In another timeline, Cardi B’s Met Gala 2024 look was not her larger-than-life Windowsen gown and matching tulle turban, but a more literal take on the Garden of Time dress code.
John Shearer
On May 9 the rapper’s longtime makeup artist Erika La’ Pearl shared an alternate vision for Cardi’s Met Gala look that was ultimately scrapped. The Sleeping Beauty–inspired concept included 18 prosthetic pieces and a stunning silver wig that “aged” the artist several decades beyond her current 31 years.
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Cardi B became an instant meme at the Met Gala
We’re green with envy over her emerald makeup and nails.
“This was first idea we tested for met gala with facial and body prosthetics 😍,” Erika said, tagging prosthetics artist Alexis Stone and hairstylist Tokyo Stylez, who provided the wig.
On his own Instagram, Alexis explained, “A week ago I was asked to make the impossible happen. A full old age transformation on Cardi ahead of the Met. I called @francescof1985 @rebzfx @overture_fx and we made it a reality. We had her scanned in last weekend, it was then cleaned and printed, @francescof1985 then worked day and night to produce an 18 piece prosthetic transformation from face, neck, arms to hands before I flew directly to New York Saturday and we tested the look.”
It’s unclear if there was a reason Cardi and her team decided not to move forward with the original vision other than a simple change of heart. “Creative directions change, it happens,” Stone added in his caption, “but [here’s] a really cool BTS look at what could have been the Sleeping Beauty look.”
Coulda, shoulda, woulda.
