Paloma Elsesser & Jeremy Pope Revived a Landmark Margiela Collection at the 2025 Met Gala
Certain pieces of vintage fashion are so legendary they need to be worn twice—and by two different people, no less. At last night’s Met Gala, Paloma Elsesser and Jeremy Pope revived a groundbreaking Maison Margiela collection from the 1990s that unexpectedly channeled the night’s theme. Wearing the same item as someone else is usually a nightmare, but both stars managed to carry the same piece very differently.
Pope, the first of the pair to wear the outfit, slipped into an archival top from Margiela’s fall 1997 collection to walk the Met Gala red carpet. The actor paired the historic piece, which featured a size “42” inscribed at the top and the words “semi-couture” written near the hemline, with black dress pants and a coiffed hairstyle. While many guests interpreted the evening’s “Tailored For You” dress code literally with strong suiting, Pope and his stylist Law Roach turned the suggestion inside out.
Pope’s sleeveless vest, inspired by a dress form (or mannequin in layman’s term), is a seminal Margiela design. It debuted for the spring 1997 season and was a constant reference point for Martin Margiela until he departed his eponymous label in 2009. (John Galliano, who designed for Margiela until recently, also used the silhouette as a reference.) The garment comments on the process of clothing construction and body standards within the fashion industry.
Later in the evening, lightning struck twice as Paloma Elsesser stepped out to a Met Gala after party downtown while wearing the same Margiela 1997 look. (It’s likely Pope and Elsesser were lucky enough to source their own pieces and didn’t have to do some crazy swap between the red carapet and the after parties.)
Naturally, Elsesser tailored her vintage piece for a party setting. She wore the vest slightly open for a flash of skin and paired it with a matching mini skirt made out of the same muslin fabric. Black heels, sheer tights, and a bright red lip finished the outfit.
Although vintage references were plentiful at this year’s Met, actual vintage items were few and far between. For the most part, stars interpreted the theme with re-creations rather than originals. But for Pope and Elsesser, their Margiela originals clearly stood the test of time.
