Designers of Jared Leto’s Met Gala look say “he wanted it to be like a real cat”
nme.comJared Leto‘s cat outfit from the Met Gala on Monday (May 1) have discussed how they made the much-discussed costume.This year’s Met Gala theme was the late designer Karl Lagerfeld, who died in 2019 and was best known for his work as the creative director of luxury brand Chanel.
Leto’s outfit – a giant cat costume with paws, whiskers and big blue eyes – was a homage to the designer’s beloved white Burmese cat Choupette.The outfit was made by production studio SCPS, whose clients include Disney, Marvel and Star Wars.
According to The Guardian, they had been approached about the project only four weeks before the Met Gala. The outfit’s project manager, Joshua Balster, told the newspaper that its creation was “pretty wild – definitely a rollercoaster”.The team didn’t find out that the outfit would be for Leto till after they had signed an NDA. “We love what Jared does on the red carpet – he’s always super creative,” Balster said.
He also said that his team follow the Met Gala and they “really admire those top-notch costumes.”The costume was largely kept in one small room as it was constructed, with a smaller team than usual to prevent leaks. “Because that was the big punchline – Jared wanted it to be super secret, and not let anyone know who the cat was until he revealed himself,” Balster said.Leto pushed for the outfit “to be like a real cat” rather than a caricature, with the team basing its design on photos of Choupette. “I think I’ve seen every single one that’s out there,” Balster remarked.
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