Latest news with #DianaVreeland
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Scandalous debut to summer staple: The evolution of the bikini as it turns 75
The bikini has been making waves as a summer essential since it was created in the 1940s. As we dust off our swimwear once again, here's a look back at the evolution of the iconic two-piece The iconic bikini, a staple of summer fashion since the 1940s, is nearly 80 years old and still turning heads. Diana Vreeland, the legendary fashion editor at Harpers Bazaar and Vogue, once famously remarked that the bikini was "the most important thing since the discovery of the atomic bomb." Indeed, Vreeland's observation holds true as the two-piece continues to captivate with its enduring allure and provocative charm. This tiny garment has made an unprecedented impact on fashion history. Tracing back to the mid-19th century, swimsuits have adorned the figures of those frequenting the beaches of Normandy and Biarritz. However, it was in the summer of 1946 that swimwear experienced a revolutionary change. Inspired by the first American nuclear test at Bikini Atoll, French engineer and textile manufacturer Louis Réard unleashed a sartorial sensation upon post-war France: the bikini. Réard, while soaking up the sun in Saint-Tropez, noticed women rolling down their swimsuits for a fuller tan, which led him to design a swimsuit that left the midriff entirely exposed. The so-called "world's smallest swimsuit" made from mere scraps of fabric and adorned with Bernardini's fan mail excerpts, scandalously revealed her navel – a body part deemed too intimate for the public eye at the time. Brigitte Bardot became an early advocate when she famously donned a simple floral bikini on Cannes' beaches in 1953. At just 18, Bardot's bold choice helped cement the bikini as an emblem of youthful rebellion and the burgeoning consumer culture of her era. By the 1960s, bikinis continued to ride a wave of popularity, even as some European beaches still banned them. Hollywood played a pivotal role in the bikini's enduring appeal. The James Bond flick Dr. No featured Ursula Andress emerging from the ocean in a now-iconic white belted bikini, a scene that caused quite the splash. Channel 4 hailed this moment as the ultimate bikini scene in cinematic history, and in 2001, the bikini fetched £46,070 ($61,500) at auction, with film writer Martin Rubin calling it a "defining moment in the Sixties liberalisation of screen eroticism". In the same year, actress Sue Lyon was seen lounging on the grass in a floral bikini in Lolita, while Raquel Welch donned a fur two-piece in One Million Years B.C. (1966). These iconic film scenes played a significant role in popularising the bikini worldwide. However, it wasn't until 1968 that the bikini really took off in France, as social rebellion and the rise of feminism began to redefine women's fashion and its symbolism. 1980s By the 1980s, bikinis accounted for 20% of swimsuit sales in the US, outperforming all other swimwear styles. However, with growing awareness of skin cancer, the popularity of the skimpy bikini plummeted. Suddenly, high-rise one-pieces were all the rage. Alongside one-pieces, variations of the bikini like the 'tankini' and 'camikini', featuring long tops that covered the midriff and ended at the hip bones, gained popularity. Swimwear icons such as Baywatch's Pamela Anderson and Sports Illustrated model Cindy Crawford were often seen in plunging one-pieces and high-waisted bottoms. 1990s As the Eighties athleisure trend began to favour simpler aesthetics, the bikini made a triumphant return. Luxury brands started transforming the two-piece swimsuit into high-glamour fashion statements. In 1996, Chanel downsized the bikini and adorned it with its iconic logo, showcasing it on the runway modelled by supermodel Stella Tennant. The following year, Tom Ford at Gucci pushed the boundaries further with an almost invisible ombré thong bikini embellished with a bold metal G – designed for all genders and intended to be noticed. 2000s – 2010s Today, the bikini continues to be a contentious item of clothing, often finding itself under censorship. In 2013, an advert featuring Pamela Anderson dancing in a bikini was banned by the British Advertising Standards Authority for degrading women. That same year, Cambridge University prohibited the Wyverns Club of Magdalene College from organising its annual bikini jelly wrestling contest. However, as designers become more inclusive and innovative with their designs, it appears that the bikini has entered its golden age. A symbol of liberation and freedom, the bikini remains one of the most popular sectors of the fashion industry, being valued at around $811 million. Regardless of its future transformations, one thing is certain: the bikini is here to stay.
BreakingNews.ie
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
The evolution of the bikini
Created almost 80 years ago, the bikini has been making waves as a summer essential since the 1940s. The late fashion editor Diana Vreeland called the bikini 'the most important thing since the discovery of the atomic bomb.' Vreeland isn't wrong, the two-piece swimsuit has lost none of its charm or scandalous appeal over the years. Advertisement Never before in the history of fashion has a little piece of fabric caused such a stir. So, as we dust of our swimwear once again, here's a look back at the evolution of the bikini. Models competing for the Miss World 1960 title in London (PA Archive) The origin of the bikini Ever since the mid-19th century, swimsuits have been gracing the waters of Normandy and Biarritz by the sea-bathing elite. But in the summer of 1946, a seismic shift in swimwear took place. Taking inspiration from the first American nuclear test at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific, French engineer-turned-textile-manufacturer Louis Réard dropped a fashion bomb on post-war France: the bikini. The original design of Louis Réard's bikini in 1946 (Alamy/PA) While visiting the beaches of Saint-Tropez, Réard observed women folding down their swimsuits to get a better tan – this sparked his idea to create a swimsuit that left the midriff completely bare. Advertisement The daringly minimalist design made its debut at Paris's Molitor pool, modelled by Micheline Bernardini, a nude dancer from the Casino de Paris and the only woman willing to wear such a revealing piece. Comprising of just a few scraps of fabric printed with excerpts from Bernardini's fan mail, the so-called 'world's smallest swimsuit' showed off her curves and – most shockingly – her navel. At the time, this part of the body was considered far too intimate for public display. The navel, tied symbolically to motherhood, was still seen as something that belonged to the private sphere. Brigitte Bardot wearing a bikini on the set of The Night Heaven Fell (Alamy/PA) Packaged in a tiny metal cube, just 6cm wide, and marketed as 'the first anatomical bomb,' the bikini was set to challenge post-war modesty. Among its early champions was Brigitte Bardot, who made headlines in 1953 when she wore a a simple floral bikini on the beaches of Cannes. Advertisement The 18-year-old actor's youthful defiance helped turn the bikini into a symbol of a generation embracing freedom, pleasure and a rapidly changing consumer culture. 1960s Come the 1960s, bikinis were still enjoying a surge in popularity, despite still being forbidden on some European beaches. This was largely down to Hollywood. In the James Bond film Dr. No (1962), Ursula Andress stepped out of the sea wearing an iconic white belted bikini, and the moment certainly made waves. Channel 4 declared it to be the top bikini moment in film history, and in 2001, the bikini sold at auction for $61,500, being described by film writer Martin Rubin as a 'defining moment in the Sixties liberalisation of screen eroticism'. Advertisement Ursula Andress wore an iconic white belted bikini in the film Dr. No in 1962 (Alamy/PA) That same year, actor Sue Lyon lounged on the grass in a floral two-piece in Lolita, while Raquel Welch went primal in a fur bikini in One Million Years B.C. (1966). These unforgettable cinematic moments played a major role in popularising the bikini across the globe. In France however, the bikini didn't fully catch up until 1968, when social rebellion and the rise of feminism helped rewrite the rules of how women dressed and what it signified. The bikini became ubiquitous in the late 1960s (PA Archive) No longer just a skimpy beach outfit, the bikini became a subtle act of defiance: a way for women to reclaim ownership of their bodies, ditch the outdated constraints of modesty, and move freely – whether swimming, sunbathing, or simply being. What was once scandalous had evolved into a symbol of liberation. Advertisement 1980s By the 1980s, the bikini made up 20% of swimsuit sales, more than any other swimwear model in the US. However, as skin cancer awareness grew, sales of the skimpy bikini decreased dramatically. Suddenly, it was all about the high-rise one pieces. As athletic styles boomed – one-pieces came into vogue (PA Archive) Alongside one pieces, variations of the bikini became popular such as the 'tankini' and 'camikini' which featured long tops covering the midriff and finishing at the hip bones. Pamela Anderson and Yasmine Bleeth popularised the high-rise one piece in Baywatch (Alamy/PA) The likes of Baywatch's Pamela Anderson and Sports Illustrated model Cindy Crawford became swimwear icons, wearing plunging one-pieces and high-rise bottoms. 1990s As simpler aesthetics began to define fashion and one-pieces became synonymous with Eighties athleisure – the bikini came back with a boom. In the 1990s, ultra-stylised bikinis became popular, moving away from 1980s athleisure (Stefan Rousseau/PA) This time, luxury labels began transforming the two-piece swimsuit into high-glamour statements. In 1996, Chanel shrank it down and stamped it with its signature logo, and paraded it down the runway on supermodel Stella Tennant. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Garment Modern+Vintage (@garment_modern) The following year, Tom Ford at Gucci took things even further with a barely-there ombré thong bikini adorned with a bold metal G – designed for all genders, and made to be seen. 2000s – present day Today, the bikini remains a controversial piece of clothing, still finding itself under censorship. In 2013, an advert featuring Pamela Anderson dancing in a bikini was banned by the British Advertising Standards Authority for degrading women. In that same year, Cambridge University banned the Wyverns Club of Magdalene College from arranging its annual bikini jelly wrestling contest. Modern day bikini designs have become more experimental (Myung Jung Kim/PA) But as designers become more inclusive and experimental with their designs – it seems the bikini has stepped into its golden age. A symbol of liberation and freedom – the bikini remains one of the most popular sectors of the fashion industry, being valued at around $811 million. Whatever its next form, one thing is certain: the bikini is here to stay.
RTÉ News
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Meet the woman who turned the Met Gala into the biggest party of the year
Analysis: Diana Vreeland took the reins of the Met Gala in 1973 and elevated this formerly stuffy charity ball into a global media sensation By Elizabeth Castaldo Lundén, University of Southern California The annual Met Gala in New York City is a dazzling collision of celebrity, fashion and media frenzy. The event is ostensibly a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, which houses a vast collection of historical costumes and fashion artefacts. But for many people, it's that time of year when their social media feeds become awash with posts, stories and live streams of A-list actors, musicians and influencers ascending the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art to showcase their elaborate outfits. The gala has come a long way since its early days as an intimate fundraising event for the local fashion industry and New York's old-guard elite. Through my research at the Met's Thomas J. Watson Library, I discovered the ways in which a former fashion editor named Diana Vreeland elevated this formerly stuffy charity ball into a global media sensation. A low-key affair Philanthropist and arts patron Irene Lewisohn launched the Museum of Costume Art in 1937 to promote the preservation and study of historical clothing. In 1946, New York fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert helped bring the museum's collection under the purview of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with the caveat that it would operate independently of the museum's budget. It was then renamed the Costume Institute. In 1948, Lambert organised the inaugural gala to raise funds for the institute. The following year, Lord & Taylor president Dorothy Shaver established a formal management structure for both the institute and its annual gala, streamlined operations, and helped burnish the reputation of the fledgling institution among New York's social elite. During her tenure, gala revenues climbed steadily, from US$31,723 in 1949 to $118,775 in 1958 – roughly $1.3 million (€1.1m) in today's dollars. The Met Gala that Shaver shaped looked similar, in many ways, to today's: There was a theme, a formal dinner, live entertainment and a fashion parade that attendees could participate in. There were also a photographers row, where guests could be snapped by famed fashion photographers for a fee, and raffles with department store prizes. After Shaver's death in 1958, department store executives continued to steer the gala, but attendance and revenue waned. In 1961, in an effort to cut costs and revive interest, the event was moved into the museum itself. The gala needed a reinvention. Soon, it would get one. Vreeland's vision Diana Vreeland took the reins of the Met Gala in 1973. She'd had a storied career in fashion journalism, including stints as fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar and editor-in-chief of Vogue. Vreeland, however, understood that in order for the gala to grow, it needed to become a newsworthy event that would be of interest to those who might not even attend the gala itself. So she selected spectacular, sometimes controversial themes that would generate interest from the press. Vreeland's first exhibition in 1973 was bold: a tribute to a single designer, Cristóbal Balenciaga. " The World of Balenciaga" was funded by the Spanish government, Iberia Airlines and five Spanish banks – a controversial move, considering Spain was still under Francisco Franco's dictatorship. The show featured Franco's granddaughter's wedding dress as one of the central pieces. Some curators also bristled at Vreeland's unorthodox approach to exhibition planning, such as blurring time periods, displaying clothes without providing historical context and prioritising beauty over scholarship. "She knows fashion and who wore it," one former museum official said, "but she doesn't know history." Nonetheless, critics deemed the gala and its accompanying exhibition a huge success. American designer Stan Herman declared that the garments " belong in a museum, like good paintings." In the coming years, Vreeland's other themes included "Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design," "The '10s, '20s and '30s," and " American Women of Style." The latter was accompanied by a Vogue magazine spread starring actress and model Marisa Berenson, who channeled iconic American "it girls" like Irene Castle, Consuelo Vanderbilt and Josephine Baker. Buzz and pizzazz Before Vreeland, coverage of the gala was limited to society pages and publications like Women's Wear Daily. Vreeland knew how to generate buzz because she thought like an editor. She also knew how to charm the press. Vreeland popularided words like " pizzazz," " splendeur" and "deeveen." She told tales of discovering model and actress Lauren Bacall and the work of fashion designer Roy Halston. She regaled reporters with stories of allegedly visiting Buffalo Bill in Wyoming. Under Vreeland's leadership, media coverage of the gala and exhibitions exploded, with articles appearing in The New York Times, The New Yorker, New York Magazine, People, Interview, Le Figaro, Le Monde, Revista Hola!, ABC de las Americas, Il Tempo, Paris Herald Tribune and Tokyo's High Fashion, among others. During her tenure, she also opened the doors to reporters and photographers so they could cover the night of the event. In an interview with Women's Wear Daily she said, "I am an entertainer. And I believe in wit, and good nature, and laughter." Corporate controversies With "The World of Balenciaga," Vreeland also pioneered the use of corporate sponsorships to finance the exhibitions and parties. In 1982, Pierre Cardin Management funded " La Belle Époque," a Met Gala theme associated with the relaunch of the famed Paris restaurant Maxim's, in which Cardin had invested. In 1983, Vreeland courted controversy again with the first exhibition honoring a living designer — Yves Saint Laurent — underwritten by the Pierre Bergé Foundation. Bergé was Saint Laurent's life and business partner. The show was launched amid rumors of the designer's declining health and growing criticism of the museum being exploited as a publicity platform. "One day the god of the Temple of Dendur will cry: 'I am not on earth to share a museum with a bunch of fashion freaks!'" critic John Heilpern groused in the East Side Express. The following year, Ralph Lauren became the central sponsor and guest of honor for " Man and the Horse." The Met set Under Vreeland, a new kind of guest list also emerged. The rise of celebrity culture in the 1960s gave birth to the " jet set" – beautiful people whose fame transcended traditional society circles. Vreeland embraced this shift. She made space at the gala for the likes of Andy Warhol, Bianca and Mick Jagger, Halston and his Halstonettes, David Bowie, Cher, Diana Ross, Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson. Their presence helped transform the gala from society soirée to pop culture phenomenon. After Vreeland's death in 1989, the event lost some its splendour under the guidance of museum curators. Women's Wear Daily columnist Aileen Mehle later lamented the decline, writing that the event had become"a far cry from the dear old Diana Vreeland days when that fashion oracle called the Costume Institute's shots, and elegance and anticipation abounded." From The Met, What Is a Black Dandy? | Superfine: Tailoring Black Style In the late 1990s, however, the museum curators who had run the event since Vreeland's death ceded control back to the fashion industry. High-end brands like Chanel, Versace and Christian Dior sponsored the Met Gala, while fashion editors such as Liz Tilberis and Anna Wintour chaired the event. By channeling Vreeland's vision, they were able to turn the gala into the global media spectacle it is today, which now thrives in an era of social media and global branding. This year's theme, " Superfine: Tailoring Black Styles," is co-chaired by rapper-producer Pharrell Williams, who is also the artistic director of Menswear at Louis Vuitton. The LVMH conglomerate – Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton – is the sponsor, showing how the gala continues to operate as a platform where corporate branding, celebrity culture and high culture converge.
Hindustan Times
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
The first Met Gala: How 'fashion's biggest night' was actually birthed
You can't ignore the first Monday of May, each year, year on year, even if you're someone who harps on their minimal ties to the self-serving, plush universe of sartoria and fashion. And for the naysayers and peripheral cursory onlookers, if the momentous Met Gala with its decades long legacy has managed to achieve anything at all, it's this —bringing the world to a halt, because you just have to look. So what does it take to make something as vague as 'the first Monday of May', a bona fide institution? How does one even go about birthing something as all-encompassing as 'fashion's biggest night' and have the hyperbole, not really be a hyperbole after all? All of this to ask — where did it all begin? A fundraiser. The brainchild of fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, the first ever Met Gala was hosted at the old world Waldorf Astoria, in New York, December 1948. More than a very serious fashion parade, the event was a midnight dinner, tickets to which cost $50 — a princely sum back in the day. The intention behind the gala at the time, was to raise funds for the Costume Institute's expenses, also ensuring a high-ranking, well-placed audience for its annual exhibit. Marketed as "the party of the year", this is essentially a masterclass in self-sustaining brand building. So at what point did the Met Gala move away from socialite territory to truly, the business of fashion? The 70s. That's when Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland turned special consultant to the Costume Institute. Between 1972 and 1989, the theme of, well, having themes was woven into the legacy of the Met Gala. As a matter of fact, the first theme was established for the 1973 Gala — The World of Balenciaga, to honour the great Cristóbal Balenciaga, a year after his death. The themes eventually got increasingly specific, with Diana's reign spanning Russian revelry, Slavic sartoria, Old Hollywood glam and many other year-defining thematic brainstorms. This was also the period in which celebrity involvement with the Met Gala commenced — First Lady Jackie Kennedy, who served as a co-chair from 1977 to 1978, makes for as posh an example as can be. Mid-90s is when Anna Wintour took over. And boy did she push the accelerator on hardcore, mainstream celebrity involvement. The status the Met Gala enjoys today, is painstakingly the work of Anna, utilising raw celebrity star power to blow up the yearly exhibits to global glory. This year, the theme is 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style', with the expectation from attendees being that they use their ensembles to honour Black fashion heritage, dandyism, and personal identity. Androgyny is expected to be a major undercurrent in the silhouettes that roll up to the red carpet. That being said, the sky is the limit when you allow and encourage the space and grace to temper such complex chapters of fashion history, with strong personal style. Met Monday! Loading!
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
From Camp to Gilded Glamour: A look back at iconic Met Gala themes
The 2025 Met Gala is almost here, and anticipation is building over all of the fashion moments that the event will bring. Over the years, stars across fashion, film and music have delivered some of the most iconic style moments at the annual charity event, which originated in 1948 and began assigning specific themes aligned with the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute exhibits in the 1970s, after former Vogue Editor-in-Chief Diana Vreeland was named as a special consultant to the institute. Vreeland has been credited with moving the gala to the Met, where guests could mingle among the museum's exhibits, and for turning the annual party -- previously an industry event for fashion insiders and socialites -- into a lavish affair full of celebrity guests and other prominent figures. Following Vreeland's reign from 1972 to 1987 and Pat Buckley's term as a consultant to the Costume Institute from 1988 to 1995, current Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour took up the reins, continuing Vreeland's legacy and evolving the Met Gala further into the star-studded, glamorous event it is today. Ahead of this year's Met Gala -- the theme and dress code for which are " Superfine: Tailoring Black Style" and "Tailored for You," respectively -- we're taking a look at some of Wintour's most memorable Met Galas from the past. 2024: 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion' Last year's theme was "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." The related Costume Institute exhibit focused on nature and "sleeping beauties," a term used to describe "garments that can no longer be dressed on mannequins due to their extreme fragility," according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The dress code for the 2024 Met Gala was " The Garden of Time," inspired by J.G. Ballard's 1962 book of the same name, according to Vogue, which described the theme as "fleeting beauty." Memorable looks from the night included Tyla's sands of time-inspired look from Balmain, and Zendaya's two dramatic looks from John Galliano and Givenchy. 2022: 'In America: An Anthology of Fashion' In 2022, after two pandemic postponements, the Met Gala returned on the first Monday in May with the theme "In America: An Anthology of Fashion," inspired by the Costume Institute exhibit of the same name. That exhibit followed "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion," which was hosted the year prior at the Met's Anna Wintour Costume Center. Both iterations of the theme focused on American style. Blake Lively's multicolored Versace gown was a standout look for the evening's dress code, "Gilded Glamour." Another buzzworthy moment from the night was when Kim Kardashian stepped out in Marilyn Monroe's iconic "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" dress, which was originally designed by Bob Mackie and created by costume designer Jean Louis. 2019: 'Camp: Notes on Fashion' Perhaps the most over-the-top Met Gala was in 2019, when the event's theme was " Camp: Notes on Fashion." That year, the exhibit, inspired by Susan Sontag's essay, "Notes on 'Camp,'" explored how the elements of irony, humor, parody, pastiche, artifice, theatricality and exaggeration are expressed in fashion, according to the Met. A specific dress code wasn't highlighted ahead of the event, but in her "Go Ask Anna" Vogue series on YouTube, Wintour said that the exhibition that year was about "self-expression and individuality." Looks that caught the eye of many that night included Cardi B's custom Thom Browne gown, Jared Leto's all-red look designed by Alessandro Michele for Gucci (which he accessorized with a bust of his own head), and Lady Gaga's hot-pink look from Brandon Maxwell, which included a performative aspect on the carpet. 2018: 'Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination' At the 2018 Met Gala, celebrities donned their "Sunday Best" for the theme "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination." That year, the exhibit focused on how Catholicism has influenced fashion throughout the ages. Memorable looks from the gala included Rihanna's pearl and crystal Maison Margiela papal-inspired gown and Lively's dramatic Atelier Versace gown, which she accessorized with a halo-inspired headpiece. 2015: 'China: Through the Looking Glass' Rihanna's most iconic Met Gala moment came in 2015. In a nod that year's theme, "China: Through the Looking Glass," she wore an opulent, golden yellow Guo Pei design with a fur-trimmed train. The theme focused on the impact of Chinese aesthetics on Western fashion and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries, according to the Met Museum. 2012: 'Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations' The 2012 Met Gala exhibit and theme was "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations." It explored the "striking parallels between Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada," according to Vogue. Beyoncé famously closed the carpet that year in a stunning, feathered Givenchy Haute Couture gown. 2011: 'Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty' In 2011, the Met celebrated the work of the late British fashion designer Alexander McQueen with the exhibition and theme "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty." In attendance at the Met Gala that year were Naomi Campbell, Renée Zellweger, Madonna, Taylor Swift and more. 2010: 'American Woman: Fashioning A National Identity' Oprah Winfrey was the star of the 2010 Met Gala, which spotlighted the theme 'American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity." The gala supported the exhibit of the same name, which explored developing perceptions of the modern American woman from 1890 to 1940 and how they have affected the way American women are seen today, according to the Met Museum website. 2009: 'The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion' The 2009 Met Gala theme and exhibition was "The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion," which explored the relationship between photographers and models or models and designers. In a video for Vogue in 2021, Wintour recalled that the event "was the night that Blake [Lively] took the world by storm." For the 2009 gala, Lively wore a cobalt blue Versace gown with a thigh-high slit and one sheer sleeve. "This was a dress that was certainly worn to be noticed," Wintour said in 2021. 1999: 'Rock Style' "Rock Style" was the theme for the 1999 Met Gala, which coincided with an exhibit that celebrated rock 'n' roll music and style. That year, the Costume Institute partnered with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and museum, showcasing styles from Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, The Beatles and more. In the 2021 Vogue video, Wintour recalled the red carpet looks of Stella McCartney and Liv Tyler, who both wore shirts that McCartney designed with the words "Rock Royalty" on them. 1996: 'Christian Dior' While the Met Gala celebrated iconic designer Christian Dior in 1996, all eyes were on fashion icon and humanitarian Princess Diana, who attended the event following her divorce from Prince Charles. The 1996 Met Gala was the first and only Met Gala she ever attended. For the event, Diana wore a silk Dior slip dress, accessorizing it with a sapphire and multi-strand pearl choker and a Lady Dior bag, which was formerly called the Chouchou, according to Vogue, and was renamed in honor of Diana.
