Duckie Thot at MET Gala 2022 Afterparty

Photographer: Katie Harless

Stylist: Alex Bullock and Emmalynne Walpole
Outfit: custom Karen Sabag by Hen Skurnik
Makeup Artist: HD Beaute
Hairstylist: B’Krowned Beauty Bar owned by Baindu Koroma
Bag: supplied by Le Grand Strip
Gloves: Karen Sabag
Shoes: Manolo Blahnik supplied by Albright Fashion Library
Jewelry: Maison Spoiled by Julian Polak

On this fine Wednesday, I’d like to talk to you about one of the most–if not the most–underrated look from last year’s MET Gala Afterparty. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it and I couldn’t understand why it did not become a topic of conversation last year.

Model Duckie Thot has been on my radar since her Fenty Beauty campaign and I was so happy to see her being the one wearing that otherworldly ensemble. It went perfectly with the theme and it was a culmination of creative minds that put a smile on my face. So let’s talk about it.

For the occasion, Thot donned a made-to-measure custom Karen Sabag cream corset dress with a thigh-high slit on the side, big black bow on the back and black lace gloves.

Karen Sabag launched her namesake brand in 2006, and she is its founder and creative director. She creates elegant, modern and timeless pieces that highlight the female form and that are inclusive for all.

Here is what Sabag had to say regarding the chance she had to showcase her brand during an exclusive event such as the MET Gala Afterparty: “The MET has always been a dream for me, and to introduce my talent into the MET family was the perfect moment to do the afterparty. When our dear Alex Bullock (who had worked for the brand in the past) approached us with this opportunity to design for the beautiful model Duckie Thot it was a definite yes! There was no question that corsetry won’t be the design, since it’s my DNA to my brand. And of course what is a good corset without a statement long cascading bow.”

The Black model also paired the look with a vintage crystal embellished 1960 gold evening bag supplied by the vintage shop Le Grand Strip, Maison Spoiled jewelry statement pieces and Manolo Blahnik black pointy pumps supplied by the Albright Fashion Library.

Fun fact: according to stylist Emmalynne Walpole who worked on this project, the vision for this dress came to life in just three days, which is just incredible for a dress of such beauty.

For the makeup, Duckie apparently relied on the services of HB Beaute–she went for high glam with false lashes, a thick eyeliner and rose-y cheeks, plus just a swipe of gloss to keep her lips juicy for the night.

For the hair, the Black beauty instead relied on the services of the B’Krowned Hair Bar which is situated in Harlem, New York City. They styled her hair and created her updo (you can see it in the TikTok video below). According to the beauty bar, the model expressed her desire for “old school super model vibes”; the team also mentioned using a 24in Body Want Frontal Luxury Wig to achieve the result.

All in all I am an admirer of all the people involved in the process because the whole team put their artistry and skills together to create something remarkable.

Also, I cannot help but praise both stylists Alex Bullock and Emmalynne Walpole for their ability to pull off such a difficult task, for an event as big as the MET Gala Afterparty and for their capacity to involve smaller brands in the process, giving them a chance to be recognized by a larger audience.

They are doing a great job assisting the likes of Law Roach (sadly “retired” for now), Jared Ellner and Marta Del Rio and I am sure that this is just a taste of what they have in store for us in the future.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

VINTAGE SPOTLIGHT: LE GRAND STRIP 

Le Grand Strip is a vintage shop on Grand Street in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood. The owner is CC McGurr.

“From 2000 to 2007, CC wrote about fashion and upcoming trends for PAPER Magazine. During this time, she also had her heart set on opening a vintage boutique. ‘I was always into antiques and vintage clothing. The fascination came from the history these clothes experienced through their wearer; it had a very romantic notion.’

The boutique named ‘Fille De Joie‘ opened on Halloween in 2006 in Williamsburg. It was later renamed ‘Le Grand Strip.'”

Check their website www.legrandstrip.com and (if you can) invest in vintage for a more sustainable world.