The Met Gala Heralds The End Of The Naked Dress

Last night's Met Gala red carpet was a true spectacle, as the stars paid sartorial homage to Catholicism. While Rihanna was once again queen of the ball in her Pope outfit, a few trends dominated - namely, halos and intense trains - and, true to form, Katy Perry took the theme very seriously in her six-foot feathered wings. So far, so normal, but one particular once-ubiquitous look was missing - the naked dress.

Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid, who have shown themselves dedicated fans of this style, be it in dress form or catsuit, both stayed clear. The former stuck to an understated strapless Off-White jumpsuit, while Hadid wore a gothic black gown by Gareth Pugh in collaboration with Chrome Hearts. Even Kim Kardashian and the Victoria's Secret contingent decided on more modest, if not dramatic, looks. Emily Ratajkowski, another committed champion of the naked dress (or just nudity generally), opted for a gold high-neck Marc Jacobs design.

Cara Delevingne was among the few to choose a sheer ensemble - a Dior lattice gown with sheer panels that ran up and down the front and back. She completed the look with a decorative mask, worn on top of her magenta pixie crop. While it was daring, it was far from the overtly sexy sheer looks that we've seen so much of on the red carpet in recent years, be it at the Oscars, the Met Gala or the Cannes Film Festival. Delevingne's look was very much more artistic than provocative.

Of course, women should be able to wear whatever they want on the red carpet or otherwise, but it is indeed interesting that a look that was so pervasive until recently should have vanished pretty much completely. There are perhaps a few reasons for its disappearing act. On a basic level, there is of course an argument that being nearly nude at an event dedicated to the fashion influence of Catholicism isn't incongruous with the theme - or indeed very tasteful. A nearly naked Virgin Mary might have been too controversial for even the Kardashians to touch.

Then there's the idea that maybe the naked dress has become a little dull. Unlike other red carpets where women are largely supposed to conform to society's beauty standards (this has obviously changed this year with actresses using the red carpet to make political statements), the Met Gala has always been a place to play with clothes; pushing fashion boundaries and experimenting are widely encouraged. The Met Gala's annual theme gives guests the opportunity to play fancy dress in a way that eludes them at other high-profile events, where the focus is more about looking pretty rather then enjoying fashion. When celebrities - namely Beyonce and Rihanna - first started wearing naked dresses, they did seem liberating and ground-breaking; women harnessing and embracing the power of their sexuality. These dresses were daring - shocking even. As more and more celebrities have jumped on the bandwagon, they no longer have the same visual shock factor. They don't seem exciting nor radical anymore, rather just a little tired and unimaginative. To wear them on a red carpet as high fashion as the Met Gala would perhaps look a little old hat.

Beyonce in a latex ’naked’ dress at the Met Gala in 2016

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Then there's the rise in modest dressing in general. Brands such as Celine, Vetements and Erdem have become ever popular with their focus on concealing rather than showing skin. Covering up has more of a novelty factor than revealing all now, thus the rise in popularity of midi length dresses, voluminous sleeves and turtle necks. Victoria Beckham recently said that to wear a looser silhouette “puts power back into the hands of the wearer rather than the observer”. Some women feel that to cover up is akin to wearing armour and/or a rejection of body politics. The Time's Up movement has politicised the red carpet more than ever, so perhaps it is no surprise that women are throwing aside styles that are conventionally sexy. Are we moving away from the naked dress because it feels outdated in terms of female empowerment or simply because we've reached its saturation point and it no longer feels new? Either way, it's a complex issue.

Ultimately, it comes down to individual choice and what the wearer feels powerful and comfortable in. But for now, if last night's Met Gala is anything to go by, it looks as if the end is nigh for the naked dress.

Look back at all the red-carpet fashion from the 2018 Met Gala

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