Stylist: Rebecca Corbin-Murray
Outfit: custom Tom Ford
Makeup Artist: Monika Blunder using Tom Ford Beauty
assisted by Allison Elliott
Hairstylist: Owen Gould assisted by Alyssa using Glam Seamless Hair Extensions, Dove, Dyson Hair and Tan Mujiang tools
Colorist: Reece Walker
Headpiece: Raven Kauffman
Shoes: Tom Ford
Manicurist: Betina Goldstein
Jewelry: Forevermark
It has been a long time since we have talked about Gemma Chan and with several of her future projects around the corner, it’s imperative that we remember her debut at the MET Gala 2019. Who knows what she’ll wear for her next one?
For the event, Chan donned a custom Tom Ford crystal embroidered evening gown and cape, probably based upon a model from the Fall 2019 Ready-to-Wear collection. The ensemble was paired with Tom Ford crystal peep toe platform pumps and over 100 carats of layered classic Forevermark diamond line bracelets and an oversized emerald cocktail ring from the same brand.
The dress and the headdress were inspired by Elizabeth Taylor‘s famous one in the film Boom!, which she also wore to a masked ball at Venice’s Rezzonico Palace in 1967.
The look was the result of months of discussions and four fittings, Chan wanted Ford to give his own interpretation of the camp theme and as stylist Rebecca Corbin-Murray told British Vogue about the designer: “He has that sense of humour; as Gemma is British, we appreciate that. Both their personalities come through [in the look].”
We’ve seen, particularly over the past year, there can be messages in your [outfit] choices. […] Gemma‘s very hands-on; she loves to be involved in the process.”
As for every big occasion, there is a proper makeup breakdown to follow, here you have it from makeup artist Monika Blunder (all products are Tom Ford Beauty):
“- I primed the skin with the Complexion Enhancing Primer in Peach Glow all over the face to help keep the foundation from fading on the red carpet.
– In order to create the perfect shade of foundation for her, I mixed Traceless Foundation in Natural and Pale Dune.
– To create dimension and brighten under the eye area, I made a v shape with the illuminating highlighting pen in Naked Bisque #5. I put the Emotionproof concealer in Natural #6 blending on top.
– I contoured the cheeks and sides of the nose with the Terra Bronzing Powder in #2 (matte). And added the Terra Gold Dust bronzing powder on the cheeks and forehead in #1 (shimmer).
– I mixed 2 blush colors to create the perfect peachy pink apple to not compete with the eye and her crown.
– For the eyes, we went back a forth and decided on the inspiration from the eye on Elizabeth Taylor in the movie Boom! Dramatic, but not too dramatic that it competes with the crown.
– I used Shadow Extreme in Silver all over the lid and Shadow Extreme in Black and Cocoa Mirage Eye Quad in the taupe color for the crease.
– I used the brighter and darker purples in the eye quad, Daydream as the lower liner and a little on the top liner on top of the Eye Defining Pen to elongate the eye.
– Curled the lashes, and coated them with 2 coats of Emotionproof Mascara and light strip lashes.
– Elongated and filled and groomed her brows with Brow Sculptor in Espresso and Fiber Brow Gel.
– For the lip we also were inspired by Liz Taylor‘s pink lip in Boom! I used Pink Tease Lip Color Matte as the base, and topping it off with Lip Spark in Thrust.
The makeup artist further explained Allure her choices: “She’s such a classic beauty, I wanted to make sure that came through, but I also wanted to do something colorful and bold to go with the theme.
I wanted her to look luminous, but also not too glowy—we went for a modern makeup look.
The gown is very sparkly and silver, so I wanted to bring those colors into the eye makeup.”
Apparently the actress was also inspired by the sparkle from her Tom Ford gown, her crown, and the rainbow gems on the inside of her left fingers. Her sleek, straight glass hair under the crown was an ode to Cher at Studio 54.
Gemma‘s headpiece was courtesy of Raven Kauffman, down below you can see all the steps that the creator had to complete, in order to create the masterpiece. According to her, the piece took 270 hours to create by hand, in her studio, using Swarovski crystals, foiled paper straws, hand forged flowers and Lucite rods.
Tom Ford himself transported it from LA, where it was handcrafted, to New York.
Manicurist Betina Goldstein used a Tom Ford Beauty nail polish in the shade ‘Toasted Sugar’ and a lot of Swarovski crystals to adorn her fingers.
