BILLIE EILISH AT the Met Gala in a Gucci corseted gown replete with bustle and floral detail at the bust as well as lace gloves and dripping in Fred Leighton jewelry recalled two of the actresses in a scene at the opera in the 1993 film version of Age of Innocence, in which Gabriella Pescucci received an Academy Award for Best Costume Design. Scorsese directed the movie version of the Edith Wharton book, which focused on a love story during the time of New York’s Gilded Age. With her choice of jewels for the recent Met Gala, Billie Eilish channeled the innocent May, played by Winona Ryder, as well as the worldly Countess Olenska (Michele Pfeiffer), the two women that Danielle Day Lewis’ character Newland Archer is torn between.
Here is a list of the jewels that Fred Leighton loaned that evening and Billie wore to great effect: an early 20th century diamond swag brooch in platinum on a black ribbon as a choker, a circa-1900 old European-cut diamond riviere in platinum and gold, a circa-1900 diamond fringe necklace in platinum, and c1910’s round diamond pendant earrings in platinum and gold, as well as a collection of early 20th century old European-cut diamond rings and vintage platinum and 18K white gold rings. (Watch an ET video of the celebrity arriving at the event here.)
This is another case in which the celebrity got the theme 100 percent and still offered an individualistic approach. Geraldine Chaplin was also in the movie with Pfeiffer and Ryder wearing a tiara and a fringe necklace similar to those we also saw at the Met Gala as well as the style of jewelry that was of the period. It is interesting that many of the jewels in The Age Of Innocence predate the time in which the film takes place — 1920 — but these jewels would have been handed down by relatives and purchased by lovers and would still have been worn mixed with the jewels of the day.
The necklaces that Pfeiffer’s Countess Olenska wears comes closest to the jewels Billie wore at the Met, particularly the chokers, which were popular through the late Victorian to Edwardian/Belle Epoque time periods.
Antique and vintage jewelry continues to take its place in the spotlight during red carpet events, not only at the Met Gala but the awards shows and premieres that came before. It also continues to be a popular choice among a wide demographic of women who are intrigued by the past lives of the jewels, the intricate handmade designs and the techniques that changed from one period to another, as well as the instant sustainability of pre-owned jewels.
Kudos to Billie for pulling off another great look this red carpet season.