At last night’s Met Gala, A-list stars like Kim Kardashian, Billie Eilish, and Blake Lively made waves on the gilded glamour-themed red carpet—but there was one lesser-known attendee who made just as much a commotion. Storming the step-and-repeat in a custom Iris van Herpen creation, Swedish street style star Fredrik Robertsson went instantly viral after several news outlets and red-carpet spectators mistook him for Jared Leto. “At first, I didn’t know about it, then I started seeing it on Page Six and The New York Times,” says Robertsson. “I have heard before that I look like Jared Leto. My favorite part of the night was when I bumped into him, who the press thought I was, and we just laughed at it all. He said he was honored they thought he was me!”
Robertsson is no stranger to causing a fashion commotion wherever he goes. Back in 2019, he caught Vogue’s attention when he showed up to the Valentino Haute Couture show in a black iridescent gown, launching an investigation into just who this fabulous mystery man was. (Turns out he’s the creative director of the Swedish hair-care company Björn Axén.) Seeing how this was Robertsson’s first Met Gala, however, he admits he felt the nerves beforehand and that extra pressure to deliver a particularly strong fashion look. “It has been a dream of mine forever, and of course it is different from any other gala,” says Robertsson. “This is the gala if you enjoy fashion like I do. It is a dream come true.”
To make his Met Gala fantasy come to life, he worked with his friend Herpen to craft a custom, one-of-a-kind creation. Titled Quantum, the architectural look was inspired by Robertsson’s fearless approach to fashion overall. “It’s inspired by how you express and transform yourself through fashion,” says Herpen of the ensemble. “Fredrik’s genderfluidity in dressing is so inspiring, and the look radiates and plays with combined masculinity and femininity.” Feathery embellishments, made of recycled Mylar, were combined with delicate fabrics like tulle to create that interesting juxtaposition. The duo also thought about the Costume Institute exhibition’s themes around American fashion. “Since neither of us is American, we discussed how liberty is in America’s founding ethos and identity, and Iris embraced this liberty to design freely, instead of sketching within the constraints of this theme,” Robertsson says.
Even better yet, the futuristic design was sustainably crafted. It’s made from upcycled fabric that was first digitally printed then head-bonded to the recycled Mylar. “The panels were laser-cut into springing feathers, carefully balanced, and hand-stitched onto beige tulle,” says Herpen. “The trousers are made of a custom gradient-dyed, sandwiched silk.” The designer estimates the ensemble took more than 700 hours to produce—from balancing the feathers to stitching it all together. “It took a team of myself, my design assistant Christian, one digital artist, one seamstress, two pattern makers, and six handworkers,” Herpen says.
For Robertsson, collaborating with the designer—whom he has collectsed a few couture pieces from—made for the perfect Met Gala debut. (He attended as her guest.) “I love how she is so innovative,” says Robertsson. “She is always searching for something new—a new technique, silhouette, or design that we have not seen before. She questions what beauty is.” Though he was one of the night’s breakout viral stars in his bold look, Robertsson says his fearless approach to fashion is never about making headlines. “I think the biggest misconception about me is that I dress to get attention or for people to look at me. It could not be further from the truth,” he says. “I just love dressing up. I love extreme and avant-garde fashion.” As for his favorite moment of the night (aside from being mistaken for Leto)? “Getting out of the car and meeting Sarah Jessica Parker,” he says. “She arrived at the same time, so we chatted on the way to the carpet. It felt so NYC, so Met—so right.”
Below, see exclusive getting-ready photos from Robertsson.
Photo: Ea Czyz1/11I am such a fan of Boucheron, and their jewelry is so amazing. As soon as I knew I was going to The Met, I wanted to wear Boucheron. We decided on how to style the look together, and it just looks perfect with the outfit. The Quatre rings are just so iconic.
Photo: Ea Czyz2/11This is how I start most mornings when in hotels. I like breakfast in bed. My fiancé is used to this now and took very good care of me this morning. I can’t start a day without tea.
Photo: Ea Czyz3/11A good photo session in the bathtub is a must. I am a bath person—not a shower person.
Photo: Ea Czyz4/11Linda Hallberg is my makeup artist, and I have been working with her for 10 years. She is a huge star with a million of followers on Instagram, and her looks and talent are just insane. She is a perfectionist like no one else but also super fast.
Photo: Ea Czyz5/11How lucky am I to have a fiancé who is not only the kindest, most supportive man but also an incredible hairdresser to the stars and European royal families? He owns the brand Björn Axén, which that creates the best hair-care products in the world. So everywhere I go, he goes. I am also the creative director at his company. Love and working together are an amazing match.
Photo: Ea Czyz6/11Here she is. The outfit is just incredible, and this is how it has to be stored. It is such a work of art, and Iris van Herpen and her team really did an amazing job. It stole the show, I would say.
Photo: Ea Czyz7/11Team Iris van Herpen working on the look’s final touches. We had to do some minor alterations moments before I put it on, but it was pure perfection, and Iris has the best people in the business working for her. Her design assistant Christian is just the sweetest.
Photo: Ea Czyz8/11Iris and I got ready together in my suite at The Peninsula, which was a lot of fun. She was able to assist and check minor details. She is very much involved with the final look, and I love to get her opinion on my makeup and hair and how to pose. She has a fantastic eye for detail.
Photo: Ea Czyz9/11We found a rooftop at the hotel, and I just had to do a impromptu fashion shoot before leaving. It was too epic not to.
Photo: Ea Czyz10/11The glam is just perfection. Linda Hallberg and Björn Axén, with my husband leading the team, did an amazing wig, and I am feeling so divine and grateful in this moment.
Photo: Ea Czyz11/11Ea Czyz has traveled with me to Couture Week for 10 years and is the best photographer and friend a person can have. He knows me so well, and we are actually having an exhibition in Sweden together next year of his work and my couture collectsion.
