The Met Gala is often referred to as the Oscars of the East Coast. The guest list is a mix of elite celebrities, fashion icons, honorees, and media industry heavyweights. It is arguably the most anticipated event to take place in New York City each year. This year, the exhibition was “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art of the In-Between”, handpicked by Anna Wintour. Aside from the beautiful people and stunning fashion, the real eye catcher this year was Rei Kawakubo. But who is she? What’s her story? Kawakubo is a 74-year old Japanese designer who founded her label, Comme des Garcons in 1969. Never learning English and communicating only through her husband, Kawakubo rebelled against all fashion odds. Since the beginning of her fashion career, she refused to accept any rules that she believed controlled mainstream clothing design. Her designs tend to have wit, personality, and flirt with the absurd, but they also continuously challenge what defines beauty, identity and gender. Kawakubo ultimately answers the longtime question, is fashion art? Well, there are very few designers today whose body of work could sustain itself in an art museum like her exhibition currently displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She is also a savvy businesswoman who runs a multi-million dollar international business, routinely ends up on the “most influential designers” list, and the only second living designer to be given a solo show at the Met – Kawakubo is influential, fierce, this moment’s ‘IT’ person.