The Met Gala is a highly anticipated event that brings together celebrities from various industries to showcase bold and extravagant fashion creations. While established fashion houses often take center stage, the event also provides an opportunity to highlight emerging talents in the industry. For this year’s Garden of Time-themed Met Gala, actor Eddie Redmayne and his wife, Hannah Bagshawe, chose London-based designer Steve O Smith to create their looks. Redmayne expressed his admiration for Smith’s unique blend of fashion and art, highlighting the designer’s ability to merge the two seamlessly.
Smith, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, launched his label in 2017 after completing his MA in fashion at Central Saint Martins in 2022. During his time at CSM, Smith honed his distinctive approach to garment design, starting with drawings on paper that he then translated into garments. He approaches garment construction with a sense of gesture and expression, viewing pattern cutting, draping, sewing, and appliqué as an extension of the drawing process itself. Dressing Redmaye and Bagshawe for the Met Gala proved to be an exciting challenge for Smith, as the theme of the event was inspired by a couple in a JG Ballard story, making the conceptualization of their looks easier.
For the Garden of Time-themed Met Gala, Smith drew inspiration from Cy Twombly’s Peony series and the idea of creation and destruction in The Garden of Time story. He created drawings in diluted acrylic paint, graphite stick, and pencil to capture movement and emotion, then translated these into garments. Redmayne’s look featured a wool coat mounted on sheer silk organza using a technique called “relief appliqué,” where the appliqué is cut away from the garment rather than added on. A removable tulle skirt was attached inside the coat, with matching wool trousers and a silk organza dickie completing the ensemble. Redmayne praised Smith’s ability to combine classicism and whimsy in his creations, making the clothes beautiful, playful, and easy to wear.
Smith’s approach to garment design and his ability to merge fashion and art in a unique way impressed Redmayne and Bagshawe, who were delighted to work with the designer for the Met Gala. Smith’s background in art and fashion influences his creative process, starting with drawings on paper that are then transformed into garments with a sense of gesture and expression. The theme of the Garden of Time provided a rich source of inspiration for Smith, allowing him to explore ideas of creation and destruction in his designs. Redmayne’s look at the Met Gala showcased Smith’s innovative techniques, with the wool coat on sheer silk organza and the intricate appliqué work creating a visually striking ensemble.
In addition to creating eye-catching garments, Smith also ensures that his designs are wearable and accessible, incorporating elements of classicism and whimsy to appeal to a wide audience. Redmayne’s Met Gala look, with its mixture of classic tailoring and playful details, exemplified Smith’s ability to create clothes that are both beautiful and easy to wear. Redmayne accessorized his outfit with Grenson brogues and a steel Omega Seamaster watch, adding a personal touch to the ensemble. Overall, Smith’s collaboration with Redmayne and Bagshawe for the Met Gala highlighted his talent for blending fashion and art in a way that is both innovative and captivating.
