“Like an Ophelia Resusciated!”—Rebecca Hall Makes Her Met Gala Red Carpet Debut in Danielle Frankel

When Rebecca Hall first saw the romantic Danielle Frankel gown she wore to the Met Gala, the attraction was immediate. “The fabric caught my eye and drew me in; it looked like water made of flowers or flowers made of water, but there was so much depth I found it intriguing,” she said. “When I put it on, it made me feel like Ophelia resuscitated and walking out of the lake dripping with flowers—and I thought ‘Yes, that’s a strong concept to work with!’” Reawakening fashion indeed.

At a preview with the designer a few months ago, the sight of her floral dresses immediately brought to mind the Met Gala. For Frankel, it all started with the opulently embellished silk organza. “The fabric is printed with a watercolor effect, and then hand-painted with florals that dégradé softly up the body, all made in Italy with a lot of intention,” she said. “We layered the fabric, played around a lot until we found the right way for it to hang on the body; not too feminine and feeling like it just swings off the body. I had worked with Rebecca earlier, she looked effortless in the intricate, pearl-embroidered look and wore it with such ease that I wanted to dress her again.”

“I do love fashion!” added Hall. “I know in a way it’s part of my job but I try to think of it as another place for play and creativity. Whenever I get swept up in other people’s opinions or feel anxiety about the amount of eyes on this particular look, I try to short-circuit and remember that risk is part of the fun.” A valuable lesson for all times, red carpet or not.