Jill Kargman Rewore Her Own Karl Lagerfeld Wedding Dress to the 2023 Met Gala

The author first donned the gown in 2002 when she married her husband, Harry Kargman.

Jill Kargman in Karl Lagerfeld wedding dress at 2023 Met Gala

Mike Coppola / Getty Images

Every year, A-list celebrities grace the Met Gala red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City wearing their most elaborate outfits for “fashion’s biggest night out.” This year, the event honored the exhibition “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” and the designer’s legacy. Since Lagerfeld always ended his Chanel haute couture runway shows with a bride, many stars supported the theme by showing up in a wedding dress. For the occasion, Jill Kargman stepped out in the wedding dress she donned when she married her husband, Harry Kargman, in 2002. Karl Lagerfeld himself actually designed the ensemble over two decades ago.

On the Met Gala red carpet, the Momzillas author opened up to Entertainment Tonight about the special getup. “This is my wedding dress from 21 years ago that Karl gave me,” she shares. “No one gets to wear a wedding dress twice, so I feel very lucky that I got to crack her out.” Jill explained that the piece was a gift from Lagerfeld, whom she has known since she was nine years old, according to the outlet. Not only has she kept her dress all of these years later, but she also still has the original sketch of the gown framed in her living room.

Jill and Harry Kargman at 2023 Met Gala

Cindy Ord/MG23 / Getty Images

Jill's wedding dress is a long-sleeved A-line piece with delicate lace detailing and a bib collar with black accents. At this year's function, she channeled an edgy and bold bride with a black birdcage veil, black sheer gloves, and a black handbag. Jill said she was so happy she had another opportunity to wear a piece of clothing that held so much sentimental value to her. “It feels like another fairy tale moment,” she admits. She also believed Lagerfeld would have approved of her outfit. “I know he was not one for nostalgia, but you have to marvel how people put in effort,” she says.

Her husband, Harry, stood by her side in a black tuxedo jacket with white lining, a black bow tie, and a sparkly bow-shaped Chanel brooch. When speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Harry admitted that he was having flashbacks to the day he said “I do,” thanks to his wife’s throwback look. “I almost didn’t want to see her until she showed up here,” the entrepreneur jokes. “It’s like the wedding all over again.”

Many other celebrities sported bridal-inspired garments for the 2023 Met Gala. Rihanna showed off her baby bump in a custom Valentino gown with a sweeping train and a floral-appliquéd cape made of 500 petals, according to Vogue. Elle Fanning was clad in a lace Vivienne Westwood ensemble, and she even played the part by holding a bouquet of daisies and wearing a flower crown. Another wedding-worthy look was Gisele Bündchen’s sparkly gown from the Chanel 2007 collection and an oversized feather cape.

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