Topshop Gives the Met Ball some Recessionista Style

Julianne Hough and Nicole Ritchie in custom designed Topshop gowns

The Met Ball has long been a showcase of haute couture and luxury brand gowns.  Valentino, Givenchy, Burberry and Prada are names we all expect to see on the red carpet.  Those gowns typically retail for thousands of dollars.  But this year’s ball saw a new look on the red carpet.  Affordable British retailer Topshop dressed five stars at the Met Ball in custom made gowns which will go on sale at Topshop in September.

Topshop dressed five stars for the gala ball in five different bespoke designs.  Here’s what Topshop presented on the red carpet.

• Nicole Richie in a long-sleeved column gown with floral diamante-encrusted embroidery.  The dress had a high collar and slim silhouette.
• Julianne Hough in a full-skirted strapless tulle dress with a spider-web pattern.
• Model Jourdan Dunn in a beaded mini dress with a leather embellished waistband and sheer maxi skirt
• Actress Ashley Madekwe of Revenge in  a column maxi dress with an ombre sequined shell design
• Actress Jaime King in a black silk tuxedo suit and Chantilly lace blouse

Look for the dresses on the Topshop website in September and Topshop stores in  Los Angeles, New York and London stores starting at £300 or  approximately $460.62 US.  The theme for this year’s Met Ball was punk, but none of these looks screamed punk style to me.  These gowns are neither Vivienne Westwood or Zhandra Rhodes punk style, but rather very old Hollywood glam, which makes them much more marketable and mainstream.   Very smart marketing on the part of Topshop.