The Met Gala is an annual event that brings together prominent figures in the art, film, and fashion industries to showcase extravagant and boundary-pushing creations from major fashion houses. While established designers often take center stage at the event, it also provides a platform for emerging talents to shine. For this year’s Garden of Time-themed Met Gala, London-based designer Steve O Smith was chosen by actor Eddie Redmayne and his wife, Hannah Bagshawe, to create their looks. Redmayne expressed his admiration for Smith’s work, citing his unique fusion of fashion and art inspired by iconic artists like Matisse and Cy Twombly.
Steve O Smith, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, launched his label in 2017 upon completing his MA in fashion at Central Saint Martins in London. During his time at CSM, Smith developed a distinctive approach to garment design that starts with drawings on paper, which are then translated into wearable pieces. His process involves capturing the essence of his drawings through garment construction, viewing pattern cutting, draping, sewing, and appliqué as extensions of the drawing process itself. Smith found inspiration for Redmayne and Bagshawe’s Met Gala looks from The Garden of Time, a JG Ballard story that features a couple, making conceptualizing their outfits a seamless process.
Drawing parallels between the flowers in The Garden of Time and Cy Twombly’s Peony series, Smith used action painting techniques and abstraction to reflect the themes of creation and destruction in the story. He translated these visual references into garment designs by creating drawings in diluted acrylic paint, graphite stick, and pencil before bringing them to life in fabric form. For Redmayne’s ensemble, Smith crafted a wool coat mounted on sheer silk organza using his signature relief appliqué technique, where the appliqué is cut away from the garment rather than added on. The coat is paired with wool tailored trousers, a silk organza dickie with a drawing of a tie, and a removable tulle skirt attached inside.
Redmayne praised Smith for creating a blend of classicism and whimsy in his designs, describing the clothes as beautiful, playful, and easy to wear. The actor accessorized his Met Gala look with Grenson brogues and a steel Omega Seamaster watch with a sandstone dial, adding a touch of sophistication to his overall ensemble. Smith expressed his excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to dress Redmayne and Bagshawe for the prestigious event, highlighting how the couple’s connection to the theme of The Garden of Time made the creative process even more seamless. By infusing artistic influences and storytelling elements into his designs, Smith achieved a harmonious balance between fashion and art in his Met Gala creations.
