Met Gala 2023 is just a few hours away, as fans intently wait to see the grand looks adorned by celebrities. This year the event is paying homage to legendary fashion icon, Karl Lagerfeld, with its theme, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty. The event will also be accompanied by an exhibit featuring 150 of his designs, along with original sketches.
Lagerfeld is a celebrated designer that worked with brands like Fendi, Balmain, and more. However, the designer had shared some controversial sentiments in his life, making people question this year’s Met theme. Lagerfeld was vocal about his opinions regarding the body positivity movement, #metoo movements, and more.
The team behind High Fashion Twitter Met Gala has decided not to conduct their digital companion event this year, due to their disagreement with the Gala’s theme and Karl Lagerfeld’s controversial opinions.
Twitter users have also been vocal about their dissent with this year’s theme. One user tweeted:
Just an #OldWhiteMan like any other, even in younger years🤔
„#Lagerfeld’s complicated legacy as an influential designer who also had a penchant for problematic quips that were #fatphobic, #racist, and #misogynistic.“
Finally it catches up with him. https://t.co/hvQOLeFSLF— Juergen Zimmerer (@JuergenZimmerer) April 30, 2023
What is controversial about this year’s Met Gala theme Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty
High Fashion Twitter Met Gala announced their break from this year’s Met Ball in a tweet saying:
“As we approach the first Monday of May, the hf Twitter met gala team would like to announce that we will not be celebrating this year’s met gala as our values don’t align with the selection of Karl Lagerfeld as the theme. We hope to celebrate with our community again soon.”
As we approach the first Monday of May, the hf twitter met gala team would like to announce that we will not be celebrating this year’s met gala as our values don’t align with the selection of Karl Lagerfeld as the theme. We hope to celebrate with our community again soon.🫶
— HF Twit Met Gala (@HFMetGala) April 17, 2023
The coordinator for the HFT Met Gala told TIME in an interview:
“A lot of us are actually part of the communities that Karl Lagerfeld has targeted in his hateful speech. And a lot of the people who participate in our event are part of those communities as well. It’s not that we’re not acknowledging his legacy and we’re not denying it either, but part of his legacy are the harmful things that he’s said and we don’t really want to partake in celebrating that.”
Lagerfeld has a history of making controversial comments regarding different communities and body shapes. The designer had described Adele as “too fat,” in a 2012 Metro(UK) interview. On being asked about his opinion on the Rolling in the Deep singer, Karl Lagerfeld said:
“A little too fat, but has a beautiful face and a divine voice.”
In the same interview, Chanel’s creative director spoke about Lana Del Rey and said:
“Lana Del Rey is not bad at all. She looks very much like a modern-time singer. In her photos she is beautiful. Is she a construct with all her implants? She’s not alone with implants.”
Lagerfeld also shared his opinion about plus-size models in a 2009 interview with the German magazine Focus. He claimed that “no one wants to see curvy women,” and added:
“You’ve got fat mothers with their bags of chips sitting in front of the television and saying that thin models are ugly. The world of beautiful clothing is about ‘dreams and illusions.'”
The designer was not a fan of Germany’s acceptance of refugees from Muslim countries. He shared his views in a 2017 French talk show:
“One cannot – even if there are decades between them – kill millions of Jews so you can bring millions of their worst enemies in their place.”
Lagerfeld also shared his views on the #MeToo movement. In an interview with Numero magazine. The designer said:
“What shocks me most in all of this are the starlets who have taken 20 years to remember what happened. Not to mention the fact there are no prosecution witnesses.”
He criticized new regulations adopted by some photo studios and modeling agencies looking to protect young models by saying:
“I read somewhere that now you must ask a model if she is comfortable with posing. It’s simply too much, from now on, as a designer, you can’t do anything.”
While talking about Karl Templer, the stylist accused of misconduct by several models, claiming that he “aggressively [pulled] down their underwear without asking them,” Lagerfeld said:
“It’s unbelievable. If you don’t want your pants pulled about, don’t become a model! Join a nunnery, there’ll always be a place for you in the convent. They’re recruiting even!”
He was also accused of blackfacing models for photoshoots, and not hiring models of color in his runway shows.
Netizens shared their disapproval of Met Gala’s theme this year
Netizens are vocal about their discontent with Met Gala’s theme this year. They shared their opinion on social media calling out the event and their organisers about the decision.
Here are some reactions from Twitter:
But i really hate this year's theme ("Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty") cuz ya know.. it's Karl, he was SUPER problematic.
— Gaby (@carelessbird__) April 30, 2023
karl lagerfeld is suuper problematic idk why they chose this theme anyway
— anthony 🩵💎 (@kissesofgaga) April 25, 2023
Karl Lagerfeld doesn’t deserve an exhibit or a Gala. Sound off in the replies which less problematic, and maybe under appreciated designer you think should have a retrospective!
— Isaac (@IsaakMath) April 23, 2023
https://twitter.com/Eurydicegaming/status/1615876303693189120
After the complaints of his problematic past with fat shaming and more, the Met Gala is still going with the Karl Lagerfeld theme?…
— Erica ﾒ𝟶🐐 (@_AbelThaGoat_) January 18, 2023
in honor of the met gala being tmrw.. this is a good time for people to research and acknowledge what horrid people karl lagerfeld and coco chanel actually were and just because they were creative geniuses does not mean we should continue to glorify their legacies
— chelle (@prettylilchelle) May 1, 2023
Met Gala is held annually on the first Monday of May. This year the event is falling on May 1, people can watch live streams from the red carpet on Vogue’s YouTube account from 6 pm ET.
You can also share any questions you have about Met Gala. Until then, stay with us here at Spiel Times for more content.
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