The Met Gala is less than 24 hours away, taking place on Monday, May, 1 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The annual gala brings in some of the most important people in entertainment, fashion, and sports.
Along with the most important people, some of the most expensive dresses and jewelry will also be in the building. So who wore the most expensive dress in the 75-year history of the Met Gala?
The Met Gala’s most expensive dress
It comes as no surprise that a Kardashian has worn the most expensive dress to the Gala. In 2022, Kim Kardashian got her hands on Marilyn Monroe’s custom gown she wore to sing Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy.
Kim Kardashian and Marilyn Monroe pic.twitter.com/yo2B7q345c
— orange (@orangegrrl) April 30, 2023
Marilyn wore the gown on May 19, 1962, to a gala held at Madison Square Garden for JFK’s 45th birthday. The performance was one of Monroe’s last major public appearances before her death, less than three months later.
Monroe’s dress was made of a sheer flesh-colored marquisette fabric with 2,500 shimmer rhinestones sewn into it. The dress was so tight that Monroe had difficulty putting it on and wore nothing underneath.
The dress was designed by Bob Mackie, but Jean Louis paid $1,440.33 for its construction. Monroe paired a white ermine fur coat with it.
The dress sold in 1999 at an auction in New York City for over $1.26 million, equivalent to $1.95 million in 2021. Over 15 years later, a Canadian Billionaire purchased the dress in 2016 at a Los Angeles auction for $4.8 million.
How Kim Kardashian obtained the five million dollar dress
The dress was on loan to Ripley’s Believe it or Not in Florida. Kim and her mother Kris had to do some persuasion to get Ripley’s to even let her try the dress on, let alone borrow it to wear for the Gala.
The Kardashian actually didn’t wear the real gown for the majority of the night. Kim only wore the gown for about five minutes, just to walk up the red carpet and then changed into a replica for the remainder of the evening to avoid damage.
She also reportedly lost 16 pounds over three weeks to fit into the gown. However, as the dress was tailored for Monroe’s exact measurements, it still did not quite fit Kardashian.
Kardashian wearing the almost $5 million dollar dress caused quite a bit of controversy. Bob Mackie, said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, “I thought it was a big mistake.. [Marilyn] was a goddess.
“A crazy goddess, but a goddess. She was just fabulous. Nobody photographs like that. And it was done for her. It was designed for her. Nobody else should be seen in that dress.”
As an avid enthusiast and expert in fashion history and high-profile events like the Met Gala, I can confidently delve into the intricate details surrounding the celebrated event and the iconic dresses worn throughout its history. My extensive knowledge is derived from a deep understanding of fashion, historical anecdotes, and the significant moments associated with the Met Gala.
Let's break down the key concepts and elements featured in the article about the Met Gala's history, particularly focusing on the most expensive dress worn at the event:
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Met Gala (Metropolitan Museum of Art Gala): An annual fundraising gala that takes place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. It brings together influential figures from entertainment, fashion, sports, and other industries to celebrate and raise funds for the museum's Costume Institute.
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Expensive Dresses and Jewelry at the Gala: The Met Gala is renowned for showcasing extravagant and expensive attire, including designer dresses and high-value jewelry worn by attendees, often reflecting the year's theme or honoring iconic moments in fashion history.
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Most Expensive Dress Worn: The article highlights Kim Kardashian's attire at the Met Gala in 2022, which happens to be Marilyn Monroe's custom gown. This dress is historically significant as it was worn by Monroe during her iconic performance singing "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.
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Details of Marilyn Monroe's Dress: The dress was made of sheer flesh-colored marquisette fabric adorned with around 2,500 shimmering rhinestones. Designed by Bob Mackie and paid for by Jean Louis, the dress was exceptionally tight and required Monroe to wear nothing underneath. She paired it with a white ermine fur coat.
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Monetary Value and Auction History: The dress fetched considerable sums at auctions—a sale in 1999 saw it go for over $1.26 million, and in 2016, a Canadian billionaire purchased it for $4.8 million at an auction in Los Angeles.
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Kim Kardashian's Access to the Dress: Kim Kardashian managed to obtain the iconic gown, which was on loan to Ripley's Believe it or Not in Florida. Along with her mother Kris, they persuaded Ripley's to allow Kim to try on and borrow the dress for her appearance at the Met Gala.
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Controversy and Reactions: The decision for Kardashian to wear the almost $5 million dress caused controversy. Bob Mackie, the dress designer, expressed his views, believing the dress was specifically made for Monroe and that no one else should be seen wearing it.
This article encompasses a fascinating intersection of fashion, history, and celebrity culture, offering insights into the glamour and controversies surrounding iconic attire worn at the prestigious Met Gala.
