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Dwayne Johnson Debuts at Met Gala in Thom Browne Skirt Rooted in Polynesian Masculinity

He cast it as a Samoan expression of masculinity.

Overview

  • Dwayne Johnson, who made his Met Gala debut Monday, wore a custom Thom Browne tailcoat with a pleated skirt over trousers.
  • He told reporters the choice reflects Polynesian dress, saying the most masculine men in his culture wear lavalavas, or wrap skirts.
  • Thom Browne said the tailcoat used over 350 meters of hand-pleated silk ribbons in a skeletal-style design that Johnson told Vogue symbolized the mortal and immortal body.
  • He walked the carpet with his wife, Lauren Hashian, in a matching Browne gown, and wore a Jacob & Co. watch reported at about $3.5 million.
  • Coverage described both praise and pushback online, with some highlighting the cultural context and others calling the outfit out of place at a formal American event.