Not that long ago, the Met Gala was a relatively standard, high-society fashion event. In the 2010s and beyond, the annual charitable event supporting New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute has morphed into one of the biggest red carpets in the world, with celebs and other notables going to great lengths to match the year’s particular theme.
The 2017 gala celebrated famed Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo, known for her avant-garde approach to fashion. While stars like Rihanna, Zendaya, and Priyanka Chopra dominated the red carpet in over-the-top ensembles, Gwyneth Paltrow opted for something on the simpler side. Even though it wasn’t the evening’s biggest splash in terms of length, size, or color, her soft pink, one-shouldered, sequined Calvin Klein midi dress managed to stand out because of its simplicity.
Paltrow’s affection for Klein and penchant for wearing his clothes go back decades, as she described in a 2021 YouTube video for Vogue, looking back at some of her most memorable looks. “I was so thrilled because he always wanted to dress me and lent me beautiful things,” Paltrow said. “And some of them he gave me, and some of them I still have to this very day.”