Da'Vine Joy Randolph Turns Gap (Yes, Gap) Denim Into Couture at the Met Gala
After winning her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, Da'Vine Joy Randolph attended her very first Met Gala this year with a little help from an unexpected brand (and a surprising 2024 trend). The Holdovers star wore a custom all-denim Gap gown (like a Canadian tuxedo, but as an evening gown), designed by Zac Posen, who was named Executive Vice President and Creative Director of Gap Inc. back in February.
"I’m proud to represent Gap Inc. – a portfolio of iconic American brands – on a world stage like the Met Gala, where fashion meets entertainment to shape the cultural conversation," Posen said in a statement.
To fit the Met Gala's 2024 theme, "Garden of Time" in honor of the "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibit, Posen drew inspiration from themes of romanticism, nature, and historic icons, according to the statement. The custom, form-fitting denim gown has a romantic corseted bodice, seams running down the dress to trace her silhouette, flowing sleeves and a grand, draped train, patched together with multiple color washes.
Posen constructed the gown with Gap's denim experts, paying homage to the brand's classic 1969 denim, while also calling to mind style elements of historic evening wear from the 1700s. He referred to JG Ballard's "The Garden of Time" while designing the gown, making it both modern and of another time, juxtaposing the structured denim with the more delicate 18th century silhouette.
“Throughout the creative process, I was reminded of my time at The Costume Institute, where I first encountered the exquisite beauty of historic garments,” Posen continued. “This dress is a tribute to the elegance, glamour and drama, which embodies the timeless allure of Da'Vine Joy Randolph, a true original in her craft and in her style."
But Posen wasn't just influenced by the Met Gala theme. The statement also mentions the gown's "international red" lining, a reference to the oxidized pigment of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the view from Gap Inc. headquarters, against the deep blue denim. Its train recreates the movement of water in color and shape.
"With this Gap gown, I’ve fallen back in love with denim,” Joy Randolph said. "I feel powerful. It makes me feel very feminine, but in a way that I can identify with—through strength, power, and resilience."
Joy Randolph’s Met Gala debut dress marks Posen’s first public-facing project after being appointed to his new role at Gap Inc. earlier this year. And what a project it is.