Billie Eilish’s Oscar de la Renta Met Gala Gown Is an Ode to Marilyn Monroe

Big dresses were...

[soft piano music]

my favorite thing when I was a kid.

I had so many dresses.

I would wear a dress every single day.

It s really body image that tore that shit down.

Why I think I ve been dressing the way I have for years.

[piano music continues]

[paper rolling]

[scissors snipping]

[paper flattening]

[iron blowing]

[fabric rolling]

[piano music continues]

We re five weeks away from the Met and

[Fernando sighs]

so far, so good.

Knock on wood.

My name is Laura Kim.

My name is Fernando Garcia

and we re co-creative directors of Oscar de la Renta.

[piano music continues]

Billie is a big surprise.

We have not worked with her before.

We got very excited when we got the call.

So when Dena called us, we were FaceTiming with her,

she was pitching image from old Hollywood.

I got very excited

and before 30 minutes went by,

we were already discussing what the look was going to be.

And we sketched it right away.

It was actually something that was sort of locked in

within an hour or two.

[piano music continues]

Billie has two looks for Met Gala.

One for the red carpet

and one for the dinner.

What we wanted to try to do is capture

that old Hollywood glamour

that she wanted to represent.

So we have a massive ballgown in a nude color tulle.

And then we have a beautiful,

intricately laced up chiffon blush gown

that she s gonna wear for the dinner party.

[piano music continues]

[shoes clacking on floor]

Hello.

[Laura] Hi.

[Fernando] Oh wow.

[Laura] Good to see you.

You look tanned from L.A.

How are you.

[piano music continues]

Hi.

I m so excited.

This is amazing.

It s looking so great.

[Fernando] We re midway there.

What do you think?

Oh wow.

The underlayer looks so beautiful.

Yeah made it a little bit more sexy nude blush-y

for the under cage.

I love that.

I think it s perfect.

Three years ago about,

she was going to wear a corset and a gown

for the first time at the Met.

And then COVID happened.

I ve been working really closely with the Cartier team.

They ve been exploring all of the different options

they have all over the world.

And then we have some amazing pieces from the archive.

Like this is from 1951,

this amazing platinum and diamond bracelet.

[Fernando] Let s look at them.

Are they here?

Not all of them,

but let s go to the trays.

[Fernando] Well you just happened to find

Just arrived.

[Fernando laughs]

It s nearly 60 carats.

It s a pear-shaped morganite.

Oh my goodness.

And the morganite stone is known

to connect to your heart chakra.

[Fernando] So what do you think about the length?

Let s look at that.

I think the length is beautiful.

My only question for Billie is:

is the train big enough?

She told me she wanted it to be so effing big

that you couldn t look away from it.

[piano music continues]

For us it s like the most exciting part

of being part of this Met Gala this season.

This is also a very special moment in her career

and it s going to be one of a kind.

[piano music continues]

[staff greeting Billie]

[music brightens]

[Dena cheering and clapping]

[Billie laughs]

Well, look at this would ya?

This morning, I took a bike around Central Park.

[staff giggling]

I did yeah.

Have you ever had your waist squished?

It s quite a unique feeling.

[Dena] What do you love about corsets?

It s like very classic.

It s like very old Hollywood.

Marilyn and ode to the OGs,

but it s also like,

[Billie laughs]

Sorry.

It s okay do what you need.

Hi, mom.

[upbeat piano music continues]

I was planning on thinking of something

for the Met of 2020.

And I was like,

it should be bright green

and it s going to be

some stupid print on it.

I don t know.

But I knew that I wanted something big

with a corset

and I just didn t.

We just didn t do it and then we did it.

And it s so amazing.

I love corsets.

I have a lot of corsets at home.

[upbeat piano music continues]

Do you guys want to grab this so I can turn around?

[Fernando] Yup.

[fabric swooshing]

[Billie laughs]

So I have to go straight.

And if I need to turn,

I have to make a big ole circle.

Can t just like turn and go.

Let me back up.

[fabric swooshing]

[Staff] Beep beep.

[Fernando] That s okay don t worry.

She wants to see herself.

[Dena] So this is the most rings

that Cartier has ever had anyone wear.

Diamonds are forever.

It s nice to have space here,

but we had a necklace option that was so beautiful.

[Fernando] This is really celebrating jewelry

in a different way.

It doesn t necessarily need to be only in the necklace.

Yeah.

The front s too long.

Yeah it s too long.

[Dena] We definitely need to hem the front.

[Fernando] We will definitely shorten the front.

Okay let s take it off now.

[upbeat music continues]

[staff chattering]

Just open it all the way I want to see New York.

It is the day of the Met

and we re getting ready for the Met.

It is in a few hours, the Met is in a few hours.

[Staff] How are you feeling?

I m feeling very excited.

Yeah you guys can start.

This is Rob, makeup.

Hey.

This is Ben, hair.

This is Ashlie, nails.

Uh, camera.

I m gonna start with your eyes

cause they re the most important part.

[upbeat music fades]

Can I borrow the stuff I gave you?

[Billie] Oh my God that s pretty.

Wow you re so good.

The makeup is old Hollywood

meets like rock star.

[Billie laughs]

Spit it out.

It s like if Marilyn Monroe was a rockstar.

[staff chattering]

Oh, that s my dad.

Your shoes are here.

I look like Shirley Temple.

[Cameraman laughs]

[staff chattering]

[Staff] Can I get in the kitchen?

[staff chattering]

Who do you think is gonna fall in love with me tonight?

Everyone in the world.

[Billie laughs]

[Camerawoman] If all goes as planned,

by the time you re in the dressing room with her,

she ll have photos on her phone.

[staff chattering]

Well we are about ready

to go to the Met.

Yikes.

[staff chattering]

[Fernando] Have a beautiful time.

[Billie] Thank you.

[paparazzi hollering]

[paparazzi hollering]

[cameras clicking]

[paparazzi hollering]