This time last year, fashion’s glitterati would be doing one of three things. 1) Scrolling through bathroom selfies with Lauren Hutton and Rihanna in the background, 2) posting after-party photos or 3) trying to remember whether they thanked Anna Wintour for the invitation. We’re talking, of course, about the Met Gala. It’s the most hyped event on fashion’s calendar - occurring every year on the first Monday in May - and, with themes to coincide with the Costume Institute’s exhibition like ‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion And The Catholic Imagination, makes the Oscars look like a sixth form fashion show in comparison.
Except this year, with large swathes of the world in lockdown, it was cancelled. Ordinary members of the public, however, refused to take the news lying down. Since they wouldn’t normally be on the guest list - tickets reportedly cost $30,000 a pop - they instead accepted the #MetGalaChallenge initiated by Billy Porter and Vogue. Their mission was to recreate the most iconic Met Gala looks of all time - and the results are pretty ingenious. Scroll through our favourites below.
SEE: The Most Iconic Entries For This Year's #MetGalaChallenge
SEE: The Most Iconic Entries For This Year's #MetGalaChallenge
1 of 9Sanja Nestorovic as Rihanna
Rihanna's papal-inspired outfit sums up the Met Gala in a single look. Sanja Nestorovic used newspapers, specially The New York Times, to recreate a dress and matching mitre. Amen.
2 of 9Jakob Vegh as Celine Dion
Jakob repurposed metallic streamers and foot-long feathers to pay homage to Celine Dion's 2019 Met Gala get-up.
3 of 9Glam Bear as Janelle Monae
One of the most intricate entries comes from @glambear_, who used a long list of items, including cardboard, bin bags, plastic forks and a shower curtain, to make Janelle Monae's look from last year's Met Gala. Time well spent.
4 of 9Aili Adalia as Cardi B
Most 7 year-olds are either watching TV or terrorising their parents during lockdown. Not Aili Adalia, who recreated not one but three looks. Our favourite? The mini-me version of Cardi B at 2018's Met Gala. Bless.
5 of 9Anja Portland as Lana Del Rey
Anja Portland's rendition of Lana Del Rey was one of the #MetGalaChallenge's most faithful. With daggers, feathers and a halo lying around at home, it's safe to assume one thing - the woman has a killer dressing up box.
6 of 9Poor Lena Dunham as Lena Dunham
@poorlenadunham, a tongue-in-check fan account with the description, 'Lena Dunham. But poor', stuck some black gloves to a velvet minidress to recreate the actor's kitsch Christopher Kane look. Simple, but effective.
7 of 9Lauren Lessa as Cara Delevingne
Cara Delevingne's outfit for 'Notes on Camp' in 2019 was one of the night's most memorable - and Lauren Lessa's tribute is almost as eye-popping. Top marks for the plastic fruit.
8 of 9Tom Houdry as Ezra Miller
The top prize has to go to Tom Houdry, who had sleepless nights trying to design the complex corset and mask needed to recreate Ezra Miller's 2019 look. He thanked his mum for doing the make-up - bless! - and Anna Wintour herself.
9 of 9Gabbi Mosher as Rihanna
Gabbi Mosher wins for best use of paper plates. Her only other materials to recreate Rihanna's Comme des Garçons dress from 2017's Met Gala were paper, ribbon, a stapler and her mum on speed dial for creative advice. We bow down.