Kim Kardashian West said that she was originally against her iconic 2021 Met Gala look, which completely obscured her face.

Her bodysuit for the event, designed by Balenciaga creative director Demna Gvasalia, was completely black, covering her face and allowing for her hair to spill out in a long ponytail. Complete with heels and a bifurcated train, it was one of the most striking looks of the night, which was themed “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” Kardashian West said on her Instagram story after the event that she “couldn’t see” through the outfit.

“I fought against it. I was like, I don’t know how I could wear the mask. Why would I want to cover my face?” Kardashian West told Vogue in an interview for the magazine’s March cover, published Wednesday. “But Demna and the team were like, ‘This is a costume gala. This is not a Vanity Fair party where everyone looks beautiful. There’s a theme and you have to wear the mask. That is the look.'”

 

In the wake of the red carpet for the event, Kardashian West’s look quickly became one of the most-memed of the evening. People compared her to their “inner demons” or “anxiety,” particularly in photos next to her sister, Kendall Jenner, who wore a sheer, scintillating gown to the event. Others said that she looked a dementor — a wraith-like, faceless, soul-sucking creature — from “Harry Potter.”

Kendall Jenner and Kim Kardashian attend the 2021 Met Gala celebrating “In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 13, 2021 in New York City. Jamie McCarthy/MG21/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Gvasalia, the designer, told Vogue that the mask was “quite important” in relation to the concept.

“People would know instantly it was Kim because of her silhouette. They wouldn’t even need to see her face you know?” Gvasalia told Vogue. “And I think that the whole power of her celebrity, that people wouldn’t need to see her face to know it’s her.”