What did Billie Eilish wear at the 2021 Met Gala? Singer convinced Oscar de la Renta to support her activism

Aside from being a globally acknowledged singer-songwriter, Billie Eilish is also an activist, dedicated towards the cause of veganism, climate change, gender equality, and animal rights.

The Bad Guy singer turned vegan in 2014, and inspired one of the world's biggest fashion houses to go fur-free in 2021. Oscar de la Renta, the 1965-established fashion house, struck a deal with Billie Eilish in 2021. It was Eilish's first time on the Met Gala's red carpet, and the singer-songwriter stated she would wear Oscar de la Renta's tulle gown only if the fashion house swore off fur.

The New York Times reported that Oscar de la Renta "terminated all fur sales at the urging of Ms. Eilish," and once the deal was finalized, Billie made a surprising appearance on the red carpet in a peach nude corseted gown that came with a gargantuan skirt with a 15-foot train. The Ocean Eyes singer also became the youngest artist ever to co-chair Met Gala that year.

---

Billie Eilish's tulle gown at the 2021 Met Gala was inspired by Holiday Barbies

Speaking to New York Times about his decision to ultimately terminate fur sales, Alex Bolen, the brand's chief executive, mentioned that when he heard from Billie Eilish's team that she didn't work with brands in the fur business, he realized it "might be the right time to stop." He said:

"I thought a lot about what Oscar said - he was a big fan of fur, by the way - that the one thing he really worried about in the fashion business was his eye getting old. I have to surround myself with people with different point of views."

The newspaper outlet also reported that Oscar de la Renta had stopped using fur on their runway several years ago, since the creative directors of the label, Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, didn't find it modern, chic, or relevant. However, the company continued to sell fur items in their stores, which contributed a "meaningful amount of sales and profit" to the brand, revealed Bolen.

Billie Eilish, who generally prefers to make an appearance in oversized pants and jackets designed by Gucci, Chanel, an Burberry, decided to take a different direction in her Met Gala look. The singer-songwriter opted for a traditionally feminine aesthetic, sending pictures of Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe for reference to Oscar de la Renta's designers.

People revealed that Billie's look on the Met Gala paid homage to Holiday Barbies, with the-then 19-year-old confessing that it was her favorite childhood pastime, further saying:

"It was my favorite thing in the world! I would ask for them for Christmas every single year. The dresses, genuinely that was my inspiration."

Uploading pictures of her iconic dress from the Met Gala on Instagram, the Bellyache singer wrote:

"It was an honor to wear this dress knowing that goinf forward oscar de la renta will be completely fur free!!!.... i'm honored to have been a catalyst and to have been heard on this matter. i urge all designers to do the same."

When Vogue releaved Billie Eilish as a co-host in the 2021 Met Gala - alongside other Gen-Z trendsetters like Timothee Chalamet, Naomi Osaka, and Amanda Gormon - the outlet stated that her "willingness to embrace an aesthetic as innovative as her music has pushed emerging brands into the limelight" and challenged old rules about how a pop star should dress.

Besides getting Oscar de la Renta to quit selling fur, Billie Eilish has made other efforts to promote animal rights awareness as well. The singer-songwriter has spoken about switching to a plant-based diet on several platforms and announced opening a fully vegan restaurant in LA with her brother, Finneas, last year.