Hence the gym membership. And the last-minute back exfoliator purchased from Aesop on the morning of our call, taken while Chung – wearing a signature navy jumper – is in Met prep mode in her East London home. “Honestly, if you’re going to wear a strappy, silky dress, then there’s not much room for error,” explains Chung, before noting that hydration and carb loading are both key on the day – along with a failsafe beauty routine.
Make-up artist Emi Kaneko was happy to oblige with “soft, sculpted, glowing skin with delicate hints of pink”, prepped with breathable and nourishing Forever Skin products, and layered with Dior Backstage Rosy Glow favourites, among others, for an “overall feel that’s radiant and modern, nothing overworked – just a look that lets Alexa’s personality and style come through.”
Pip Bourdillon for Christian Dior and Christian Dior Parfums
Pip Bourdillon for Christian Dior and Christian Dior Parfums
Though she insists that this year’s Met Gala was all about feeling beautiful, and not “lumbering down the carpet in something that was hard to maintain”, Chung couldn’t say no to the couture headpieces inspired by the cyclamen Anderson was gifted by John Galliano when he took over at Dior. “I quite like a bit of headgear,” asserts Chung, recalling her 2023 look by Róisín Pierce, featuring a semi-bridal spray of crochet flowers that bobbed around as she hobnobbed with the great and good of the fashion industry. “It’s really good conversationally to make your point with headgear on, so I’m all up for adding width to the head.”
Her Met Gala philosophy is also typically Alexa: “Not to get pranged out about it all meaning more than it does,” she quips, when probed about her survival strategy for a night that’s like “watching TikTok come alive”. “It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve been, it’s still really weird to see certain people standing next to others. It’s sort of like a school reunion, but not that…”
