When Lourdes Leon Owned The 2021 Met Gala With Armpit Hair Like A Total Boss & Didn’t Care What Anyone Thought?
Lourdes Leon made waves at her first Met Gala in 2021—serving glam, showing armpit hair, and breaking beauty rules like a boss. Here’s why it still matters.
When Lourdes Leon Rocked Armpit Hair at the Met Gala (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Once Lourdes Leon hit the Met Gala red carpet, and didn’t miss a beat. Draped in a glittery fuchsia Moschino two-piece by Jeremy Scott didn’t just serve glam. She made a gutsy statement that had everyone talking: armpit hair on full display. Yep, no razors here, and honestly, no regrets either. The theme was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” and Leon clearly redefined the term her way—bold, raw, and unapologetic.
First Met Gala & Already Making Noise With A Message
In a refreshingly blunt chat with Interview Magazine, Leon kept it real about her debut. “Did I have fun at the Met Gala? I’m really grateful to have been able to go. Maybe because it was my first time, but it felt crazy.” That’s not your usual celeb media polish. But she wasn’t done. “You’re just shoved into a room with all these famous people and you’re supposed to talk to them and be their friend, even though you don’t f***ing know them. That’s not my vibe.”
Lourdes’ mom, pop queen Madonna, was the blueprint for bucking beauty norms long before Instagram was a thing. In a 2011 Harper’s Bazaar interview (via People), Madonna said, “I refused to wear makeup, to have a hairstyle. I refused to shave. I had hairy armpits.”
This wasn’t Lourdes’ first rodeo when it came to pushing back against expectations either. Back in 2018, she rocked a white Luar dress at the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards—again, body hair proudly visible. Legs, armpits, whatever. It wasn’t about shock value. It was about showing up as she is, no filters.
Challenging Beauty Norms, One Hair At A Time
Leon’s bold choices tap into a broader wave of celebs ditching the beauty rulebook. Think Julia Roberts flashing unshaven pits on a red carpet back in the day. Or Miley Cyrus dancing with armpit dye. Even Halsey has let her natural hair and body show without hesitation. Lourdes is right in line with these trailblazers, just in her no-nonsense way.
She’s not just showing skin but confidence. In a culture that still pressures women to shave, pluck, bleach, and hide, Lourdes is saying, “Nah, I’m good.” She’s part of a shift that says beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. You don’t need a smooth arm to be stunning, no need to wax to be worthy.
