINE OF BEAUTY was the theme of fashion’s biggest Red Carpet. The legendary German helmed the luxury house Chanel for 37 years.

Vogue editor Anna Wintour along with co-hosts Rodger Federer, Dua Lipa, Michaela Coel and Penelope Cruz brought the glitz and glamour to the exclusive Red Carpet affair, raising money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

As with so many other gilded events, this year’s Met Gala came across as awkward. Imagine putting together an IKEA shelf with a 12 degree leftward angle.

Would we go to the most exclusive party in the fashion world? This would be a hard a question to answer. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of the club? However, it’s no secret the fashion industry is swerving on a mountain side road. Retailers as well as brands are feeling a hard pinch. Consumers have cut spending on clothing. Weak brands are falling while the strong ones struggle.

Reality? Who Cares!

Conde Nast has not been immune from shifts. The publishing house has fired staff, issued pay cuts and is decamping in Louboutins for newer, speculation is,,,, cheaper, digs.

I was recently speaking to a press agent about the speed of the change. No one knows who is in charge of publications. Email contacts now have a “no longer working here” instant reply. Journalistic quality has become questionable. What is an objective review? Magazines are now platforms for hire where if you do not pay there is no coverage. Press invites are more of a kin to potluck events, bring your own dish. In the past, agent relations were about seduction with Goodie Bag samples, generous catering and a conversation.

The Good Ole Days are gone. What happens now is more similar to a used car salesman in a polyester plaid suit trying to close a deal before the buyer becomes aware. As many press agents have lost clients, so have their kissing on the cheeks budgets decreased. Only the “In Crowd” may get a trinket. Food, maybe, is a croissant from a corner supermarket, if the lowly overworked intern has time to grab them. Call me adaptable, these days I pack a protein bar with a bottle of water for fashion press events.

Which brings me back to the Met Gala. Sure, it looks great, gilded circus food, cotton candy on a stick. But how long can you eat cotton candy?