Met Gala
Doja Cat’s Met Gala Tribute To Karl Lagerfeld’s Has Twitter Purring
She took her stage name to a new, literal level.
During the 2023 Met Gala, Doja Cat took her stage name to a literal level by dressing up in cat couture to honor Karl Lagerfeld’s cat, Choupette. The theme of the evening was “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” and the dress code was simple: “In honor of Karl.” While many celebrity guests donned Chanel to fit the occasion, others opted to honor the designer’s furry friend with actual feline looks. Jared Leto, for example, went with a full-on, mascot-esque cat costume. But Doja Cat sported a hand-beaded Oscar de la Renta gown for her Met debut — paired with cat ears and prosthetics, of course.
“Amala and I were very clear that we didn’t want it to feel like a costume, and when you’re adding that element of prosthetics, you’re riding a very fine line,” Doja Cat’s stylist and creative director, Brett Alan Nelson, told Vogue (referring to the musician by her full name, Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini). Nelson added that Messika diamonds completed the look. “It’s the most major art moment of the year. It’s her first Met Gala, and we need this to be bigger than what we’ve done in the past.” And, well, fair: Given the fact that Doja Cat’s past looks include everything from gold body paint to that all-crimson crystal moment, the pressure was certainly on to make a statement.
That is exactly what she did. Twitter had plenty to say about the bold look, with many praising Doja Cat’s commitment to her one-of-a-kind style.
Many spectators were reminded of other famous felines in entertainment — from the cats of Cats to Tigris in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay.
Others pointed to Ron Howard’s The Grinch as a possible reference.
Several viewers had fun imagining Doja Cat and Leto running into each other in their respective feline fits.
As for the real Choupette? Her agent (yes, the cat has an agent) told The New York Times that she was, of course, invited. But alas, Choupette “preferred to stay peacefully & cozy at home,” she wrote on Instagram. “We pay tribute to my Daddy every day since his parting and we are very moved to see one more day dedicated to him.”
