The Black dandy is the inspiration for this year's Met Gala, which has a theme of Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. Doechii's interpretation for her first? A three-piece suit with a difference custom designed by Pharrell Williams, one of the evening's four co-chairs, for Louis Vuitton. The rapper-singer arrived wearing a monogrammed tail coat (short in the front, long at the bottom), with a matching waistcoat and slightly flaring shorts, all finished with a burgundy ribbon tie at the collar and a mini bag that contained a cigar.
Doechii was always going to be one of the people to watch out for at the Met Gala, which is a charity benefit first and the world's best red carpet second. At Paris Fashion Week, she was on the front row at every show that mattered, trying out trends with her signature flair (sculptural gowns at Schiaparelli, boho-luxe at Chloé), walking (and performing) for DSquared2, and helping to prove that catwalk shows are still able to attract the A-list.
Her Met Gala debut called for something particularly special, not simply a suit but something that spoke to the evening's dress code: 'Tailored for You'. Doechii put her own spin on the look, styling it up with a logoed belt, burgundy socks that were almost pulled to her knees and track-soled Mary-Janes. It had elements of a uniform - her cheek was even monogrammed with the letters of the label she chose to wear: 'LV' - but with attitude.
Its inspiration was Afro-Caribbean fencing master Julius Soubis, 'a Black dandy in high-society Georgian England renowned for his foppish style,' according to a press release from Louis Vuitton, which continues: 'Echoing in modern garments the courtly habit à la Française favoured by Julius Soubise, the men’s frock, poet shirt, breeches, jabot and stockings of the Rococo period transform into a modern tailcoat, dress shirt, shorts, bow and socks.'
In video clips from the red carpet, Doechii has dispensed with the mini bag entirely and is starring into the bevy of cameras, pretending to puff on her cigar. Like I said: attitude.
Natalie Hammond is senior fashion news editor at Grazia. She loves winter, hates summer and can often be found writing about the weather (and what on earth to wear).