Simone Biles said she felt “beautiful, strong and empowered” as she attended the Met Gala in a dress that weighed 88 pounds.
The joint most decorated gymnast of all time appeared at the fashion event for the first time, joined by fellow Olympian Suni Lee.
Biles was wearing a grey beaded gown that stretched far behind her and a black night sky-inspired bodysuit underneath.
The Olympian described the dress as heavy but empowering.
How do I feel in the dress? It’s definitely heavy, but I feel beautiful, strong, and empowered,” she told Vogue.
The dress was made by Athleta, the sportswear brand Biles is sponsored by, and was created by stylist Leslie Fremar.
Vogue reported that there was a black miniskirt underneath should Biles have wanted to get rid of the extra weight.
Biles was flanked by a team of helpers ready to carry the train of the dress up stairs.
The inspiration for the dress was Josephine Baker, the first Black woman to star in a major film, Siren of the Tropics, in 1927. Baker was also a key figure in the resistance to the Nazi occupation of France during the Second World War.
Biles appeared at the Met Gala having added two more Olympic medals to her collection at the Tokyo Olympics last month.
