It wasBillie Eilish’s first time ever wearing Oscar de la Renta when she stepped out at the2021 Met Gala. But for her to agree to work with the New York-based fashion label on a custom look, the Oscar de la Renta team needed to agree to one important condition.
Eilish, 19, has beenvegan for seven yearsand is avocal animal rights activist. So it was imperative that the designer she chose to wear for her first Met Gala swore off fur.
For the past few years, Oscar de la Renta didn’t use fur in its runway shows because Creative Directors Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim didn’t find it “chic, modern or relevant,” theNew York Timesreports. However, the brand still sold clothing made with animal fur in stores and it comprised a “meaningful amount of sales and profit,” Oscar de la Renta’s Chief Executive Officer Alex Bolen told theoutlet.
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Eilish’s anti-fur stance inspired the label to make the big change.
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Eilish was happy to be a catalyst for change in the fashion industry. “Thank you@oscardelarentafor designing this BEAUTIFUL dress and bringing my ideas and vision to life. it was an honor to wear this dress knowing that going forward oscar de la renta will be completely fur-free!!!!” she wrote onInstagramafter the Met Gala red carpet.
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“i am beyond thrilled that@fernandogarciam1205and@tokibunbunand the entire team heard me on this issue, and have now made a change that makes an impact for the greater good, not only for animals but also for our planet and environment too,” she continued. “i’m honored to have been a catalyst and to have been heard on this matter. i urge all designers to do the same.”
Be sure to check out all of PEOPLE’sMet Gala coverageto get the latest news on fashion’s biggest night.
Eilish’scustom corset Oscar de la Renta tulle gownwas a far departure from her usual grunge style. But the singer-songwriter explained she was finally ready to embrace her feminine side.
“It just was time,” the singer toldVogueon the red carpet of her fashion risk. “It was time for this, and I feel like I’ve grown so much in the last few years.”
Eilish continued, “I’ve always wanted to do this. I was just scared and didn’t feel comfortable in my skin and I feel like I finally did.”
As for the inspiration behind her look, the star saidholiday Barbieplayed a huge part! “It was my favorite thing in the world,” she said with a smile. “I would ask for them for Christmas every single year. The dresses, genuinely that was my inspiration.”
Making her first Met even more of a moment, this year Eilish served asco-chairalongside fellow Gen Z trendsettersTimothée Chalamet,Naomi OsakaandAmanda Gorman.
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WhenVogueconfirmed in May that Eilish would be the youngest Met Gala co-chair in history, the outlet explained that her “willingness to embrace an aesthetic as innovative as her music has pushed emerging brands into the limelight and challenged old rules about how a pop star should dress.”
source: people.com
