The theme of Monday's Met Gala was "In America", and the celebrities who attended the illustrious event interpreted the prompt in every possible way. Billie Eilish gave us an homage to Marilyn Monroe, while Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a gown with "Tax The Rich" painted in red across the back, and Kim Kardashian went incognito in a full-body Balenciaga blackout hoodie.
Standing out amid the star-studded guest list, 19-year-old Indigenous model and activist Quannah Chasinghorse was praised by social-media commentators for her look, with many remarking that she really "understood the assignment" of American representation.
Chasinghorse, who goes by Quannah Rose on Instagram, identifies with her Indigenous ancestry, both Hän Gwich’in (from Canada and Alaska) and Native American Oglala Lakota (from South Dakota). Vogue recently profiled the up-and-coming model, calling her one of fashion's "freshest new faces." Visually stunning even without a bit of makeup, Chasinghorse is recognized for her traditional Hän Gwich’in face tattoos: lines dashed down her chin and extending out from the corners of her eyes. The hand-poked lines are called Yidįįłtoo, and they symbolise life events. "The lines represent overcoming generational and personal traumas," Chasinghorse told Vogue.
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Of course, given the Met's sky-high standards, Chasinghorse worked with an entire styling team for the evening. She wore a gold cut-out gown by Peter Dundas for Revolve and authentic Navajo turquoise jewellery (that her aunt flew in to NYC). Makeup artist Gucci Westman, the founder and creator of makeup label Westman Atelier, created a statement beauty look focused on glowing skin (courtesy of products from 111SKIN), intensified eyes, and a soft nude lip. "Quannah is a strong, passionate, beautiful woman — and I really wanted the makeup to enhance that," Westman explained.
To "really define the tear line," Westman used a duo of black eyeliners from Chanel, Le Crayon Eye Definer and Liquid Liner in Noir. Then, she used her Westman Atelier Eye Pods eyeshadow in Noir, a metallic black, with Bonne Chance, a khaki green shade, and swept the cream powder across Chasinghorse's lower lash line. For the lips, she used a mix of rosy tones pulled from her Westman Atelier Lip Suede palette in Les Nudes.
From the Met Gala forward, we're hoping to see a lot more red-carpet looks from Chasinghorse. Not only does she serve as a voice and advocate for Indigenous communities, she's a young person with a point of view and personal style that speaks to and includes a community that has long been silenced in the media.
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