From Serena Williams to Stephen Curry, let’s talk about the fits to remember from New York’s Met Gala and beyond.
Edward Barsamian is a preeminent fashion expert, a global advisor, and consultant on all things couture. He has more than a decade of experience as the style editor at Vogue, the head of editorial for Victoria Beckham, and a writer at The New York Times’ style magazine. He even has an iconic and important role on the fictional Met Gala red carpet in Ocean’s 8.
Barsamian was all over the scene at New York Fashion Week and Monday’s Met Gala, assessing all the fits and looks, and who best pulled them off.
He took us through the 10 men and women who stood out for all the right reasons on and off the runway — the winners who wore it best.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The Oklahoma City Thunder phenom dazzled in Tom Ford both at the Met Gala and during Fashion Week.
“For him to wear Tom Ford shows that he cares about a new type of elegance,” Barsamian told Boardroom. “And he’s wearing something that is one of the few American fashion labels that is all about jet-set glamour, extravagance, opulence, and luxury, but he’s doing it in a very approachable, realistic way. For today. It’s very modern.”
Along with our next winner, SGA isn’t afraid to push fashion boundaries.
“Shai’s not wearing a skirt, but he’ll wear python print trousers or leather head to toe,” Barsamian said. “It’s things that you normally wouldn’t necessarily see in those runway, gangway walks, where you’d see LeBron and others come out with a bag or whatever. Shai is young enough where he’s able to pull off a lot of different looks.”
Russell Westbrook
The new Lakers superstar opened a lot of eyes with his Tom Ford skirt at the Thom Browne show, and it’s going to take a moment (as it often does) for a lot of fans to understand why Westbrook dresses the way he does, according to Barsamian.
“When he’s on the court, that’s one facet of him at his best,” he said. “But in his off-duty life, he brings that same level of energy and that same drive and determination to educate himself about the fashion industry. To learn about the designers and the craft, to study it. So when he puts something on his body, he makes that conscious decision, because he knows that it is what suits him. It’s reflective of his sensibilities and what he does professionally. He’s trying to show everybody, you can wear what you want, just find the best that suits you.”
Russ then wore Ralph Lauren at the Met Gala, taking a more traditional approach in a midnight blue tuxedo, but also carving or dying stars into his hair. Barsamian thought he took the Met Gala theme of American independence and represented it in a modern, non-cheesy way.
Rajon Rondo
Westbrook’s Lakers teammate kept things casual and appropriate in AwakeNY and Fear of God at the Coach show.
“What bothers me is when you see people dressed very well, but it’s not suitable for the time of day, the type of event they’re attending,” Barsamian said. “Some guys look incredible, but you do realize you’re going to a fashion show at 2 p.m., not the Met Gala in the evening. So dial it back. Rajon did a really good job.”
Sha’Carri Richardson
The world-class sprinter was one of our next two Fashion Week winners who wore new and emerging designers of color, rocking Jamaican-born designer Theophilio.
“It was just a bustier and leather skirt, but what I think was cool about it was all of the symbolism and iconography beneath it,” Barsamian said. “She was wearing colors that were evocative of her life and growing up.”
Lewis Hamilton
The Formula 1 GOAT came to New York after a nearly catastrophic crash at Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix, wearing emerging designer Kenneth Nicholson and inviting newer designers of color to his table at the Met Gala.
” I thought that both of them,” Barsamian said, referring to Richardson and Hamilton, “really exemplified where fashion is headed next.”
Allyson Felix
Felix starred at the Met Gala in an elegant Fendi Couture dress reportedly adorned with 240,000 ostrich feathers.
“She was somebody who just really wanted to let that fashion fantasy live out, which is fantastic,” Barsamian said. “That’s really what the Met Gala’s for. I felt as though she did the brief properly and completely.”
Nyjah Huston
The skateboarding star wasn’t wearing an American designer at the America-themed Met Gala, but Barsamian hopes that 26-year-old Nyjah Huston continues on with Gucci in a bigger way.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams, the tennis GOAT (and Nike-affiliated apparel designer), aced the Met Gala in a gray bodysuit with a stunning feathered multi-colored cape.
Emma Raducanu
It didn’t even take a week for the new 18-year-old U.S. Open champion to get her first major red carpet appearance, debuting a flowery black and white ensemble for Chanel.
“Chanel does have a tendency to snap up the next ingenues,” Barsamian said. “It was cute.”
Stephen and Ayesha Curry
Rocking modern takes on classic looks in Atelier Versace, Barsamian thought that Stephen and Ayesha were up there with Haley and Justin Bieber as the best-dressed couples at the Met Gala.
“The Currys were very evocative of where Hollywood is moving toward, how we’re seeing Hollywood, how we’re seeing the industry, where we’re going next,” Barsamian said. “I like anybody who’s looking towards the future, pushing it forward.”
