Kim Kardashian Explained Why She Wore That Gray Sweater Over Her Dress At The Met Gala — And The Story Behind It Might Surprise You

Now it all makes sense!!!

By
Ellen Durney
by Ellen Durney

BuzzFeed Staff

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Of the many looks to grace the red carpet at Monday night’s Met Gala, Kim Kardashian's mysterious gray sweater was one of the most polarizing garments of all.

Closeup of Kim Kardashian at the Met Gala
Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

In case you’ve not seen, Kim arrived in a corseted Maison Margiela Artisanal gown by John Galliano. And while there was plenty of chatter about her impossibly tiny waistline, people couldn’t help but feel a little thrown off by the simple gray cardigan she paired with the glamorous ensemble.

Kim Kardashian in a silver gown with floral accents, posing on Met Gala steps
Jamie Mccarthy / Getty Images

Kim kept her hands on the sweater at all times as she walked the red carpet, constantly readjusting it on her body for photographs. And before long, fans wondered if the “weird addition” was to cover up an issue with the dress.

Kim Kardashian poses at an event in a silver-themed outfit with photographers in the background
Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic

“I wanna know what malfunction Kim K had with her dress bc why is she wearing that gray sweater cardigan and covering up that one side specifically,” one person asked on X.


“so…we can all see Kim Kardashian having to hold that cardigan in place right? especially over her left (?) side?” another person observed. “it’s also such a weird addition to the dress i feel like there was a wardrobe malfunction and this was a last minute solution.”


“Kim was literally fighting for her life!” wrote someone else, who speculated that “the dress had ripped at the back.”

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If you’re familiar with Kim’s past looks, you’ll know she’s no stranger to last-minute improvisation on the Met steps. For example, when she wore Marilyn Monroe’s dress in 2022, she had to drape a white coat over the back of the historic gown to hide the fact that it wouldn’t zip up over her butt.

Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty Images

However, on this occasion, it sounds like the addition was all part of a bigger plan, with Kim explaining on the red carpet that the casual sweater was an intentional nod to the “Garden of Time” theme.

Kim Kardashian waving, surrounded by photographers at an event
Bauzen / GC Images

“This is like the wildest night of my life in a garden,” she told Vogue, describing the backstory. “I just ran out and grabbed my boyfriend’s sweater and threw it on and had to get to work. And my hair's all messed up,” she added, referring to the loose braid trailing down her back.

And while some were still a little baffled by the explanation, plenty of fashion experts were on hand to point out that the sweaters were styled in the same way in Margiela’s recent Artisanal collection, which Galliano also designed.

Fashion models showcasing eclectic hairstyles and unique outfits during a night event
Pierre Suu / Getty Images

“She is wearing it how the designer intended,” one person commented on X, clearing up the confusion.

Others even speculated that the pairing added to the overall “Garden of Time” theme by juxtaposing an “aged” sweater with something new and modern.

John Galliano and Kim Kardashian
Kevin Mazur / Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

“no no no let her cook,” someone wrote. “margiela threw a ratty pilling old cardigan on top of hyper glamour for that juxtaposition of an aged garment and that’s how we relate to time. genuinely brings the whole look together & MAKES it special. kim is always smart with it. i get it. she gets it!”

There you have it! You can watch the video of Kim chatting to Vogue on the red carpet here.

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