Breaking Down the 2023 Met Gala’s Karl Lagerfeld Theme

The 2023 Met Gala is set to pay tribute to the late designer Karl Lagerfeld, with Vogue previously announcing that the theme for this year’s benefit is “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.” The exclusive event, which takes place on May 11 and serves as a benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, is intended to “honor” the iconic Chanel creative director, who passed away in 2019 from complications of pancreatic cancer.

With Karl having helmed some of the most recognizable fashion houses in the world (Chloé, Fendi, his own eponymous brand) in his 65 years in fashion, attendees will have plenty to pull inspiration from as they put together their looks for the Met Gala.

What Does the Theme Mean?: According to the Met, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” will “explore the artistic methodology and stylistic vocabulary of Karl Lagerfeld’s designs through recurring themes across more than 65 years, from the 1950s to his final collection in 2019.”

What Inspired the Met to Choose This Theme?: Andrew Bolton, the head curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, said he became interested in paying homage to the late designer after hearing Karl’s design assistants pay tribute to him at his memorial service.

“I was so fascinated by how they communicated [with Lagerfeld], which was by drawings,” Andrew told CNN Sept. 30. “Every single design in his life was a sketch. And when I saw the drawings, I thought, ‘These are so charming, so whimsical, so impressionistic.’ But what I didn’t realize was that they contained really precise information—about a shoulder line or the length of a sleeve. And [his staff] knew exactly what this line meant or what that dot meant, and they could decode it.”

What Is the Dress Code Exactly?: To honor Karl, Vogue noted that the theme will give its “esteemed guests” the opportunity to “to salute one of fashion’s greats, and from our perspective, the theme has multiple, wondrous ways into it.”

So, basically, it’s wide open to interpretation, given Karl’s long and varied career that spans various luxury brands and eras of fashion.