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She's in incognito mode.
By Alice Kelly — Written on Sep 14, 2021
Kim Kardashian’s Met Gala dress is quickly becoming one of the most talked about — and meme-ed — moments of the September 13 event.
The reality star donned a full-body, blacked out cover-up complete with gloves and a face mask.
The look was crafted in the mind of Balenciaga’s Demna Gvasalia — and possibly Kanye West. The creative director attended the Met Gala alongside Kardashian, though many wrongly assumed it was West.
Even while covered head-to-toe, Kardashian still managed to turn heads.
What is the meaning of Kim Kardashian’s 2021 Met Gala look?
While the outfit could be mistaken as an ode to Harry Potter’s dementors or the Matrix, there may be an even deeper meaning behind Kardashian’s Balenciaga mask.
Online, some are applying a ‘Silhouette Theory’ to Kim’s Met Gala outfit.
One Instagram user, who was inspired by conversations on TikTok, outlines that Kardashian’s look may be a commentary on her cultural significance.
“You know a celebrity is an icon when you can recognize their outline without seeing their full embodiment,” she explains.
This can certainly be applied to Kardashian. There was no question about who was behind the mask.
“There’s no logo, no face, but everyone knows it’s her,” a source close to the star explained about the look.
Love her or hate her, Kardashian is one of the most influential American cultural icons in history.
Kardashian’s body is something that has been criticized, praised, debated, worshipped and more.
Her standing on the Met Gala carpet as just a silhouette captures the many conversations around her looks. In an all-black ensemble, the beauty mogul creates a space for us to project our opinions and definitions of her body onto her.
This has been a huge feature of her career — others casting their assumptions on to her, objectifying her, hypersexualising her.
All at once, the covered-up outfit both facilitates and challenges the way in which Kardashian is viewed in modern American culture.
The blackness of Kardashian’s outfit demands decoding.
The color black, as commentators online have pointed out, “results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light.”
Kardashian is a reflection of culture right now, and has been for quite some time, she absorbs and embodies everything that is American pop culture in the modern age.
In this outfit, she is a canvas for and the artist of whatever is next for American culture and fashion.
The look is the antithesis of everything we’ve come to expect from the reality star who typically wears heavily embellished, revealing Met Gala outfits.
But this is, perhaps, exactly the point. A source said Kardashian wanted to create a “new subculture and fashion statement.”
And if there’s anyone who could pull that off, it’s Kim Kardashian.
Kim’s Met Gala outfit also pays tribute to Kanye West’s ‘Donda.’
Of course, Kardashian isn’t the only brain behind the look. She’s been dabbling in these kinds of cover-ups for the last number of months while attending West’s album promotions.
We’ve previously seen her in a catsuit and a leather version of the outfit.
The collaborative effort may be a sign that Kimye are back together, or it may be part of a shared desire to not be perceived.
But whatever the meaning, in typically Kim Kardashian fashion, we may meme her at first, but inevitably her influence and power will prevail.
Alice Kelly is a senior news and entertainment editor for YourTango. Based out of Brooklyn, New York, her work covers all things social justice, pop culture, and human interest. Keep up with her Twitter for more.