Red Carpet
9 People and Objects That Inspired Solange's Met Gala Look
From Grace Jones to a pair of ice skates.
Image: Instagram/SaintRecords
If the Academy Awards red carpet is the Super Bowl of fashion, then the Met Gala is the BCS Championship, with a smaller but even more dedicated audience of fashion love and the most star-studded invite list this side of Vanity Fair's Oscar party.
As exciting as The First Monday in May is, we can count on a few things. Rihanna will slay. Gwyneth Paltrow will wear something white and boring minimalist. At least one Kardashian will be nearly nude. And Solange will bring her avant garde A-game.
In 2016 it was lemon yellow pleats by David La Porte, and the year before it was Gilles' fluttery optical illusion (in yes, more pleats) shaped like a UFO around her torso. This year she traded ethereal pleats for wintry volume in a black puffer coat complete with puffed train, completing the outfit with some conceptual heels and a white collared shirt, all by designer Thom Browne.
It was definitely a look that everyone is talking about today, but what inspired it? The internet has ideas.
1. Missy Elliott's trash bag outfit in the "Supa Dupa Fly" video
Time says Solange gave a shout-out to the rapper in an Instagram, but if that's the case the evidence has been deleted, and all we see are two badass black women in puffy black things, so who knows.
2. A sleeping bag
"Solange Showed Up To The Met Gala Wearing A Sleeping Bag And She Still Looks Better Than You Fools," announced Buzzfeed.
Image: Terry Tsiolis/Elle
3. Norma Kamali
Though she's not a household name, Kamali is the design legend behind Farrah Fawcett's famous swimsuit, the "sleeping bag" coat (see above), and the high-heeled sneaker. Solange wore a red puffer by Kamali on the cover of Elle in March, so we're pretty sure she's a fan.
4. Ice skates
"Going ice skating with @thombrowneny, brb," Solange announced on Instagram, and yes her skate-inspired shoes are totally epic.
5. A chaise designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
What, you didn't know she was a fan of mid-century modern design?
6. Comme des Garçon designer Rei Kawakubo
The designer's architectural works were the theme of the evening and was referenced in Solange's modern lip and overall structural take on fashion.
7. Grace Jones
"Even when it’s something silly like going to the MET Ball, I have images of Grace Jones from 20 years ago,” she told People, “so it’s about creating imagery that will really live on and really reflect who you are and that has a huge impact on me.”
8. Ear Art
PopSugar noticed that the white on Solange's ear and jawline is perhaps the real-life debut of the ear makeup look started by French makeup artist Violette, replacing earrings with highly pigmented pops of color on the skin.
9. Nothing
Because Solange does it like nobody else.
