Every year, the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute hosts Hollywood A-listers in a themed fundraising gala to mark the grand opening of the institute’s annual fashion exhibit. The theme for this year’s Gala, which held on Monday May 2nd, was Manus x Machina: Fashion In an Age of Technology, and as usual the world saw some of the boldest fashion choices yet on the red carpet.
Celebrities like Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Katy Perry pushed boundaries with their costumes, as always; matching it with the theme of the event, while others like Nicole Kidman, and Kate Hudson maintained the classic haute couture with detailed attention to the tech theme. And then, there was Lupita Nyong’o who showed up in a shimmering sequined dress and stole the night with her towering hairdo that mirrored some ancient traditional hairstyles from around Africa.
Credit – Ventures Africa
When asked the inspiration for her unique hairdo, the Kenyan star said, “The sculptural hairdo is from all around the continent.” Best believe she forgot to say Africa. I think what she meant to say was, “the sculptural hairdo is from all around the African continent,” because it is.
Fante women of Ghana
Fulani women of West Africa
Zulu women of South Africa
Mangbentu women of Congo
Osun-Oshogbo women of Nigeria
In ancient Africa, and even some parts of the continent today, the hairstyle of a woman has far greater significance than a fashion statement. They were symbolic of a woman’s social, spiritual or religious status. Along with being cultural aesthetic adornments, hairstyles indicated age and authority. And towering hairdo’s like that of Lupita at the Met Gala often signified a high ranking woman in society, or as Lori Tharps said, a woman who can afford a life of luxury because of her husband’s wealth.
However, it seems Lupita is oblivious to the roots, or cultural references of her coiffure, as she promptly agrees with fashion critic Andre Leon Talley when he said, the hairdo was Nina Simone inspired. Nina who? I beg to differ with the Huffington post when they say Nina Simone served as an “excellent cultural reference point” for Lupita’s hairdo. Even the legendary African American singer was most likely ‘inspired’ by traditional African hairstyles. So, no, Lupita’s Met Gala hair is not an artistic tribute to Nina Simone, but a tribute to ancient African coiffures.
