Future Had to Be Persuaded to Wear His Met Gala Look

Future preparing for the Met Gala on Monday in a suite at the Carlyle Hotel.Rebecca Smeyne for The New York Times

You see a lot while waiting for Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn, a.k.a. Future, at the Carlyle Hotel on the first Monday of May. You see, for example, Mel Ottenberg, Rihanna’s longtime collaborator, carrying in bags to the singer’s suite to complete her Comme des Garçons look. You see Jenna Lyons, the former J. Crew creative director, in the lobby checking in. And you see Jennifer Connelly stepping out of a car in a short Louis Vuitton frock while photographers lining the entrance yell her name.

You see all of this because this isn’t just any Monday in May. It’s the day of the Met Gala. And the Carlyle is the epicenter of preparations for the fashion industry’s elite. In that context, Future’s room is pretty much a microcosm of the action taking place all over the hotel.

Future getting help with the bow tie for his organic silk shirt. Bobby Wesley Williams, his stylist, right, persuaded him to wear an H&M suit.Rebecca Smeyne for The New York Times

“Bobby picked it; he had to convince me to wear it,” Future said of the H&M suit he was planning to wear to the ball (“Bobby” being his stylist, Bobby Wesley Williams, who was tying a bow on his organic silk shirt). “I feel good about it, I feel great about it,” Future continued. Simon Hallin, a developer from H&M’s design team who had flown in from Sweden, reached over to help him pin down the bow.

This would be the third time Future was attending the Met Gala. Last year, he wore a custom Ermenegildo Zegna suit, and in 2014, he wore a Calvin Klein suit by Italo Zucchelli, with whom he attended the event. This year, to pay homage to Rei Kawakubo, who was being honored, he chose a black tailcoat jacket embellished with a black skull and Swarovski crystal heart that was inspired by the Japanese designer. “I feel like it’s more artistic, more dramatic,” Future said of his look this year.

Mr. Williams, while keeping his eye on the fitting, said: “I knew he wouldn’t want to be in a traditional-type suit. It’s mellow, cool and super-edgy. Taking more chances.”

His black tailcoat jacket was embellished with a black skull and Swarovski crystal heart inspired by the night’s honoree, Rei Kawakubo. Rebecca Smeyne for The New York Times

“Is this bow tie supposed to be off?” Future asked while carefully inspecting the alignment of the shirt’s tie in the mirror. Mr. Williams replied, “You know, with your earrings, it’s more rock star.” From the rapper’s ear hung a safety-pin earring from Enfants Riches Déprimés.“He’s from Atlanta; that’s my boy,” Future said of the brand’s designer, Henry Levy. Mr. Hallin was still thinking about the bow. “It’s sustainable as well,” he chimed in.

Future, who is known for his outré style and accessories, added a pair of gold Bottega Veneta glasses to complete his look. He has 150 to 200 pairs of sunglasses, Mr. Williams guessed. The rapper would describe his look as “versatile,” and when asked, he could rattle off his favorite designers without missing a beat: “Saint Laurent jeans, Balmain jeans, Chanel … Chanel is my favorite. Tom Ford, Linda Farrow shades, Valentino, Loewe, Stella McCartney, Dior, Bottega.” He’s particularly into Gucci socks right now, too, though he thinks the brand may be becoming “too trendy” for him.

“It’s always a fashion-forward event of what’s to come,” Future said of Vogue’s annual gala. “That’s why you go to fashion shows; it’s all about setting a trend. So that’s what the Met Gala is great for.” And setting a trend is very important to Future. “My style is always evolving because I’m always getting inspired,” he said. “You evolve with time. It’s like a process when it comes to fashion.” To help, Mr. Williams scours Pinterest and Vogue.com in his free time researching up-and-coming labels like Martine Rose, Amiri and Fear of God.

An array of eye wear from which to choose. Rebecca Smeyne for The New York Times

So what if Future could choose the theme of the Met Gala for next year? “I would want to see vintage style, like ’70s-style vintage,” he said.

The time was creeping very near to 5:30 p.m., and Future still had to make his way to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he would show up arm in arm with the model Jourdan Dunn, whose dress was also H&M. “The girls, they take forever,” he said. He picked up a glass of white wine before heading out.

“They just need to get drunk before they go, that’s my advice,” he said of how he would describe the Met Gala to someone who has never been there. “Be there but don’t be there.”

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Future Had to Be Persuaded to Wear His Met Gala Look

Future Had to Be Persuaded to Wear His Met Gala Look

Met Gala

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