Red Carpet: H&M Does Surprisingly Well at the Met Gala

For years now, H&M and various other fast fashion designers (mainly Top Shop) have been making a play for red carpet prominence. The results have been…mixed. H&M has largely done better, with their popular “Conscious Collection” which exclusively uses sustainable materials, and their increasingly high-end collaborations with designers like Erdem, Moschino, and Balmain. However, often their work looks like it came from “high street” – it’s shoddily constructed, basic, and un-inventive. This year, H&M presented five looks at the Met Gala, and overall did better than they have in a long time.

Alex Wek

The back of this is gorgeous. The details are stunning and the construction is really good. I don’t love the front as much – that slit is DANGEROUSLY high. But overall, this gets an A from me.

Lili Reinhart

I actually liked this more than I thought I would. When I first saw it, it reminded me of the wisps of clouds in Renaissance paintings. Not quite on theme, and far from my favorite of the night, but I think it is surprisingly well conceived and well done.

Olivia Munn

I loved this look – another medieval crusader, a popular look for the night, but it’s well constructed and does NOT look like it was made by the same people who made the cheap t-shirts I have sitting in the back of my drawer.

Kiersey Clemons

This is fine, I could take it or leave it. Again, the handiwork is well done though.

Jasmine Sanders

I love this as well, despite the dangerous amount of thigh – it’s like liquid gold.