The Full Kardashian Empire Took Over The Met Gala Red Carpet
For years, as the Kardashian industrial machine took over nearly every aspect of pop culture, Anna Wintour held out, and kept the Met Gala red carpet free of the reality TV stars. In 2013, Kim Kardashian finally made her debut on the arm of Kanye West, and Kendall Jenner—who had by then made her entry into the world of modeling—followed a year after. Finally, in 2016, lip kit mogul Kylie Jenner got a seat at the table, but the other sisters remained on the outskirts. That is, until now. In the year of 2022, the Kardashian-Jenners have officially taken over the Met Gala red carpet. It was bound to happen, but it’s kind of surprising it took this long.
Kourtney Kardashian’s invite isn’t too much of a surprise. The oldest sister has been in the news a lot over the past few months, thanks to her high-profile relationship with Travis Barker. It makes sense this would be the year for her to make her debut with him by her side. I guess, then, it would be unfair to leave Khloé at home. At that point, what’s the harm in making room for one more, right? And with Kris Jenner there alongside her partner, Corey Gamble, inviting Khloé truly makes it a family affair.
And while at one point, the KarJenners were more or less clones of each other when it came to aesthetics, in recent years they have all emerged with their own distinct personal style—and it’s admittedly fun to see that translate to their Met Gala looks. Kris, per usual, kept things pretty simple in a yellow off-the-shoulder Oscar de la Renta gown reminiscent of Jennifer Lopez’s 2003 Valentino Oscars dress. Like Lopez’s look, it’s possible Kris’s was also inspired by Jackie Kennedy, which would be fitting considering the Gala’s theme.
Of course, Khloé was always going to show up in a tight dress, something that beautifully hugs the body she has become known for, so her Moschino number makes sense. The dress, dripping with crystals, is a bit reminiscent of her sister, Kim’s “Wet Dress” from the 2019 Gala (a comparison that isn’t helped by Khloé’s wet-hair look). The addition of black gloves adorned with extra fabric adds to the drama of the dress and makes it Khloe’s own.
As for Kourtney and Travis, in their time together, they have walked many carpets, and they have been known for embracing a punk rock theme, a look they kept alive for their Met Gala debut. The couple wore Thom Browne, coordinating looks that play on gender roles in a way Browne is known to do. Both Kourtney and Travis’s ensembles are clearly suiting-inspired, with Kourt in a cropped button-down, an undone bowtie hanging around her neck. Her skirt features a cummerbund corset attached to deadstock fabric from another suit, hanging off her and creating a bit of a train. Travis, for his part, wore a traditional suit jacket with tails, but mixed it up with a pleated skirt on top of his pants—a classic Browne piece.
And then came the youngest, Kendall and Kylie. This isn’t 2019, so the two didn’t dress in matching looks like they did for the “Camp: Notes on Fashion” Gala, but their dresses did pair nicely nonetheless. Kylie wore an Off-White wedding dress, designed by the late Virgil Abloh. The look took over the steps as she walked, with layers of ruffles on the skirt. The top, meanwhile, is more fitted: a corseted torso with a sheer t-shirt underneath. But it’s the veil, attached to a white snapback cap, that makes the look quintessentially Abloh. As Kylie stood by her sister on the red carpet, their ruffled ballskirts in contrasting colors played off each other nicely. For her part, Kendall wore Burberry, pairing her dramatic skirt with a sheer top of her own. While Kendall wasn’t wearing a baseball cap, she did have her own unexpected feature: bleached eye brows, which added a modern dynamic to the entire look.
In the end, though, it was Kim who took the title of crown jewel of the Kardashian clan. The reality star closed out the carpet with her boyfriend, Pete Davidson, by her side, showing off her newly bleached hair, and a vintage John Louis dress. For days, rumors were swirling that Kim would be wearing one of Marilyn Monroe’s old gowns—and on Monday, they proved to be true. Pete kept it simple in a tux, so as not to take the attention away from Kim, who shined in Monroe’s 60-year-old dress, the one she wore to sing “happy birthday” to President John F. Kennedy in 1962.
As always, Kris Jenner waited at the top of the Met steps, watching each of her daughters ascend the pathway. This year, she had to wait a bit longer for all five women to make their way up. A proud moment for the momager, no doubt—the Kardashian takeover of the Met Gala having been officially completed.
