If you’re infatuated with the world of interior design, chances are you also have a passion for fashion. There is just a small gap between fashion trends and interior design trends. In an ever-expanding digital age where it’s easy to simply Google the latest breakthroughs in the design world, the fashion and interior design industries are more connected than ever.
One of the most fantastical and exquisite convergences of interiors and fashion happens on the first Monday in May each year in one of New York City’s most famous buildings – The Met Gala. Each year, the exclusive event announces a general theme that celebrities must use as inspiration for how they dress walking down the red carpet and into the after-parties that follow.
Just days ago, the most recent Met Gala revealed the most well-known celebrities and socialites in head-to-toe glamour. Interlux Interiors explores how architecture influenced many Met Gala dress designs and how haute couture fashion impacts interior design to come.
The Met Gala Assignment
To celebrate the reveal of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” the Met Gala suggested a theme of “Gilded Glamour, white tie.” The opulent theme points to New York’s Gilded Age, a transformative time of great fortunes made from the city’s rapidly expanding infrastructure between 1870 and 1890.
To prove they understood the assignment, attendees like Megan Thee Stallion and Natasha Poonawalla shimmered down the carpet, dressed entirely in luxurious gold. Other guests used the theme as an opportunity to make a statement on sustainability, like Billie Eilish in her custom Gucci made entirely from upcycled materials.
The idea of enormous and unimaginable wealth that consumed this era can easily be observed now in fashion, travel, food, our daily routines, and most certainly interior design. Above all else, people are recognizing the value of investing in high-quality, long-lasting goods (like clothing and furniture) rather than purchasing cheap items that will be tossed after a few years.
Gilded Age Architecture in Met Gala Looks
Many celebrities appeared in corsets, gloves, and tuxedo tails to reminisce on the iconic fashion statements of the late 19th century. Many guests took things a step further by incorporating architectural influences into their fashion statements.
NYC Skyline
Alicia Keys showed up in a Ralph Lauren dress and cape embellished with thousands of crystals that came together to create the New York City skyline. Anyone who has visited the Big Apple can attest to the expansiveness and grandeur of its skyline.
The Statue of Liberty
Blake Lively, one of this year’s Met co-chairs, paid homage to several New York City architectural icons in her jaw-dropping dress. Halfway down the red carpet, her copper-colored Versace gown unfolded to display a pale green. This transformation was symbolic of the patina copper of the Statue of Liberty.
Blake Lively’s magical dress transformation symbolized the patina copper of the Statue of Liberty as it has aged since the Gilded Age.
The embroidery of Lively's dress referenced Grand Central Station’s celestial ceiling as well as the Art Deco shapes of the Empire State Building.
The Frick’s Garden Court
Fifth Avenue’s Frick Collection is one of the most stunning galleries created by Henry Clay Frick in his home. He filled his space with paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts for the public to view. While there have been numerous expansions and renovations to the original Frick home, one of the most charming elements is the Garden Court designed by John Russell Pope in 1935.
Ivy Getty’s Oscar de la Renta gown featured ivy and silk faille cutouts that represent the ethereal airiness of the Frick’s Garden Court. It reminds us that the concept of gilded glamour can refer to more than overwhelming opulence. The greatest wealth is that of the Earth and its luscious resources.
Newport Marble House
As transportation became easier for both shipping resources and building materials as well as traveling, New York’s elite were able to travel to their “cottages” in Newport, which were more of lavish mansions than the cozy and intimate setting you may imagine.
One of the most stunning properties was the Marble House, built for the Vanderbilt family. Westside Story’s Ariana DeBose wore a stunning dress inspired by the richly decorated interior ballroom of the Marble House.
Haute Couture’s Interior Design Influence
The undeniable link between red carpet fashion and interior design can be seen in the architectural influences in the Met Gala looks of 2022. This two-way relationship between fashion and interior design will also impact home decorating trends to come.
Both interior designers and fashion designers study trends, sketch ideas, select colors and fabrics, and experiment with textures and material. After this year’s display on the red carpet, we can expect plenty of interior and fashion designers alike to be reaching for paper and pencil to brainstorm ideas.
Classic Gold and Black
Warm metal tones, such as gold, brass, and bronze have already claimed their place in interior design, and they are here to stay. Especially when paired with black finishes or hardware, this color combo is sleek and points to Art Deco of the Gilded Age.
Upcycled High-End Material
Like Billie Eilish reminds us with her dress, old materials are far from unusable. In fact, upcycled materials can often be of incredibly high quality. This is because at that point in time, items were truly built to last because they took immense amounts of labor and expense to produce.
When designing your home, consider incorporating recycled materials to transform old resources into something completely new and magical.
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Brilliant Design with Interlux Interiors
The luxurious dresses of the Met Gala are some of the most radiant, artistic pieces of fashion design to move down the red carpet. Because of this, they have a massive impact on culture and various art forms, including interior design. This year’s Gala will be reflected in upcoming interior design trends as we see more gold with black, bold and symmetrical art deco shapes, sustainable sourcing of materials, and more.
Whether you feel inspired by the 2022 Met Gala for your home or plan to take your design in an entirely different direction, Interlux Interiors wants to make your vision a reality. Contact our team of world-class designers today to begin designing a whole new world.