ICYMI, Yara Shahidi dazzled among the stars at last night’s Met Gala, which celebrated The Costume Institute’s latest exhibit, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.” Wearing half-archival, half-custom Jean-Paul Gaultier topped off with Cartier diamonds, the actress channeled her favorite supermodels of the ’90s, a nod to the decades-long reign of Karl Lagerfeld and the icons he helped create.
Shahidi’s stylist, Jason Bolden, helped select the JPG corset from the designer’s 2008 couture collection as an homage to Lagerfeld’s famous Chanel couture corsets from 1993, customizing the look with a pleated skirt and exaggerated hips. Cartier jewelry elevated the ensemble even further—thanks in large part to a Résonances de Cartier High Jewelry necklace and rings from the Panthère de Cartier and Trinity de Cartier collections.
As she mentally prepared to walk the Met’s legendary white staircase for the fourth time, Shahidi took ELLE.com behind the scenes of her pre-Met prep process. Scroll through below to see what went down.
Met Gala 2023 is here and I’ve made the Carlyle Hotel my home away from home. This is my fourth year in attendance and I am beyond excited.
My Cartier family is fantastic. As they focus on celebrating the fundraiser, I have the pleasure of choosing beautifully unique pieces of jewelry that blossom and highlight my outfit. It feels like I’m wearing art while looking at art!
My makeup artist Nikki Wolff and I drew inspiration from ’90s-era supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, and Yasmeen Ghauri. We leaned into classic smoked-out eyeliner, dewy skin, and a brown lip and lip liner—all Dior Beauty, of course.
To complete my look and bridge it to the incredible artistry of the decade, Nikki hid my natural brows and utilized pencil to create a thinner, arched brow.
My hairstylist Sherri Ann Cole and I created a custom, modern hairstyle with its foundations from the early ’90s, only adding volume at the top and brushing through large barrel curls to achieve an effortless tousled texture.
I began talking with Jason Bolden, my stylist and co-conspirator in all things fashion, and Jean Paul Gaultier late last year about the immaculate bustier that was in his eponymous brand’s archives. We had a vision to pay homage to Karl Lagerfeld by wearing a bustier reminiscent of his iconic 1993 see-through corsets and bold use of metallics and gold.
Inspired by Lagerfeld’s spring 1993 couture collection, we also jumped on the opportunity to create a custom skirt with the JPG designers. We were told it was the first time they had ever combined archive with custom—what an honor! The JPG corset from spring/summer 2008 captured this vision. The team took the train from Paris to London for my first fitting, and it was perfect.
Finding the perfect jewelry to complete a look is by far my favorite part of the process. I’ll be wearing Reflection de Cartier earrings and an incredible necklace from the Résonances de Cartier High Jewelry collection along with a Panthère de Cartier ring with emeralds, onyx, and diamonds and a small Trinity de Cartier ring. Ideal finishing touches!
I love The Met because, beyond showcasing iconic fashion moments, it’s a moment of inspiration in itself, and a reminder for myself that we should celebrate our vast creativity on the carpet and in the world.
Quick shot of the final look before I leave! I’m ready to head down to Bemelmans Bar for a mocktail and photos before hitting the carpet.
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