On the 1st of May, Anna Wintour, Editor-In-Chief of Vogue, hosted the annual Met Gala ball. Over the years, we have seen a plethora of gorgeous designs, and this time around was no different. With the late and great, Karl Lagerfeld serving as this year’s theme. The red-carpet looks paid homage to his ground-breaking ideas and contribution to the fashion and beauty industry
If you weren’t too distracted by Jared Leto making his appearance dressed as Lagerfeld’s Cat, you would have noticed the perfectly pearled manicures, bedazzled chain nail art, and the iconic Camellia flower designs, a signature look of Chanel and Karl.
Many of us know Karl’s work with the fashion empire, Chanel, however, he worked for several of the top fashion houses during his long career; Balmain, Chloe, and Fendi are just a few. So, with a bit of background on the biggest night in fashion… let’s get to the good bit, the nails.
Rihanna
Rihanna showed up fashionably late, with her partner A$AP Rocky. The queen of pop wore a gigantic wedding dress. The custom dress was created by Valentino and featured a glamourous cape covered in 30 giant camellia appliqués in honour of Karl. The fabulously floral cape had 500 petals. To match the haute couture dress, the superstar rocked a gorgeous set of milky white acrylics, opting for a clean square shape, keeping to the theme with 3D flowers. She was worth the wait.
To recreate this simply stunning look you will need the following from the Glitterbels Range:
Rita Ora
Nail Artist, Naomi Yasuda, created Rita Ora’s show-stopping Chanel-eques chain nails, taking inspiration from the classic look of the Chanel Boy Bag, created by Karl Lagerfeld in 2011. Rita wore long stiletto nails in a gorgeous sleek black with a touch of glitter.
Over the top of the glimmering base, long chains were attached to the nails with pearls and jewels alike. This over-the-top look isn’t for every day, but it was show-stopping nonetheless. To get the look, use the Glitterbels Unbelievabel Gel in shade “Black”, paired with our No Wipe Topcoat in “Holo”.
You can purchase chains from your local arts & craft shop if you’re daring enough.
Kylie Jenner
Kylie Jenner’s two-toned look turned heads at the met this year, however, people didn’t seem to think this colour-clashing look was on theme… We beg to differ.
Kylie wore a custom-made Jean Paul Gaultier dress and matching cloak. This colourful look stood out from the sea of classic black and white Chanel looks. This contrasting look was inspired by Karl Lagerfeld’s mentee, the late André Leon Telly, whose signature capes were often made by the designer of Chanel. The colours, red and blue, were also a nod to Karl, as these were his favourite and featured in many of his designs.
Kylie wore a simple red manicure, and we are OBSESSED. This classic, yet bold look is sexy, sleek, and daring. To get the look, we recommend the Glitterbels Unbelievabel Gel in shade “Hot Shot”.
Doja Cat
We all saw the “football mascot”-like cat suit that Jared Leto wore to the met gala on Monday. The internet was quick to turn the crazy look into multiple memes and funny TikToks, however, if you’re looking for a Choupette look done right… look no further than Doja Cat.
Karl Lagerfeld was almost never seen without his dear cat, Choupette. The name means “Sweetheart” or “Sweetie” in French. He even went on to call his favourite models “his choupette’s”, so it’s only right that a look be inspired by the famous fluffball, who is rumoured to have been left at least part of her late owner's $200 million fortune after his death in 2019.
Doja wore a gorgeous, beaded gown, with a mermaid-style, feathered train at the bottom. The top of the dress was complete with a bejewelled headpiece with cat ears attached. In hues of greys and soft whites, the colours and textures of the dress mimicked the look of fur. To complete the feline fit she had a full face of prosthetics, for that cat nose look and purr-fectly painted claws to match. Her nails were hand sculpted to get a natural-looking curve to the claws, painted in a creamy nude with Ombre tips. This look was amazing.
To get this classy, clawed look we recommend using the Glitterbels acrylic in the shade “Soft Nude” and shades “Hula Hoop” and “Sandy Beach” for the tips.
Pedro Pascal
From the hit TV show “The Last of Us”, Pedro Pascal made his first debut at the Met Gala this year. He wore a red and black Valentino look: A bright oversized coat with cape-like qualities, a matching red shirt, sleek black tie, and shorts. This funky twist on a suited look was fun, on theme, and more than a regular old tux. The tailored fit and pristine lines evoke the late Karl.
His outfit wouldn’t be complete without a good set of nails… a man-icure if you will. We have seen several male celebs rock the painted nail look, but we just loved the simplicity of Pascal’s look at the Met. A clean vibe with the Valentino logo painted on his middle fingers was the perfect finishing touch to the whole ensemble. To recreate this look you will need a Glitterbels 20mm Fine liner brush, this tool will help you create steady and seamless lines. Dip your brush into Glitterbels Unbelievabel Gel in the shade “Black” for the perfect design logo look.
Overall, the night was filled with fabulous looks, and we certainly have some ideas for future nails. We hope you liked our top picks and let us know what is your favourite look. If you want to read more about Glitterbels, tips and tricks and the latest trends follow us on our socials… unfortunately, we don’t have time to go through every look, but here are some honourable mentions…
Lizzo
Lizzo in pretty pearls. This simple look can be achieved easily and yet it’s one of our favourite looks. Sometimes less is more.
Jessica Chastain
Jessica sparkled down the red carpet in her Gucci dress and classic sheer gloves. Her gorgeous manicure can be seen twinkling away under the semi-transparent accessories.
Whitney Peak
This funky look used 10 Freshwater Pearls, one under each of the nails to create a water droplet effect. If this doesn’t scream glamour and fun, we don’t know what does.
J-Lo
Jenifer Lopez revealed a stunning Chanel logo acrylic set under her black velvet gloves.
Florence Pugh
Florence Pugh walked the red carpet with a gorgeous manicure, with little black gems over a nude base, and even a portrait of Karl Lagerfeld and his Choupette.
