Somto Bisina
The camellia flower has been closely associated with the iconic fashion house of Chanel for almost a century, appearing in the brand’s jewellery, textiles, and handbags since the 1920s.
It was Coco Chanel’s favourite flower, and she began adorning herself with a silk version of the bloom as early as 1913, as it symbolizes faithfulness and longevity.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAt the 2023 Met Gala, several celebrities paid homage to Karl Lagerfeld, the late creative director of Chanel, by incorporating the camellia flower into their ensembles.
The theme of the night was “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” and stars such as Cardi B, Olivia Rodrigo, Quinta Brunson, Bad Bunny, Kaitlyn Dever, Liu Wen, Lily James, and Blackpink’s Jennie Kim all wore camellia-centric looks.
Cardi B wore an intricate black and white gown by Chinese designer Chen Peng that featured a texture reminiscent of the Chanel boy bag. Singer Olivia Rodrigo wore a black and white silk, leather, and tweed dress by Thom Browne called “Count My Camellias,” with all the silk satin stems made and applied by hand.
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Brazilian singer Anitta donned a black satin, structural gown with camellia details by Marc Jacobs, while Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs wore one of his own designs that featured a taffeta rainwear puffer cape adorned with over 1,000 custom camellia flowers.
The floral influence was not limited to the outfits, as model Miranda Kerr’s nails also paid tribute to the classic Chanel motif.
Her celebrity nail stylist, Kim Truong, partnered with CND to give her a classic manicure with a creamy pink color and a subtle iridescence that mimicked the glimmer in her dress. They also incorporated the iconic Chanel camellia flower on her nails, which is synonymous with the brand.
The Met Gala is an annual fundraiser for New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, organized and presided over by Anna Wintour since 1995.
This year’s exhibition, titled “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” honours the life and legendary career of the late designer with more than 150 pieces, including sketches. The dress code for the gala was simply “In honour of Karl,” leaving it up to interpretation for the celebrities attending and their stylists.
