After showing up as the pregnant Madonna to last year's "Heavenly Bodies" Met Gala, everyone was excited to see what kind of elaborate fashion move Cardi B would pull. She didn't disappoint. Cardi B wore $250,000 ruby nipple covers to the 2019 Met Gala, stealing the show on the pink carpet.
Everything about Cardi B's custom Thom Browne gown was unforgettable. As Vogue described it, "Cardi B brought the red carpet to the Met Gala."
The burgundy dress had a 10-foot train, bedazzled swim cap, and armor made of feathers. While there was a lot to appreciate about the gown, many people missed the ruby-laden nipple covers Cardi B wore.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the down-filled silk gown had 44 carats-worth of rubies across Cardi B's chest, which cost roughly $250,000. Jewelry designer Corina Mihaila Larpin of jewelry line Stefere custom created it for the gala gown, matching the gems to the oxblood color of the frock.
“Kollin came to Stefere and asked if we could create ruby nipples for Cardi B. Of course, we said, ‘Yes!’" Larpin told The Hollywood Reporter. "Next challenge was to find the right size and shape to create the perfect pair of ruby nipples for Cardi. Now we think everyone should have a pair of ruby nipples.”
When being interviewed by Vogue on the pink carpet, Cardi B pointed to her nipples and went, "These are $250,000 each. If I lose one of them, you know what I'm saying, I'm going to have to....sell my Birkin bag." Then she did her iconic laugh.
According to Cardi B, the inspiration behind her dress was feminism, and the rubies helped to highlight that. "This is like the woman's body. You got your little boobies, vajayjay, and if you see my back, it's like booty." Meaning her backside was also highlighted with a plate of rubies.
"Then of course [the inspiration is] camp. We was really trying to make sure it was very elegant, extravagant, but not too Halloween-ish," Cardi B told Vogue on the pink carpet.
When asked how she would define camp, Cardi B answered, "Camp is more of being yourself, being extravagant, you don't care if no body judge you or not. It's you. It's too much."
The designer, Browne, confirmed to Vogue that he was inspired by the female form while creating the quilted dress for the Grammy-winning rapper. "I designed this dress for Cardi specifically because she has the ultimate beauty in a woman’s body, and that is what the dress is about for me: taking advantage of that beauty."
Since the dress had a lot of fabric, Browne clearly needed a way to highlight Cardi B's curves that were covered in quilted silk organza. There was no better way to do that than layering the rapper in an armor of gemstones.
In addition to the quarter of a million dollars worth of nipple covers that Cardi B wore, the dress also included 30,000 burned and dyed feathers. The gown took 35 people and more than 2,000 hours to create, making it one of the most elaborate dresses at the Met Ball. When it comes to Cardi B, she knows how to work a theme.
