Universally regarded as being the biggest, and most prestigious night on the fashion calendar, the Met Gala is a fundraising benefit held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, that welcomes an array of international stars, young creatives and industry paragons to attend.
Held on the first Monday in May to mark the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibition, the annual VIP-heavy event celebrates the specific theme of the exhibit, which in-turn then sets the tone for the formal attire of the night.
With this years theme paying homage to the artistic brilliance of the late Karl Lagerfeld, fans of high couture fashion were following over themselves to catch glimpses of stars including Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Kate Moss, Harris Dickinson, Jackson Wang and Michaela Coles.
Live At The Met Gala 2023
But for designer Amaan Duffer, the excitement of the occasion had less to with Lagerfeld inspired red carpet looks on display, and more to do with a piece of jewellery worn by legendary Australian film director Baz Luhrmann.
Dressed in a tailored, monochrome suit jacket, and cropped black trousers by designer Thom Browne, Luhrmann accessorised his look with a ring from Duffer’s London based jewellery brand Basliq.
“What’s happening right now is insane, and I’m not quite sure how to process any of this,” a clearly astounded Amaan tells LDNFASHION. “I honestly had no idea Mr. Luhrmann was going to wear the ring on the carpet. I had an inkling, and a slight suspicion that he may put it on for the afterparty, but not in a million years did I think he would be wearing it to the main event.”
“I was watching the livestream at home like everyone else, when I saw a shot of him fixing Nicole Kidman’s dress and I FREAKED. OUT! I could not believe what I was seeing! I immediately went online to search for Met Gala images, and there it was, Baz Luhrmann wearing the Basliq STARBOY ring!”
Composing himself to try to take in the enormity of the moment, the young designer was soon knocked for six once again when the acclaimed film producer not only took the time to draw attention to the bedazzled ring to awaiting photographers, but also name-checked the brand during an on camera interview part way up the now legendary Met steps.
“I literally threw my laptop across the room and just started screaming!” Duffer exclaims. “My neighbour actually came and knocked on my door fearing I was being attacked.”
Described as being the “crown jewel” of the brands SS23 collection, the statement STARBOY ring features a reimagined version of the brands logo, reformed into three stars and adorned with strass crystals.
“The ring was actually inspired by a conversation I had with a stranger in the smoking area at a club!” Amaan laughs. “We were talking about everything from our life goals to our careers. After I’d explained to him what I did, and what I hoped to do in the future, he turned to me and said he thought it was incredible how I’d managed to take myself from nothing, and mould myself into a star.”
“I was kind of taken aback that someone would think of me that way, but I loved it (laughs) and how it made me feel. So I decided to create a piece of jewellery that symbolised that emotion.”
About Basliq…
Basliq is a ground-breaking, London based fashion accessories brand that combines sustainable materials and ethical production with contemporary styles and unique designs.
Launched in the winter of 2021, pieces from the labels previous collections have been worn by an array of famous faces, including pop megastar Doja Cat and supermodels Bella Hadid and Winnie Harlow.
“This brand is all about thriving!” Amaan says when describing the Basliq ethos. “I want people to wear my designs and feel like they can do anything. We all need to get better at putting good energy out into the world, and believing that one day the stars will align, and everything we dream of will fall into place – so yeah, I say anytime you wear Basliq you’ll feel good, and you’ll thrive – I promise!”
