New York City — Met Gala, May 2025
In a move that no one saw coming, Cara Delevingne turned the Met Gala red carpet into a powerful stage for activism and vulnerability on Monday night — by shaving her head live in front of flashing cameras and stunned onlookers, all in the name of charity.
The theme of the night, "Rebirth: Fashion as Transformation," was interpreted by dozens of A-listers in surreal couture, floral illusions, and molten metallics. But it was Delevingne who brought the most visceral interpretation — choosing transformation in its rawest, most personal form.
The 33-year-old supermodel and actress arrived cloaked in a towering silver cape by Iris van Herpen, her face painted with delicate vines and phoenix-like motifs. As she reached the top of the iconic Met stairs, she threw off the cape to reveal a skin-tight mirrored bodysuit — and then, in front of a sea of press, took the clippers from a velvet box and began shaving her own head, one stroke at a time.
Gasps echoed. Phones flew up. And for a moment, time stopped.
Her team later confirmed that the act was part of a global campaign called #ShaveToSave, aimed at raising $100 million for pediatric cancer research and mental health resources for young people undergoing chemotherapy. Delevingne had already pledged $1 million of her own money and called on other celebrities at the Gala to join her — not necessarily by shaving their heads, but by donating and advocating.
“This wasn’t about shock,” Cara told reporters afterwards. “It was about shedding vanity and reminding everyone that beauty isn’t hair, or makeup, or even a dress. It’s choice. It’s courage. It’s doing something that makes people feel seen.”
Social media exploded within minutes. The campaign’s donation page, launched the same night, raised over $14 million in the first 24 hours, with major celebrities like Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, and Florence Pugh pledging large contributions.
Delevingne, no stranger to bold fashion or bold statements, had previously shaved her head in 2017 for a film role — but Monday’s moment had a deeper resonance.
“This time, it wasn’t for a part,” she said. “It was for the kids who never get to choose when they lose their hair.”
As the night went on, other attendees swapped their wigs and weaves for bald caps in solidarity, creating what many called a spontaneous, moving shift in the Gala’s normally image-focused atmosphere.
Anna Wintour herself was reportedly in tears.
Whether you call it a stunt, a sacrifice, or a masterclass in using the spotlight, one thing is certain: Cara Delevingne didn’t just walk the carpet — she changed it.