6 Met Gala Looks That Prove Karl Lagerfeld's Cat Is the Real Star

Karl Lagerfeld's cat Choupette was more than just the late Chanel creative director's pet. The Birman cat was his muse, a concept I understand fully as the mother of my own two cats, Trish the Tabby and Kit the Kitten. Like Lagerfeld, my cats are always by my side; Choupette was as ubiquitous in photos of the designer as his finger-less gloves or dark sunglasses. So, it's no wonder many celebrities paid homage to her on the 2023 Met Gala red carpet.

Choupette is a star in her own right, with both a German car commercial and Japanese beauty campaign under her belt. Beloved by the fashion industry and Lagerfeld's team, she currently resides in Paris, where Kim Kardashian paid her a visit to seek inspiration for what would become her Schiaparelli Met Gala look. Meanwhile, Jared Leto, Doja Cat, and Lil Nas X made pronounced sartorial statements inspired by Choupette when they arrived at the ball on Monday, May 1.

"[Choupette is] an inspiration for elegance. For attitude."

Leto's costume allowed him to completely transform into the iconic cat, while Doja Cat tapped Oscar de la Renta and her makeup artist Ernesto Casillas for a feline-friendly glow-up. Lil Nas X appeared on the red carpet, covered in Swarovski crystals, pearls, and silver body paint by Pat McGrath, to pay homage to Choupette. His ornate mask featured whisper-thin whiskers. Fully committing to the bit, both he and Doja Cat even meowed their way through Vogue's red carpet interviews. Finally, Janelle Monáe and "SNL"'s Chloe Fineman toted cat purses to the Met ball, designed by Thom Browne and Judith Leiber, respectively.

In a 2015 interview with The Cut, Lagerfeld explained why Choupette makes such a great muse. "[Her two personal maids] play with her, they have to take care of her beautiful white hair, the beauty treatments for her eyes, and they entertain her. She is the center of the world. If you saw her, you would understand. She is kind of Greta Garbo. There is something unforgettable about her, the way she moves, the way she plays. She's an inspiration for elegance. For attitude."

With Choupette's attitude and affinity for luxury, one has to wonder whether she was consulted for the following Hollywood A-lister tributes. Based upon my intimate exchanges with Trish and Kit though, I'm quite pawsitive Choupette will never reveal her private correspondences.

Ahead, see all the fashion moments in honor of Choupette at the 2023 Met Gala, and decide for yourself whether she'd approve.

Jared Leto as Karl Lagerfeld's Cat Choupette at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | John Shearer

Jared Leto as Karl Lagerfeld's Cat Choupette at the 2023 Met Gala

Jared Leto arrived on the red carpet at the 2023 Met Gala in a full-on cat costume, later taking off the head to reveal himself to the cameras. He posed with multiple celebrities in the look — including Salma Hayek, who softly caressed Choupette's head for photos in her Gucci dress.

Eventually, Leto would change into something more comfortable for the afterparty: a sheer embellished dress styled over satin pants. However Choupette's head was his final accessory.

Jared Leto as Karl Lagerfeld's Cat Choupette at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | Jeff Kravitz

Jared Leto as Karl Lagerfeld's Cat Choupette at the 2023 Met Gala

Anne Hathaway, Jared Leto, and Salma Hayek at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | John Shearer

Anne Hathaway, Jared Leto, and Salma Hayek at the 2023 Met Gala

Jared Leto at the 2023 Met Gala Afterparty
Getty | MEGA

Jared Leto at the 2023 Met Gala Afterparty

Doja Cat Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | Kevin Mazur/MG23

Doja Cat Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala

Doja Cat's custom Oscar de la Renta gown was adorned with 350,000 silver and white ombré sea glass and bugle beads, and replete with a degrade feather train to suggest a tail. Her face-framed hood was equipped with cat ears, and her manicure was shaped into sharp claws, which were notably accurate in color.

Styled by Brett Alan Nelson, Doja Cat wore a diamond headpiece and arm-cuff from Messika, which took 5,000 hours to create. Makeup artist Ernesto Casillas transformed her face, providing feline details. After climbing the steps, she proceeded to "meow" at Emma Chamberlain throughout her Vogue interview.

Later in the evening, she changed into a dramatic champagne-rose co-ord set consisting of a beaded fringe crop top and floor-grazing skirt — also by Oscar de la Renta — that was equipped with a similar cat ear hood.

Doja Cat Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | ANGELA WEISS

Doja Cat Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala

Doja Cat Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | Kevin Mazur/MG23

Doja Cat Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala

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Doja Cat Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala

Doja Cat at the 2023 Met Gala Afterparty
Andrés Linares

Doja Cat at the 2023 Met Gala Afterparty

Lil Nas X Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | ANGELA WEISS

Lil Nas X Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala

Lil Nas X was the second cat to arrive on the scene at the 2023 Met Gala. His own interpretation involved Swarovski crystals and pearls layered upon full body paint by Patt McGrath. The singer's face mask included thin beaded whiskers and his claw nails were sharply shaped. He also wore a G-string and platform boots that blended seamlessly into the costume. When speaking to Emma Chamberlain for Vogue, Lil Nas X joked that the entire getup took just 20 minutes to complete in the car on the way to the Met.

Lil Nas X Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | Gilbert Carrasquillo

Lil Nas X Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala

Lil Nas X Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | ANGELA WEISS

Lil Nas X Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala

Lil Nas X Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | Gilbert Carrasquillo

Lil Nas X Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala

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Lil Nas X Channeling a Cat at the 2023 Met Gala

Janelle Monáe Wearing a Cat Purse at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | Sean Zanni

Janelle Monáe Wearing a Cat Purse at the 2023 Met Gala

Monáe's Thom Browne ensemble underwent a dramatic transformation as she climbed the Met Gala steps. And to complete her look — a black-and-white tweed tuxedo coat, shaped over a netted underskirt — she carried a custom Thom Browne "Choupette" bag made from quilted pebbled leather.

Later in the evening, she partied with the oversize purse, wearing only her black sequin and eyelash yarn bikini with pearl strings.

Janelle Monáe Wearing a Cat Purse at the 2023 Met Gala Afterparty
Getty | Lexie Moreland

Janelle Monáe Wearing a Cat Purse at the 2023 Met Gala Afterparty

Chloe Fineman Wearing a Cat Purse at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | Kevin Mazur/MG23

Chloe Fineman Wearing a Cat Purse at the 2023 Met Gala

Fineman's romantic pink Wiederhoeft midi dress was finished with Roger Vivier pumps, Bulgari jewelry, and the most special accessory of all: a custom Judith Leiber cat clutch. The "SNL" star showed off the crystal-covered brass novelty handbag as she posed for photos on the red carpet, later swapping her pink version for a champagne cat at the afterparty, which retails online for $5,295.

Chloe Fineman Wearing a Cat Purse at the 2023 Met Gala
Getty | Christopher Polk

Chloe Fineman Wearing a Cat Purse at the 2023 Met Gala

Chloe Fineman Wearing a Cat Purse at the 2023 Met Gala Afterparty
Getty | Lexie Moreland

Chloe Fineman Wearing a Cat Purse at the 2023 Met Gala Afterparty

Kim Kardashian Prepping For the 2023 Met Gala With Choupette

Kim Kardashian put all rumors that she'd be skipping the 2023 Met Gala to rest when she shared selfies with Choupette days before the event. The album shots were a glimpse into her search for inspiration. She ended up in a custom Schiaparelli Haute Couture ensemble comprised of 50,000 pearls and 16,000 crystals — a look that took more than 1,000 hours to complete, according to Vogue.