Jessica Chastain brought the drama to Met Gala 2023—and Karl Lagerfeld would have loved it.
In honor of the evening's theme, "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty," the Oscar winner debuted newly platinum-blonde hair, a drastic change from her signature fiery-red tresses. And be they hers or borrowed for the occasion, Chastain's locks were the epitome of fierceness—and respect.
"Any guesses who's my inspo for tonight ?" she captioned a preview of her Elizabeth Stewart-styled look on Instagram, the quick video featuring her slipping on some dark square-lens shades, à la Lagerfeld. The German designer was also known for his snow-white hair, which he always wore pulled back in a ponytail (lots of those at the Met tonight, too).
Chastain's custom black strapless gown, lack tulle gloves, jewelry and sunglasses were all Gucci.
Her porcelain complexion and makeup were courtesy of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty.
Chastain interviewed Lagerfeld at New York's Lincoln Center in 2013, and he encouraged her to ask "mean questions" so he could have a little fun. (It went well—he told the New York Times two years later that the actress was "great.")
Talking about his multiple titles as creative director of both Chanel and Fendi, as well as head of his own eponymous line, he said he didn't mind at all if people didn't automatically connect him with either Chanel or Fendi (not that that happened often).
"I am not obsessed by my name, I don't care," Lagerfeld said. "What I like is a job. The ego trip, that comes later."
When it came to making gowns for big events that attracted a lot of eyeballs, he said, "The red carpet is not fashion; it's always the same silhouette. Fashion is something else than the red carpet, but the red carpet is a part of our world, our fashion world."
And according to Met Gala chair and longtime Lagerfeld friend Anna Wintour, he also didn't believe that fashion should ever be in a museum, that the industry should always be looking forward. So perhaps tonight was also about proving the late icon just a teeny bit wrong. We feel like he wouldn't have objected to a soupçon of contrariness.
Keep scrolling for all the Met Gala 2023 silhouettes—we promise there's more than one:
Kylie Jenner
In Jean Paul Gaultier
Gigi Hadid
In Givenchy
Cardi B
In Thom Browne
Kim Kardashian
In Schiaparelli
Rihanna
In Valentino
Bad Bunny
In Jacquemus
Gisele Bundchen
In Chanel SS07 Couture
Maluma
In BOSS
Lizzo
In Chanel
Pedro Pascal
In Valentino
Cara Delevingne
In Karl Lagerfeld
Jared Leto
In Karl Lagerfeld
Jennifer Lopez
In Ralph Lauren
Jenna Ortega
In Thom Browne
Paris Hilton
In Marc Jacobs
Viola Davis
In Valentino
Anne Hathaway
In Atelier Versace
Doja Cat
In Oscar de la Renta
Billie Eilish
In custom Simone Rocha with Cartier jewelry
Kendall Jenner
In Marc Jacobs
Margot Robbie
In Chanel
Letitia Wright
In Prada
Bradley Cooper
Janelle Monae
In Thom Browne
Daisy Edgar-Jones
In Gucci and Bucherer Fine Jewellery
Mindy Kaling
In Simkhai
A$AP Rocky
In Gucci
Priyanka Chopra Jonas
In Valentino
Nicola Peltz Beckham
In Valentino
Jessica Chastain
In Gucci