Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B recently found herself amid controversy following her appearance at the 2024 Met Gala. The cause of the controversy was not her stunning black dress but rather her reference to the dress’s designer, Sensen Lii of Windowsen, as “Asian and everything” during an interview with Vogue at the event.
Cardi B’s Met Gala dress was simply a gothic glam galore. The black custom tulle gown, totaling almost 10,000 feet of fabric, cascaded the full length of the Met Gala’s staircase. The gown was so voluminous that its team had to carry the train. The strapless custom gown was a hit with its dramatic winged neckline and mermaid fit to the extreme; the dress flared yards away from the knee.
The gown featured an inner and outer layer, the former of which included tufts of organza ruffles to bring an extra dimension to it. Sensen Lii said that he was influenced by the event’s “Garden of Time” dress code for the design inspiration. The color black was supposed to symbolize fertile black soil. “The design is flower-like, talking about a garden’s trees, flowers, and earth,” he explained to WWD. Cardi B got along with her bespoke Met Gala outfit with hints of emerald to represent the new plant life.
Cardi B said,
“The dress was supposed to be on a little podium, and I’ve been practicing how to pose on the podium. But on the carpet, I wasn’t allowed to use the podium. So I had a lot of things in my mind, and I was being rushed to the front of the line.”
Nevertheless, the Met Gala was not only about fashion. The event became controversial when Cardi B could not recall her designer’s name during an interview. She said that the designer is “Asian,” leaving a negative stigma. Cardi B was criticized for the forgetfulness of the designer after two months who made it. A director of the Vogue magazine describes.
Cardi B later cleared her comments, stating that there was so much on her mind during that time, and she was being rushed at the moment; hence, she forgot how to pronounce the designer’s name.
Cardi B explained,
“I had a lot of things in my mind, and I was being rushed to the front of the line. [I] forgot how to pronounce the designer’s name because his name is a little bit complicated, and it’s fucking me up … my mind was just racing”. She also added that she was not trying to be offensive and knew that the designer was Asian but did not know the designer’s nationality.
However, despite the controversy, Cardi B used her social media accounts to express gratitude to Sensen Lii by full name, who deserves some recognition for the effort and time he put into creating this dress. Furthermore, when she expressed her thanks, she acknowledged the hard work, creativity, and dedication the designer put into her gown. Thus, by thanking the designer publicly, she gave him the recognition that drew media and public attention to his craftsmanship, which may raise his reputation and career in the fashion industry.
“I have to give an additional thank you to Windowsen by Sensen Lii!!! I chose you for your amazing talent, and you really came through, making this Met gala a night to remember.”
Sensen Lii’s work was given additional publicity, which helped promote diversity in the fashion industry. The designers who come from different cultures and countries were brought into the light, creating an illustrated example in real life that diversity is the engine of progress for the fashion industry.
I have to give another thank you to Windowsen by Sensen Lii!!! I chose you because of your amazing talent and you came through really making this Met Gala a night to remember 🖤🥀 PIC.TWITTER.COM/43QXYZPSKU
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) MAY 8, 2024
Cardi B’s extravagant appearance at the Met Gala captured the news. The Met Gala dress creation process mentioned before was a hard and long job involving everyone – the designer, the artist, the stylist, and, no less important, the star who wore the final product. Ultimately, Cardi B once again reminded us that it was necessary to remember and value the work done in the shadows as much as the final appearance on the red carpet.
