How mall brands won big at the Met Gala

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Among all the fashion labels worn by stars on the Met Gala red carpet Monday night, two brands seemed out of place: Gap and Zara.Kendall Jenner wore a flowing, Greek-inspired cotton gown by GapStudio, a premium line the company debuted last year. Bad Bunny wore a black custom tuxedo from Zara (and prosthetics that made him look elderly, seemingly a nod to the “aging bodies” section of the “Costume Art” exhibit the gala feted).

Stevie Nicks wore a blue Zara gown with jewelry from Tiffany & Co.These pieces didn’t come off the rack. Gap’s creations were by Zac Posen, a veteran red-carpet designer who joined the company in 2024.

The Zara gown worn by Nicks was from John Galliano, the French fashion legend who signed a two-year creative partnership with the Spanish fast-fashion giant in March.Still, that two mass mall brands found prime placement on A-listers during fashion’s biggest night signals a power shift at the Met Gala, and within fashion at large, highlighting which companies have the funds to pay for the spotlight right now.“Budgets have been slashed—that is the reality,” said Todd Shemarya, chief executive and founder of a commercial talent agency that represents celebrities for brand endorsements.Fashion labels typically foot the bill for creating the Met’s costly red-carpet looks, but some are scaling back because they can’t afford every major occasion. “They are trying to figure out where their payoffs are.

Is it the Oscars, the Met, Cannes?” said Shemarya.Saint Laurent, a Kering-owned sponsor of this year’s event, dressed over a dozen celebrities. Some other luxury brands were noticeably sparse on this year’s red carpet.