Cardi B wore a dramatic, black, bespoke gown by Chinese designer brand Windowsen on Monday night at the Met Gala in New York City.
Speaking to WWD exclusively, Sensen Lii, founder of Windowsen, known for presenting new collections via over-the-top drag performances in Paris, said the collaboration took nearly two months from planning to execution. The brand’s entire studio worked around the clock on the project.
Lii said he associated the gala’s “The Garden of Time” theme with fertile, black soil used for planting crops and flowers.
“The design is floral, reminiscent of a garden’s trees, flowers and earth. The whole dress uses nearly 3,000 meters of organza and consists of an inner and an outer layer,” added Lii.
A sketch of the gown for Cardi B by Windowsen.
Courtesy of Windowsen
In terms of footwear, the brand provided four high-heeled options, including a modification of the brand’s previous dragon boots which elevate the wearer by about 25 centimeters, and another, shorter option that raises about 19 centimeters.
Lii said the whole process of dressing Cardi B felt “surreal and dreamlike.”
It is the second time the popular singer opted for a Chinese fashion talent for the Met Gala. Last year, she wore a quilted ballgown by Chinese designer Chen Peng.
Cardi B attends the 2024 Met Gala wearing a dress by Windowsen.
WireImage
Fitting Cardi B for this year’s Met Gala is also the second time Lii has visited New York.
“The first was in September 2018, when I was still in school. Each visit is significant, with immediate work upon arrival — it truly embodies the essence of the ‘city that never sleeps,’ which, to me, means working through the night rather than playing,” he added.
A graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Lii relocated to Paris from Shanghai to capture global growth potential at the beginning of 2024. He has presented two collections in Paris, off schedule.