“People remember risks. They don’t remember safe.” Tom Ford on red carpets and fashion events. The first Monday of May is always magical and spectacular in New York City. The streets are bustling with photographers, paparazzi and fans who want a glimpse of the most viral outfit.
The Met Gala, the most coveted fashion event of the year, and the air is thick with anticipation and excitement. It began as a fundraising event for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Thanks to Anna Wintour, Editorial Director of Vogue, the Met Gala became the most media-covered, globally popularized fashion event.
Inside Fashion’s Biggest Night
It has become a cultural moment. Luxury brands, designers, celebrities alike gain huge opportunities for branding and exclusivity. And they are no ordinary people. They are the most influential people: Hollywood stars, athletes, royalty, supermodels and fashion designers from all over the world.
As a fashion Designer myself, I always look forward to the Met Gala every year for inspiration. I would always get a little more excited when an Indian celebrity graced the red carpet. Like Priyanka Chopra Jonas, my favourite celebrity; others like Diljit Dosanjh, the Bollywood King Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt. It’s a proud moment for us Indians when the Met Gala invites our favourite stars.
It is an unsaid rule that you must showcase yourself as a walking, talking, performing art at the most-watched, monumental event. Anna Wintour handpicked the “crème de la crème” of the fashion and entertainment industry. The Met Gala theme this year was “Costume Art” Fashion is art. Designers and celebrities awaited to give their own interpretations of art in the form of Fashion. Now picture this! When you think of art, I am imagining something beautiful, architectural, rare paintings or an ancient craft lost in time, a sculpture preserved through centuries, or a vintage piece by a Fashion designer.
The Look That Sparked Conversation
It’s the Met Gala, so you’d think grandeur, theatricality, drama, shock-factor, attention-grabbing, avant-garde. All in all, something fresh and new. That’s what I was expecting for the first Indian Ambassador of the luxury Fashion House Chanel: Bhavitha Mandava. A former student of Interactive Design and Media at NYU. She made headlines as the first Indian model to open a Chanel show. She became the talk of the town again, only for the wrong reason. You see, the very first Indian brand ambassador of Chanel came in beige sheer zip-up clothes, a white tank and silk sheet trousers doubling as jeans. Quite a casual look for the biggest fashion event in the world, wouldn’t you say?
This was supposed to be a grand debut for Bhavitha Mandava, that people would remember and talk about for years. A look that would inspire future Fashion Designers. An outfit that would motivate Indian indian girls to chase big dreams. They lost a huge opportunity to make this a historic moment, to make her the next big thing in the Fashion industry, maybe the next supermodel.
Did they really think we wouldn’t notice that she is the only one among the other celebs and ambassadors of the brand who hasn’t dressed extravagantly for the night? Bhavitha’s outfit doesn’t even fit the theme, while the other celebs look more Met Gala-ready. At least they should have given her a gown for the night!
If you think it’s an overreaction, it’s not really. I can prove it to you. Other guests dressed by Chanel were given better outfits, like Margot Robbie, who wore a gold Chanel strapless gown with a train. Nicole Kidman wore a sequin red gown with organza florals, and Jeanie from BlackPink wore another sequin gown for the event. Netizens described Bhavitha Mandava as understated in comparison to other celebrities. Many also pointed out that she was discriminated against and taken for granted by the brand. They didn’t really put much effort into dressing her for the Met Gala, as if they wanted her never to be invited again.
What Chanel Said About Bhavitha Mandava’s Look
Beyond Contrary to all assumptions, she made a public response on her social media, thanking Matthieu Blazy and Chanel. She agreed with the brand’s vision for the night. Chanel also came forward and tried to defuse the tension, saying that the look is a recreation of what the model wore when she was first discovered in a New York Subway station. Also, a similar look she opened the Chanel show with. They further explained it wasn’t just an ordinary garment; it was a printed muslin silk, very meticulously handcrafted, which took hundreds of hours of atelier excellence.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Bhavitha Mandava?
I think both opinions are correct in their own right. Skilled artisans took long hours to create something special worth remembering for which can’t be denied. And also yes, the effort was lacking. Even though she is representing the brand, she still could have wore a more glamorous outfit for the night. Yet it is the creation that took Chanel hours and hours to make one major look with the help of the most skilled artsans. But I only wish that Bhavitha was dressed better By Matthieu Blazy for the event. It was her moment to shine. Either ways Bhavitha Mandava is a star and she will remain unforgettable for decades. Her debut Met Gala look will forever be remembered by experts to analyze What are your thoughts on Bhavitha’s look? Do you think the brand did the look justice, or could they have done better?!!! Feel free to share your thoughts.