Text by SOFIA ANTEBI and BELLA DALY
PALY’S
MET GALA STUDENT ARTISTS TAKE ON AMERICAN FASHION
L
IGHTS FLASH AND shutters “I remember when they announced click wildly as celebrities walk the the theme people were really upset because stairs of The Metropolitan Muse- they’re like ‘America doesn’t have fashion,’” um of Art, showing off extravagant Rodriguez said. “I do think people forget haute couture pieces. The Met Gala is high- that a lot of the creative directors for brands ly regarded as the biggest event in fashion, like Louis Vuitton or Gucci are American garnering the attention and attendance of designers.” the world’s biggest celebrities. Rather than Many celebrities chose to embody the being held on the famed “first Monday of style of vintage cinema with their looks. May,” the event was held on Sept. 13 due to Some, including senior Jasmine Kapadia, the pandemic. were quite disapThis year’s theme pointed with how was “In America: A There’s an element of this theme was exeLexicon of Fashion,” America that’s almost cuted.“They sort of with poet and activist Amanda Gorman, ac- a bit folklore-y sort of took black and white tor Timothee Chalaand did their shrouded in fanstasy.” aspects met, tennis star Naomi hair and the curls Osaka and singer Biland just left it at — JASMINE KAPADIA, senior lie Eilish as co-chairs. that,” Kapadia said. While many people “It’s the Met Gala, I were initially confused about what the would have expected them to take it anothAmerican fashion theme entails, celebrities er step further.” interpreted the theme in innovative ways, The addition of social media influencsuch as celebrating individuality, referenc- ers such as Emma Chamberlain, Addison ing old Hollywood and western aesthetics Rae and Dixie D’Amelio to the gala’s guest or making political statements. list was also controversial. Junior Milena Rodriguez said she “I think Anna Wintour [Vogue edithinks the theme was a way to promote the tor-in-chief who curates the gala’s guest list] often overlooked impact of American de- especially has always been wanting to push signers on the fashion industry. internet culture,” Kapadia said.
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34 OCTOBER 2021
Art by Jasmine Kapadia
Inspired by this year’s Met Gala theme, we asked three Palo Alto High School artists to create a visual foray into their definition of America and American fashion and design their very own hypothetical Met Gala look for Verde. “The Met Gala every year is always sort of a lesson in how to be extreme and the places that fashion can take us as self-expression,” Kapadia said. v Jasmine Kapadia: The modern-era cowboy (pictured left) Senior Jasmine Kapadia said she wanted to explore the theme of Americana and western aesthetics. Kapadia went for a dramatic silhouette, with a large hat and cowboy-inspired platform boots. Kapadia said she drew inspiration from current trends and modern geometric techniques to make the look eye-caching and memorable. “For a Met Gala look, you always want to have one thing that people can emulate or that would ‘go viral,’” Kapadia said. Kapadia said she was inspired by the idea of cowboys representing American freedom, and wanted to emulate warm saturated tones as though the viewer is riding off into the sunset.
