And here we thought the only awkward Olivia Wilde Met Gala run-in would be with Emily Ratajkowski, given that EmRata and Harry Styles smooch back in March. But the red-carpet awkwardness came not from romantic drama but from a major fashion faux pas: the Don't Worry Darling director arrived to the Met Gala 2023 wearing the same outfit as another attendee.
Wilde showed up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday, May 1, in a capped-sleeved, floor-length white gown with side cut-outs and gold beading embellishments in the shape of a violin across the front of the dress. The original Chloé design, the work of the brand's creative director Gabriela Hearst, was inspired by a spring 1983 design that Karl Lagerfeld had crafted while he was helming the French fashion house. (This year's Met Gala theme, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty," honors the late designer, who died in 2019 at the age of 85.)
“What I loved about the original design was the musical inspiration of it, and the surrealistic touch on it,” Hearst told Vogue. “There was something quite timeless that we could bring back to the Met Gala in 2023.”
“We made it a gala dress instead of a cocktail dress, and I think it worked beautifully,” the designer added.
The dress itself is beautiful, so much so that Wilde wasn't the only one spotted wearing it at fashion's biggest night. Margaret Zhang, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue China, wore another version of the Chloé design, opting instead for a moodier black dress instead of Wilde's white-and-gold number.
Whereas the actress-director styled her frock with gold cuffs, a gilded clutch and dangly earrings, the Australian editor went a punkier route with black sunglasses and her electric-blue bob haircut. Zhang's take also included a fuller, flouncier skirt, as well as a dramatic cape.
Fans react to that awkward Olivia Wilde Met Gala moment:
Though the styles had clear differences, folks were shocked that the embarrassing matching-moment could have occurred at all, given that it's public knowledge that attendees work directly with the fashion houses to come up with a singular look for the much-anticipated red carpet.
I'M WHEEZING!!Margaret Zhang and Olivia Wilde are wearing the same dress.#MetGala #MetGala2023 #KarlLagerfeld #OliviaWilde #MargaretZhang pic.twitter.com/lJ3xAVWdk3May 1, 2023
Margaret Zhang / Olivia Wilde at #MetGala pic.twitter.com/e94yDdP6tsMay 1, 2023
Mortified for them pic.twitter.com/Fwhy5w6RWkMay 1, 2023
this is gonna be her and olivia wilde in the bathroom later pic.twitter.com/fWdrVvAVTo https://t.co/RqOAKUyNr1May 1, 2023
I wanna see Olivia Wilde's reaction when she saw that Margaret Zhang wore the same dress as her at the met gala 💀May 1, 2023
NOOO NOT OLIVIA WILDE AND MARGARET ZHANG WEARING THE SAME DRESS oh i’d kms pic.twitter.com/HulGZfqaqpMay 1, 2023
Olivia Wilde and Margaret Zhang at the Met gala (and we all which one Olivia is) pic.twitter.com/JQ6F60TTyWMay 1, 2023
the 2nd hand embarrassment 😭 #MetGala pic.twitter.com/M6Eji2rS1tMay 1, 2023