Meet Choi Sora—The Model Who Stole The Show At Met Gala

Who is this head-turning stunner?
Stories
Serah S. Cherrie
Serah S. Cherrie

The 2023 Met Gala took place on May 1, EST, and the carpet event was as glamorous as ever.

This year’s theme was Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty, honoring the life and work of the late fashion designer and the emblematic leader of Chanel.

The star-studded night saw South Korea’s biggest celebrities turn up the heat with their incredible looks, including BLACKPINK‘s Jennie, GOT7‘s Jackson, and actress Song Hye Kyo.

But the South Korean celebrity whose outfit arguably made the biggest impression among fashion lovers at this event was Sora Choi. The supermodel made a grand entrance on the carpet with her gigantic drape, almost as if taking a leaf out of Rihanna’s 2015 book of the internet’s favorite “omelet dress.”

Choi’s entire outfit was a fitting homage to Karl Lagerfeld. She was decked in a Thom Browne two-piece, each element unique enough to stand out on its own. The gown was a skirt suit-inspired design, and she layered it up with a regal woolen cape hemmed with ruffles.

The entire outfit contained some clever nods to Karl’s legacy. Camellias, the signature flower of the house of Chanel, adorn both the bodice and the cape. The cape also includes gold chains, another motif beloved by Lagerfeld that is used in many statement Chanel pieces, including belts, bags, and dresses.

Chanel’s popular vintage dress from its Haute Couture fall-winter 1992 collection  is one of the most iconic pieces by the house featuring gold chains | PAPER Magazine
The camellia is a recurring motif in all products by Chanel | Le Dressing Monaco

The short birdcage veil, navy necktie, and heeled Oxfords took the touch of an avant-garde look to the next level.

Interestingly, Thom Browne managed to maintain his own touch on the outfit, despite incorporating so many signature elements of Lagerfeld into it. The trademark four stripes of the brand encircled the hem of Choi’s cape and sat pretty on her knee-high rugby socks.

| Vogue

The look struck many familiar because it was already featured on US Vogue‘s April cover shoot in Paris. Supermodel Shalom Harlow had posed in this exact outfit for the cover story.

Shalom Harlow wearing the custom Thom Browne look for Vogue | Vogue

As much as the look carried its weight on the Met carpet, Sora Choi was no less of a wow factor in the pictures. But who is she really?

Choi is one of the most iconic supermodels in the fashion industry today. She was the winner of the 2021 Korea’s Next Top Model, and she landed her first cover for W Korea the same year. Though she quickly made a mark in the South Korean fashion industry, it wasn’t until Louis Vuitton sent her a callback request that her international quests began.

Choi made her international runway debut in 2014 at the Luis Vuitton cruise show. The following season, she was handpicked by Nicolas Ghesquiere, the creative director of the house of Luis Vuitton, to become the first Korean model chosen as the brand’s city exclusive for Paris Fashion Week.

Sora Choi backstage at the Jean Paul Gaultier Couture Fall 2014 show | Tumblr

So far, this fashion powerhouse has featured in over 80 international advertising campaigns for luxury brands and walked for almost every avant-garde fashion house. In October 2021, she received the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Commendation at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards.

With over a decade-long career under her belt, Choi is one of the fashion industry giants of South Korea. Her commanding presence at the Met Gala has not only bagged several new fans internationally, but Korea, too, seems to have woken up startled by her star power.

| theqoo
  • “She’s freaking cool.”
  • “Wow.”
  • “I am in awe. F*cking cool.”
  • “A model is a model. She’s really cool.”
  • “F*cking cool.”
  • “As expected from a model.”
  • “Wow, that’s crazy.”
  • “That’s the model’s experience.”
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