Will Cardi B Be Banned from the Met Gala?
A former Vogue executive reprimanded the artist for her unfortunate comments at the event
Cardi B has undoubtedly been one of the standout Latin stars at the 2024 Met Gala. The truth is, the ‘Bodak Yellow’ singer never fails to make an impression: neither with her looks nor with her words.
And this time it seems that her moment in front of the cameras hasn’t pleased everyone. The rapper attended the fashion Super Bowl dressed in an impressive black tulle dress with a length that reached several meters and had to be held by a dozen assistants. The avant-garde outfit, combined with a kind of turban of the same color and silver jewelry, purportedly intended, according to Cardi’s stylist, Kollin Carter, to reference a black rose, aligning with the main theme of «The Garden of Time«. An imposing Windowsen dress, designed by Chinese designer Sensen Lii, famous for his futuristic creations.
However, controversy arose when influencer and Vogue’s interviewer at the event Emma Chamberlain asked the singer who designed her outfit. And the truth is that Cardi didn’t seem to remember. «They’re Asian and everything,» she replied. A response that has sparked direct backlash against the celebrity.
Cardi B, banned from the Met Gala?
One user who didn’t hesitate to confront Cardi B’s words and who may have directly caused the artist’s regret is Vogue’s former managing director and current Vogue US representative for Asia, Gilbert Cheah, a figure in fashion and luxury brands. «For the record and recognition, and no thanks to Cardi B, the designer of her gown is Sensen Lii who’s Chinese. The gown took two months to make. I personally think it’s boring and not even on theme but she chose it and should have at least remembered his name and not just that he’s ‘Asian’,» Cheah declared.
Vogue Director Gilbert Cheah was greatly offended by Cardi B’s lack of knowledge about the designer of her Met Gala gown. He also called the rapper out for referencing the Chinese designer, Sensen Lii as an Asian:
“For the record and recognition, and no thanks to Cardii B, the… pic.twitter.com/VkAr7FFyvP
— Mílagro (@MobzWorld) May 8, 2024
Facing accusations of racism on social media, Cardi didn’t take long to respond harshly to Cheah, clarifying that she didn’t intend to be offensive. «I feel like the designer and my stylist worked really hard for this theme, so for you to be kind of shady because she feels offended or whatever, it just proves why you’re the former director. You’re trying to offend me but you’re actually offending the people behind-the-scenes,» she stated.
After this public discussion, many have asked the same question. If Cardi B angers important people associated with Vogue, who play a crucial role in organizing the gala led by its editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, to what extent could offending the team at the prestigious magazine cost Cardi her invitation to the event? Well, it’s possible.
According to several media outlets, numerous celebrities have indeed been effectively banned from the Met Gala, at least temporarily. This was the case for Demi Lovato, who appeared at this year’s Met after nearly ten years of absence following criticism of the event in Billboard.
“I had a terrible experience. This one celebrity was a complete bitch and was miserable to be around. It was very cliquey. I remember being so uncomfortable that I wanted to drink,” she declared at the moment. “I changed my clothes, but I still had my diamonds on—millions of dollars of diamonds on in an AA meeting. And I related more to the homeless people in that meeting who struggled with the same struggles that I deal with than the people at the Met Gala—fake and sucking the fashion industry’s dick,” she added. The blacklist of Wintour would also include other celebrities who have publicly criticized the gala, such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Amy Schumer, or Lili Reinhart.
Although in Cardi’s case, her words may not have directly criticized the Met Gala event itself, the rapper would have put herself in an uncomfortable situation in front of the figures of relevance within Vogue, also not having referred in the best way to the designer responsible for her dress.
Now, will this theory materialize? We’ll have to wait until the 2025 Met Gala to find out!