Doja Cat channels Karl Lagerfeld's iconic cat Choupette at the Met Gala — complete with feline prosthetics
- Doja Cat channeled Karl Lagerfeld's famous cat Choupette at the 2023 Met Gala.
- Her gown featured 350,000 silver and white beads and took more than 5,000 hours to create.
In a night dedicated to the legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld, many wondered who — if anyone — would pay tribute to his famous cat, Choupette, on the Met Gala red carpet.
A few celebrities turned up paying tribute to the iconic feline, but true to her name Doja Cat really delivered.
Doja Cat and her stylist Brett Alan Nelson spent six months working with Fernando Garcia, Oscar de la Renta's co-creative director, to create her custom feline-inspired ensemble.
"It makes no sense for anyone to go as Karl's cat more than Doja Cat," Alan Nelson told Vogue. "Oscar and Karl were very close, and the look feels very Oscar — but also like something Chanel could do at a couture show."
Doja Cat's look featured a stunning silver gown with a ruffled skirt and a hood with cat ears.
According to Harper's Bazaar, Doja Cat's hand-beaded gown — which took more than 5,000 hours to create — was made with 350,000 silver and white bugle beads.
Alan Nelson told Vogue that it was Doja Cat's idea to wear prosthetics that helped channel Choupette on the red carpet.
He said that they didn't want the prosthetics to make her ensemble "feel like a costume," and worked with prosthetic artist Malina Stearns to create the perfect shape.
"She's not furry, but I had images of Choupette as references," Stearns told Vogue.
Many hoped the famous Choupette would make an appearance on Monday night in honor of the theme, "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty." But in an Instagram post on Monday, representatives for Choupette said she "preferred to stay peacefully and cozy at home."
"We pay tribute to my Daddy every day since his parting and we are very moved to see one more day dedicated to him," the caption added.