A Met Gala dress caused quite the controversy after being worn by Kendall Jenner on Monday (May 6) during fashion’s biggest annual stage amid claims the design was unique. But a 1990s photograph of Winona Ryder wearing it seemingly proves otherwise.

Kendall wore a 1999 Alexander McQueen for Givenchy gown at the 2024 Met Gala, which was confirmed by both the 28-year-old model and Givency to have remained in the archives, untouched by any wearer until then.

On the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA, Kendall told La La Anthony in an interview with Vogue: “I am so, so incredibly honored to wear it.”

Controversy erupted over Kendall Jenner’s Met Gala dress when a 1990s photo of Winona Ryder wearing it surfaced

Image credits: Gotham/Getty Images

“I am the first human to wear it.

“It was a miracle that it fit. It was a miracle that we found it. It just feels meant to be.” 

Constructed of nude and black tulle, the dress is covered with over 100,000 black and brass beads and sequins, which were hand-embroidered over 500 hours, Vogue reported on Tuesday (May 7).

Image credits: Vogue

“Tonight, Jenner becomes the first person to ever wear one of McQueen’s autumn/winter 1999 looks for Givenchy Haute Couture,” the fashion magazine wrote. 

As per the publication, the collection was presented on mannequins and never shown on the runway. 

“It’s been sleeping for the last 25 years. It’s literally a ‘sleeping beauty,’” the reality TV star said. “It’s such a special moment. I feel extremely honored that they’re allowing me to wear it.”

It was claimed Kendall was the first person ever to wear the Givenchy gown, but Winona seemingly wore it in the 1990s

Image credits: Warwick Saint/LaModeUnknown

The 2024 Met Gala celebrated the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, and the official dress code was The Garden of Time.

However, after a bombshell picture of actress Winona wearing the same dress in a 1999 magazine shared on the Instagram account mcqueen_vault started circulating earlier this week, many questions arose.

Image credits: Giovanni Giannoni/WWD/Penske Media

A person posted the picture of the Beetlejuice star on X (formerly known as Twitter), asking: “So what’s the tea because Givenchy and Kendall Jenner are both saying this look has never been worn but then this picture of Winona Ryder in it exists?”

The 1999 Alexander McQueen for Givenchy gown is covered with over 100,000 sequins, hand-embroidered over 500 hours

Image credits: Warwick Saint/LaModeUnknown

A source close to Givenchy told The Cut on Tuesday that the dress the Golden Globe award winner wore was a replica and that the McQueen dress on Kendall was, in fact, never worn.

But since then, renowned photographer Warwick Saint took to his Instagram page to clarify that he had shot the image of Winona wearing this authentic Givenchy dress back in 1999. 

He further explained that the photograph was captured at Milk Studios for Flaunt Magazine, with makeup by Kevin Aucoin, hair by Ward, and styling by Kithe Brewster.

 

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Warwick wrote: “Interestingly, Kendall Jenner claimed she was the first to wear this dress and a few people have reached out to me asking if it was authentic ~ it definitely was the authentic Givenchy dress for sure.”

Nevertheless, Givenchy told Buzzfeed on Wednesday (May 8) that Kendall’s dress at the Met Gala had never been worn before and that Winona’s dress was a replica of the original look.

The nature of The Kardashians personality’s ball dress is yet to be elucidated, as the ordeal has left the show-biz industry divided.

“I am the first human to wear it,” Kendall told Vogue at the 2024 Met Gala’s red carpet

Image credits: Vogue

Actress Zandrea Penn commented on Warwick’s Instagram post: “I’m shocked that the rumor is that the one Winona wore was a replica. 

“Could you imagine a replica of a dress that took over 500 hours to hand-embroider 100,000 beads and sequins? 

“Why would they make two?”

Another person exclaimed: “Did it first and BETTER.”

The Met Ball dress scandal continued to draw backlash

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