Camila Cabello was holding a real block of ice as a purse during the 2024 Met Gala

The Met Gala, known for its daring fashion statements, witnessed a unique display this year by Camila Cabello. Amidst the avant-garde ensembles that graced the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, Cabello’s standout piece was an ice purse. This wasn’t your typical high-end accessory; it was a real block of ice fashioned into a purse, a truly one-of-a-kind creation.

The “I Luv It” and “Havana” singer turned heads as she strutted up the museum’s green stairs, clutching a melting chunk of ice containing a single copper rose. According to Vogue, the flower resembled the one designed by Jane Wade for the Met Gala invitation.

In an interview with Extra, the 27-year-old songstress revealed that her unconventional clutch was born out of necessity. Originally intended to be a traditional purse, complete with straps, it had broken, prompting Cabello to improvise. However, far from being a mere makeshift solution, her ice purse symbolically represented the evening’s themes.

Cabello’s interpretation of the dress code, “The Garden of Time,” and the theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” was evident in her choice of accessory. She saw her ice purse as a symbol of impermanence and the beauty in decay, a concept she further explained in her interview with the outlet. This insight into her creative process adds depth to her fashion statement.

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But her commitment to the theme didn’t stop with her purse. Every aspect of her ensemble was carefully curated to convey a message of transience and beauty. Her Ludovic de Saint Sernin gown, adorned with 250,000 Swarovski crystals and weighing a staggering 15 pounds, featured deliberate rips that echoed the same theme of impermanence.

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Even her makeup and hairstyle were in harmony with the overarching concept. With an iridescent makeup look and a “wet” ponytail expertly crafted by Sophia Sinot using L’Orèal Paris products, Cabello sought to highlight the “beauty of impermanence,” according to a press release.

Cabello’s bold fashion statement not only captivated onlookers but also sparked conversations about the intersection of fashion, art, and symbolism.