Cynthia Erivo's Rococo Dandy-Inspired 2025 Met Gala Look Took Over 2,250 Hours to Make

Vogue

05-05-2025

'Working together, we wanted to include very precise couture tailoring—sharp silhouette, strong shoulders,' continues Burton, 'and as the process evolved, we decided to balance this structure; playing with the shape and proportion of the skirt.'
It all began with the silhouette. 'With the couture atelier, I took the sliced jacket from the show and moulded it onto her body, balancing the exploded shoulders and slashed neckline with the corset to enhance her waist,' explains Burton. 'I love the juxtaposition of the severity of the tailoring with the softness of the multilayered black tulle skirt, that felt like a cloud. We engineered the embroidery onto the jacket, [bringing the] crystals from the neckline to the low hip. What's amazing about working with Cynthia is her understanding of all these couture techniques.'

When considering the 'Tailored for You' theme, Erivo is reflective. 'What I love about this piece is that it isn't obvious in the immediate how it fits with the theme,' she says, 'however, the top half of this piece is Sarah's incredible way of subverting the narrative around suiting…it is completely tailored and the spark that brings me joy.' Erivo points to how the look references both dandies of the Rococo period, with their frills, pantaloons, and ornate adornments, to more modern visions. 'If you take a look at Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint George, and fast forward to Prince, you will notice the similarities: frock coats, bloomers, frills. We have essentially deconstructed the Rococo style of dandyism.'
The biggest challenge for the Givenchy team was the construction of the jacket so that it held the sharp, sculpted shape without collapsing—despite being open at the front and back. The corset is traditionally built and fully boned, and Givenchy's couture atelier used age-old couture techniques that evolved into something powerful and modern. It took 950 hours to make the look from the toile to the final result. The embroidery work required over 43,400 Swarovski crystals, and demanded approximately 1,300 hours to achieve by 40 artisans.