Billie Eilish only wore her Met Gala 2021 dress on the condition the designer would no longer use real fur
14 September 2021, 11:18
Billie Eilish is a vision of old-school Hollywood glamour as she arrives at the Met Gala
Oscar de la Renta has now changed its stance on real fur.
Billie Eilish has revealed that she only wore her Oscar de la Renta Met Gala 2021 dress on the condition that the designer would no longer use real fur.
The 'Happier Than Ever' singer stepped out for the annual Met Gala on Monday night (Sep 13) alongside a star-studded guest list of fashion designers, models, celebrities and – rather controversially – TikTok stars, for fashion's biggest night of the year. The theme of the event this year was American Independence and Billie exuded old Hollywood glamour in a nude-coloured Oscar de la Renta gown.
The corseted dress, which featured a whopping 15-foot train, was a massive departure from Billie's signature baggy fits. Billie was also dripping in Cartier jewels and styled her newly-cut, blonde hair just like Marilyn Monroe.
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"She was very interested in surprising everybody with a look she hasn’t done before. It felt like a risk for her – it felt like something that made her nervous in a good way. At the end of the day, she's a girl, and she wants to look pretty," Fernando Garcia, a Creative Director for the label, told New York Times.
Billie was actually co-chair on the night, making her the youngest star to be given such a responsibility in the event's history. And her first executive decision? Ensuring the designer she used did not use fur.
When Billie – who is vegan – and her team were prepping for Met, they quickly informed Oscar de la Renta that she would not work with brands that participated in the fur business. (They actually haven't used fur in their designs for a few years now but still sold fur products in stores.) Upon Billie's advice, the brand agreed to change its policy on real fur going forward.
Billie said she was shocked that "wearing fur isn't completely outlawed at this point in 2021" but ultimately she was "honoured to have been a catalyst" at the historic label.
She said on Instagram: "Thank you @oscardelarenta for designing this BEAUTIFUL dress and bringing my ideas and vision to life. it was an honor to wear this dress knowing that going forward oscar de la renta will be completely fur-free!!!! i am beyond thrilled that @fernandogarciam1205 and @tokibunbun and the entire team heard me on this issue, and have now made a change that makes an impact for the greater good, not only for animals but also for our planet and environment too.
"I'm honored to have been a catalyst and to have been heard on this matter. i urge all designers to do the same."
