“I’m honored—it’s a dream coming true,” K-Pop star Johnny from NCT tells Vogue of going to the Met Gala for the first time. “Growing up as a teenager in the States, I’ve always seen all of the stars I loved attending.” The Korean-American singer and rapper joined forces with designer Peter Do on a bespoke ensemble for the star-studded event where they walked the red carpet together.
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“It’s the perfect blend of classic with what fashion is now—everything is tailored perfectly for me, so I feel comfortable and confident,” says Johnny of his monochromatic custom look for the night. Exaggerating the signatures of a classic three-piece suit, the Vietnamese-American designer also added an elongated double-breasted coat for an extra dose of drama. “We took the traditional satin lapel of a tuxedo—which was popularized throughout America in the Gilded Age—and decided to render the whole suit in a sleek black silk crepe backed satin,” Do explains of the fabrications. “Our signature sharp tailoring in the coat, vest and trousers is present, but made fluid with the softness of the silk.”
Renowned as a womenswear designer—Do cut his teeth at Celine when Phoebe Philo was at the helm—venturing into creating menswear is a refreshing pivot that makes perfect sense for the young brand. “[Do] creates such incredible womenswear, so seeing how he’s adapted these designs specifically for me just makes it even more special,” Johnny beams. “Menswear has always been an inspiration for our design process, so this feels rather natural. For us, clothing goes beyond gender lines and is rather about who that person is than what they identify as,” adds Do.
Not only is it Do’s first experience creating a look for the Met Gala, it’s his first time attending, as well. “We are extremely thrilled to be dressing Johnny of NCT for our very first Met, especially since K-Pop has been a part of the brand in many different ways – it’s the music of my youth,” says the designer. “It’s unreal to think that just four years ago we started the brand in my bedroom, and now we’re here!”
What’s Johnny looking forward to most on the night? “It would definitely be the fashion, and seeing how other designers will show off their clothes within the theme.”
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