Met Gala 2023: Cardi B, Olivia Rodrigo, Quinta Brunson, and Others Celebrate Chanel’s Camellia Flower

The camellia flower is as closely associated with the house of Chanel as the double C logo. In the brand’s jewellery, textiles and handbags, Coco Chanel’s favorite flower has been a fixture in its collections since the 1920s, made from everything from enamels to rubies. (The founding designer began adorning himself with a silk version of the flower, said to symbolize fidelity and longevity, in 1913.)

At the 2023 Met Gala, several stars stunned in ensembles celebrating the camellia flower, a tribute to Chanel in honor of Monday night’s theme: Karl Lagerfeld: a line of beauty. Cardi B led the trend with a swing, wearing an intricate black and white dress by Chinese designer Chen Peng (which notably made her second look of the night).

“When you see the texture of this skirt, it gives a Chanel boy bag,” said Cardi B. “You know when you get a Chanel bag, it always has a white flower, but this one is black.” The rapper and media personality then gestured to her silver wig and added, “At the top it’s Karl… Chanel and Karl’s house at the same time.”

Singer Olivia Rodrigo also donned a camellia-clad look by Thom Browne, a black and white silk, leather and tweed dress called “Count My Camellias.” (The silk satin stems are all made and applied by hand.)

Blackpink’s Quinta Brunson, Bad Bunny, Kaitlyn Dever, Liu Wen, Lily James, and Jennie Kim all sported camellia-centric looks as well. Brazilian singer Anitta was seen on the carpet in a black satin structural dress with camellia detailing by Marc Jacobs, with white leather gloves and boots embellished with Swarovski crystals.

“(Karl is) a designer we all know so well, and I was curious to see how people are going to rock his designs,” said Cardi B.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs wore one of his own designs: a custom Sean John look created in collaboration with stylist June Ambrose. The all-black outfit, consisting of a motorcycle tuxedo adorned with 600 Swarovski crystals and black pearls and a taffeta rainwear puffer cape adorned with over 1,000 custom camellia flowers fashioned from satin and velvet petals. Combs also wore sunglasses, gloves and pointy boots – all of which were Lagerfeld’s signatures.

But the floral influence didn’t stop with the outfits. Model Miranda Kerr’s nails also showcased the classic Chanel motif. “I wanted to give her a classic manicure by choosing a creamy pink color with subtle iridescence to mimic the shimmer in her dress,” celebrity nail technician Kim Truong, who collaborated with CND, said in a statement. “(And) to honor the late designer, we incorporated the iconic Chanel Camellia flower on her nails, which is synonymous with the brand.”

Held as an annual fundraiser for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Met Gala has been hosted and chaired by Anna Wintour since 1995. Coinciding with the unveiling of the museum’s annual fashion exhibition, this year’s theme is Karl Lagerfeld. Titled “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” the collection honors the life and storied career of the late designer who passed away on February 19, 2019, and features more than 150 pieces, including sketches.

The dress code simply reads “In honor of Karl”, leaving it largely to the interpretation of the celebrities in attendance – and their stylists.

The Met Gala program features Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel, Roger Federer, Dua Lipa and Vogue’s Wintour as co-chairs of the evening. Check out the best looks from the 2023 Met Gala red carpet here.