The Met Gala, an annual fundraiser that showcases high fashion and luxury brands, is an event that is important to anyone interested in fashion. This year’s theme, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”, was inspired by the late Karl Lagerfeld, a revolutionary yet problematic fashion designer. Lagerfeld was a notoriously disrespectful person who constantly made homophobic, racist, fatphobic, and misogynistic comments. The homage to Lagerfeld was criticized, and some think that a Met Gala based on him was insensitive towards the LGBTQIA+, plus size community, and minorities Karl Lagerfeld had publicly disrespected. Although Karl Lagerfeld has a lot of controversy surrounding him and his views, his innovations are forever remembered in fashion. Therefore, we should be celebrating the art instead of the artist. 

At a young age, Karl Lagerfeld caught the attention of Pierre Balmain, Jean Patou, Valentino Garavani, and more recognizable designers. He modernized the brands he designed for by using new materials like fur and animal skins in high fashion. His work as a creative director for Chanel transformed the brand into the modern luxury fashion house everyone has heard of. He revived labels such as Fendi, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford, and more, making him a prominent name in fashion.

Apart from all his work in the fashion industry, Lagerfeld was known for making hurtful comments about essentially all people who were not white, blonde models who wore a size 00. In 2009, to Focus Magazine, he said, “These are fat mummies sitting with their bags of crisps in front of the television, saying that thin models are ugly,” He also insulted the British royal family, calling Princess Diana “stupid,” and Pippa Middleton ugly. He then said he was “fed up,” with the #MeToo movement, an awareness movement in which people publicized their experiences with sexual abuse. Lagerfeld called singer Adele “a little too fat” and said that no one wanted to see plus-size models and women. In 2017, when German chancellor Angela Merkel allowed Jewish refugees from Syria into Germany, Lagerfeld had much to say. “I know someone in Germany who took a young Syrian and after four days said: ‘The greatest thing Germany invented was the Holocaust,'” he said.

While Karl Lagerfeld’s views were tone-deaf, ignorant, and deserving of backlash, the Met Gala theme honored his role in the fashion world. His creations and modernization of couture should be remembered. Without his work, the most well-known brands worldwide would not be as recognizable as they are. In this case, we should separate the art from the artist- hold Karl Lagerfeld accountable for his actions, but appreciate the art he made.