Extravagant gowns can yield a very particular kind of fashion emergency requiring the help of assistants, seamstresses and even fellow celebs.<\/p>\n
\n When fashion connoisseurs watch the red carpet at the Met Gala, they might evaluate a celebrity\u2019s attire by considering the construction and intricacy of the garment, its adherence to
\n the theme, its boldness or lack thereof, its historic references.\n <\/p>\n
But when regular people watch the carpet at the Met Gala, they might be thinking one of several things, including: That looks excruciatingly painful. Or: Can she breathe? Or, most importantly: How can she possibly use the bathroom in that outfit?<\/p>\n
We are regular people too, and we decided to investigate this issue, which is obviously of critical interest to the republic: what happens when a celebrity at the Met Gala goes to the loo?<\/p>\n
You will be shocked \u2013 shocked! \u2013 to learn that Big Fashion does not want to talk about pee.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is unable to provide [a] quote for this,\u201d said the agent for stylist Petra Flannery, who has dressed Emma Stone and Zoe Salda\u00f1a.<\/p>\n
\u201cSamantha will unfortunately have to pass at the moment,\u201d said a representative for stylist Samantha McMillen, who has dressed the Fanning sisters, Elle and Dakota.<\/p>\n
But we intrepid investigative reporters will stop at nothing to bring you the facts. (Just hand us the Public Service Pulitzer now, okay?) After dozens (dozens!) of strenuous emails, we finally landed a tip.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, it is extremely difficult, and normally means no drinking anything like water, and needing assistance to disrobe and then re-robe afterwards,\u201d said Miranda Almond, stylist to Olivia Colman, via email. \u201cThat\u2019s when a publicist or whomever is the plus-one really earns their stripes!\u201d<\/p>\n
Aha! The assistants. The poor assistants. Their path to rising up the fashion and celebrity ranks includes helping stars who are sewn into their own underpants onto and off the toilet. For more on this, we reached out to Brian Daniel, founder of the Celebrity PA Network (Motto: \u201cStaffing for the High-Net-Worth\u201d) on what sorts of bathroom jobs a personal assistant might be expected to perform.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of the big stars have their own assistants on site; others are provided by the event,\u201d Daniel said in an email. \u201cThe star\u2019s own assistant would hang out backstage because the \u2018freebie assistants\u2019 (floaters) who are at the event normally just help with dress trains. In short, a star who doesn\u2019t \u2018know\u2019 the assistant won\u2019t let them help the star use the bathroom \u2013 who cares if they signed an NDA or not.\u201d<\/p>\n
But when we asked to speak to any assistants who have previously toiled in the Met\u2019s toilet-stall trenches, he demurred. \u201cIt\u2019s an unwritten and unspoken rule in our business not to talk,\u201d he told The Post. But he did give us one more tip: some dresses, Daniel said, contain hidden \u201ctrap doors\u201d near the crotch that can be camouflaged by beading or other decorative elements.<\/p>\n
Stylist Mickey Freeman, who styled Tony Award-winning producer Cody Renard Richard for last year\u2019s Met Gala, confirmed it. \u201cThe true heroes in these situations are often the designers and tailors,\u201d Freeman said via email, noting that there can be discreet zippers that allow a celeb to go to the bathroom without their assistant. It\u2019s a major concern for the people he dresses: \u201cWe often find that celebrity clients do discuss bathroom logistics with us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A few brave celebrities have even discussed these logistics with the media.<\/p>\n
In 2017, Katy Perry wore a crimson veiled Maison Martin Margiela gown, and talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres later asked her about her bathroom strategy.<\/p>\n
Katy Perry at the 2017 Met Gala. Photo \/ Dia Dipasupil, Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a lot of self-control, practice and GoGirls. You know those little contraptions where you then get to urinate standing up?\u201d Perry asked. DeGeneres did not. \u201cI\u2019ve used them in several music videos because I always find myself in this predicament where I have a very extravagant, lavish, unrealistic, unpractical costume on.\u201d (GoGirl later promoted the device as Perry\u2019s \u201csecret peeing weapon\u201d.)<\/p>\n
When Sarah Silverman attended in 2014 \u2013 she wore Zac Posen \u2013 \u201cAll I could think about was finding a Snapple bottle in case I needed to pee,\u201d she told Harper\u2019s Bazaar. <\/p>\n
In 2018, model Winnie Harlow said that Perry helped her go to the bathroom. \u201cShe went in the stall with me, and held my dress up,\u201d Harlow told Access Live. \u201cThat\u2019s what really happens in the girls\u2019 bathroom.\u201d (If only Perry had another GoGirl. Alas.)<\/p>\n