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In just a few weeks, “Heat Rivalry” became a bona fide pop culture phenomenon.
HBO Max’s queer hockey romance, based on Rachel Reid’s bestseller “Game Changers,” was originally produced by Canadian streaming service Crave and became a near-overnight smash hit, with stars Hudson Williams and Conor Storey going from virtual unknowns to global favorites faster than you can say “hat trick.” Currently, they are appearing on the covers of fashion magazines, appearing on talk shows, and have signed contracts with Hollywood’s biggest talent agency.
Williams and Story are virtually guaranteed to earn an invite to May’s Met Gala, following in the footsteps of the White Lotus cast, Riverdale gang and The Bear stars.
As it turns out, the ball isn’t just a big fundraiser for the museum’s Costume Institute. It’s Vogue’s biggest branding move of the year, and a way for the magazine to assert itself at the cutting edge of culture in the digital age. Let’s be honest, we’re going to make it happen in 2026. Their gala needs a little hockey fever with step-and-repeat.
But who will have the honor of presenting our beloved pack mate to his first Met Ball? Designers are definitely keen to wear both, so let’s explore your options!
Top candidate: Thom Browne
Now, this makes sense. Brown, the current president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), an organization closely associated with Vogue, is renowned for her impeccable tailoring and is essentially the face of American fashion. Oh, and his long-time partner? None other than Andrew Bolton is the Costume Institute’s curator in charge and the mastermind behind every exhibition since 2006’s ‘Anglomania: Tradition and Deviation in British Fashion’.
As such, Brown is one of the Met Gala’s most prolific dressers. Last year, he created looks for more than a dozen stars, including Demi Moore, Janelle Monáe, Tramell Tillman, Angel Reese, Zoe Saldaña and Saquon Barkley. (It didn’t hurt that the dress code for the night was “Tailored for You,” which perfectly fits his brand’s DNA.)
Ms. Brown dressed Ms. Storey for a New York Times photo shoot last month, so there’s some history there.
In the words of “SNL” nightlife expert Stefon, Thom Browne and “hot rival” Met Gala matchup has it all. A sharp suit! Sporty stripes! Lots of queer expression! Simply put, Brown wins this job.
Canadian candidates: Erdem Moralioglu, Jason Wu, Dsquared2
On the other hand, how great would it be to see a Canuck designer create something special for the star of Canada’s most popular export? One could imagine New York-based Wu or London-based Moralioglu (both regulars on the Met Gala carpet) competing.
Another option is Dean Caten and Dan Caten of Dsquared2, who recently celebrated their 30th anniversary with a glitzy runway show featuring Doechii, Naomi Campbell, and other celebrities.
Dsquared2 is the brand behind the thigh-high lace-up sandals that Rihanna wore as part of her 2017 Met Gala look. And speaking of shoes, Catens’ current collection conveniently includes $3,190 high-heeled ice skates.
Sure, navigating the treacherous staircases of the Metropolitan Museum of Art with those bad boys might be tough — but if Story can master a Russian accent in a week, he’s probably up to the task.
Dark Horse: Rick Owens
Owens isn’t exactly a Met Gala regular. He and wife Michelle Lamy have attended the Starry Ball exactly once (in 2017), and their red carpet contributions have been limited to Rosalía’s 2021 red-trimmed number and Timothée Chalamet’s white sweatpants (yes, really).
But unlike all the other designers we’ve mentioned so far, Owens’ work is actually featured in “Hot Rivals,” and Story doesn’t wear his iconic drop-crotch pants (and nothing else) in Episode 4’s crucial tuna melting scene.
And when asked about her dream fashion show invitation in a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Williams immediately mentioned Owens and said it would be “pretty cool” to score a seat at one of the infamous theatrical presentations.
It would be even cooler to dress Owens on fashion’s biggest night of the year.
