Michelle Yeoh Wore an Updo With a Twist at the 2023 Met Gala

So far, 2023 is Michelle Yeoh's year — both on and off the red carpet-wise. The Academy Award winner's streak of incredible beauty looks continued at the 2023 Met Gala, where she wore a tuxedo-inspired gown and dripping in jewels. Celebrity hairstylist Christopher Naselli — who also styled Yeoh's hair at last year's Met Gala — knew that a simple bun with a modern twist was the way to go against the dramatic neckline and eye-catching jewelry.

"My first thought [was], 'We need to keep this look sleek, chic, and classic to balance the whole look'," Naselli tells InStyle. "I didn’t pull from a certain era. We just wanted to keep the look clean with an edge."

To give the bun a more casual vibe — in what he says is his favorite element of the look — Naselli gave it feathery ends, which he says was meant to mimic the winged liner and fluttery lashes created by celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin.

To do that, Naselli first distributed Fekkai Clean Stylers Straight Balm evenly throughout Yeoh's damp hair. Using a metal rat-tail comb, he then created a clean center part before giving Yeoh a smooth blowout. Once her hair was dry, he added Hidden Crown Seamless Clip-in Extensions to amp up her hair's natural volume and thickness before using a flat iron to smooth it all out.

Next, Naselli used a boar-bristle brush to gather Yeoh's hair into a low, sleek ponytail, securing it with an elastic. Then, he placed a large hair donut around the base of the ponytail before twisting the ends around the donut to get a perfectly circular bun shape. He left some of the ends loose to get that feathery, wispy effect, and then locked everything in place with the Fekkai Clean Stylers Flexi-Hold Hairspray. The end result was timeless but not too perfect — making it of the best beauty looks of the night.

While the night of a big event like the Met Gala can be stressful, Naselli likes to make the space feel fresh with a good scent. But in general, the prep process is always fun with Yeoh. "We always make sure Michelle is hydrated and fed," Naselli says. "And we always make sure there's laughter in the room."