Ahead of the Met Gala, Body Horror on a Budget
Can't wait to see Timmy Chalamet fight Glen Powell with real swords.
The Met Gala’s 2026 theme announcement (“Costume Art”) honestly made me feel panicky because its thesis, how “artistic representations of the body are shaped by the garments that clothe them and that the garments, in turn, are shaped by the bodies which they clothe,” hit too close to home. One of the main ideas I bandy about on this blog is how the body can be treated as both subject and object in relation to the clothes upon it, with offshoots of that idea ranging from the allure of so-called “deformities” like lumps and bumps or holes to the concept of using human body parts as fashion accessories (a reality that has manifested in several ways these past few years). For a long moment (and maybe still), I felt sad that I am still a peon in the fashion world and won’t get the chance to present my flagship ideas on the red carpet on the Upper East Side next May. Oh well! An exciting note: friend of Esque Renata Buzzo’s incredible, visceral fashion is featured not only in the Met’s forthcoming exhibition, but also in a lot of the promo for the gala—this is the astonishing dress they chose, though you MUST click and scroll all the way back:
For the rest of you out there who, I assume, will also not be attending the Costume Art gala (if you are, I am available for a date on Monday, May 4) and who likely also can’t afford the likes of the garments that’ll be on display at the museum following the function, I explore below how I would incorporate elements of body horror (the most valid interpretation of the theme for the least cowardly celebrities, IMO) into wearable outfits that I could conceivably acquire though, true, I am not so likely to spend $300 on fake intestines at this exact point in my life. It’s about inspiration and inquiry, OKAY?
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The genesis of this outfit began with the Comme des Garcons tee, which I’ve had on my radar for a long time. Its imagery is comically violent, like a cartoon depiction of a body riddled with bullets, spewing out geysers of blood (but just for a few short moments before it’s magically patched up). I played up the puncture wounds with a bullet belt, boots coated in bullet-esque studs, and the infamous gun bag (which I’d never actually buy not least of all because it’d be a grotesque display of white privilege to think you can get away with carrying a piece like that).
Tao Comme des Garcons hole tee - $115.50 (Sale)
Bullet belt - $26.91
Cop Copine skirt - $82.72 (Sale)
Studded boots - $130
Gun purse - $368
This look was inspired by the scenes in Howl’s Moving Castle in which the titular wizard undergoes a seemingly-agonizing transition into a birdlike creature, sprouting oily black wings and scythe-like talons:
I wanted an outfit that felt equal parts crow and harpy, both magical and grounded in the imagined reality of a human body that began changing into poultry. Layers of feathers were necessary, and looking at the above image, I actually really like how the badly-photoshopped makeup model looks with the hoodie-like collar around their head, so if I were to actually style this look, I’d definitely incorporate a hoodie or street style hood.
Vintage feather cap - $98
Feather cape - $25
Scale chain mail top - $175+
Wings - $29.99
Vintage leather pants - $99.20
Vintage pumps - $22.50
I wonder if anyone will reference the infamous Duran Lantink FW25 show at the Met? I can see how its use of prosthetics could come across as mocking genderqueer people, and I am not ride or die for Lantink’s work by any means, but I do think more designers need to explore the use of realistic body parts as accessories or garment components, since we can’t very well start sourcing the real thing. There’s something to be said about the reaction faux breasts elicit as opposed to faux fur or animal skulls or the like. I’m not totally devoid of anthropocentrism in my outlook (e.g. I would save a human from a burning building over an animal if I had to make that awful choice), but my delving into Object-Oriented Ontology appreciates Lantink’s experimentation. This look was also inspired by flashers and Patrick Bateman.
Silicone breasts - $362.27+
LA Apparel lace jumpsuit - $40
Vintage clear raincoat - $73
Five fingers shoes - $145
Walter Van Beirendonck is another designer who deserves to be referenced at the 2026 Met Gala, with so many humanoid and animalistic design elements repeated throughout the years in his work. I think the Met theme is also ripe for gender play, especially with historically feminine, body-shaping garments, most obviously and easily the corset. It will be a crying shame if they don’t invite Michaela Stark, the body-morphing queen herself, but I doubt they will because Anna Wintour has awful taste. I also hope to see a lot of pierced and tattooed garments, especially in leather, playing upon the reality of the animal bodies that are appropriated in the name of fashion.
Walter Van Beirendonck chest hair shirt - $665 (Sale)
Beige corset - $33.60
Custom tulle skirt - $89+
Tory Burch pierced mule - $298 (Sale)
This look was built around the clear corset that looks to be filling up with blood—I think there’s a lot of potential for medieval and Renaissance imagery in these costumes, even religious stuff like Jesus’ bloody side vagina-wound. I’m hoping we see a little fake gore, but I doubt anyone will be brave enough to go full Renata Buzzo. If you are, Etsy has a ton of fake intestines (warning, these are quite gory)… Weaponry would also be a good choice, but I’m sure Anna Wintour has rules about swords and such. Boring. I wanna see Timmy Chalamet fight Glen Powell to the pain!
Transparent corset - $285+
Chainmail purse - $30.38
Blood read skirt - $98
Custom sword - $67.32+
I’ve written about these unhinged leggings before, and I couldn’t help but pair the bug bite-like blisters with a buggy LBD from FBC—extra limbs, organs, and facial features (see below for another idea) are totally warranted at this Met Gala, as are semi-graphic interpretations of wounds as mentioned above. Of course, yor the Met you need to keep your look elevated, so a “bloody” crystal headpiece was in order.
Blood drop headpiece - $63.75 (Sale)
J. Kim blister leggings - $500
Pink pumps - $47
As mentioned above, another idea I had for this theme was to paint on extra facial features, e.g. eyes upon eyelids. This shirt once again gave me Jesus vagina wound but the outfit also feels referential to the matador, another fashion reference that holds a visceral realism central to its aesthetic sensibility. I’d keep all the visceral pinks and reds fresh with some unexpected pops of powdery blue and carry a heart as a purse to correspond to the heart that looks like it could have been torn out of the shirt.
Comme des Garcons shirt - $211.25 (Sale)
Red belt - $47.60 (Sale)
Vintage suede shoes - $50
Heart pouch - $325
Please let me know your thoughts about the Met theme (and yes, I know the Bezos bozos are sponsoring… as I said, Wintour has shit for taste)!!! It’s so important to me and I hope at least a handful of cool (notice how close “cool” is to Colman Domingo) kids get it right.
<3 ESK
I really want to see things that are a mind-fuck, you know, Esque? Like the oversized eyes, like the fake breasts and the full intestines! Someone, throw me a (real human) bone! "To the pain!" (I'm cheering for Glen!
LOVE the transparent corset + geisha makeup + sword look. i think it would be so gaggy if someone did a look a la lady gaga at the 2009 vmas (aka the one where she started "bleeding out" on stage). also wouldn't be surprised to see some vivienne westwood references (the boob shirt, her corsets, using animal bones as lettering on shirts in her "let it rock" era). there are so many cool ways to interpret this theme but i fear, as is the case with seemingly every met gala ever, that most people won't do anything interesting or remotely on theme.