What will celebrities wear to create impact for a fraught fashion event? Viva reports on the red carpet as it happens.
The Met Gala returns to the Metropolitan Museum of Art today, promising a parade of famous faces and ostentatious ensembles.
This year, the dress code for the red
carpet is ‘Fashion Is Art’. It draws on the opening of the Met’s exhibition Costume Art which explores the “dressed body” through both garments and artworks – revealing the inherent relationship between clothing, the body and art. Curator Andrew Bolton says the exhibition will also centre bodies often ignored in art history.
Hosts, editors, tech moguls and attendees are arriving on the red carpet – which is a cream colour painted with green (it resembles moss growing in between paving stones).
Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour are co-chairs for the event and will also walk the carpet.
There will be a break in tradition as Mayor Zohran Mamdani becomes the first New York City mayor since 2002 to skip the event (to avoid drawing focus from his ongoing work to make the city more affordable, he told press).
However, there are two other guests – honorary chairs Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez – who have conjured the most attention pre-Gala.
In a year where the event is particularly fraught, but also expected to attract millions of eyeballs, dress has the potential to be a powerful tool for celebrities in attendance. Here’s how they’re meeting the moment.
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New Zealand-born South Korean singer-songwriter Rosé dons Saint Laurent. It is one of many nice black dresses (unusual for an event like the Met Gala).
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The tennis star wears Robert Wun Couture, complete with bouncing branches of ruby leaves.
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A plume of feathers rises from Sam Smith’s head, echoing the high drama of their Christian Cowan ensemble. It’s inspired by the figures depicted in works by Erté.
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This custom Tanner Fletcher suit worn by Ben Platt breaks up a parade of black menswear.
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The musician dons a luminous silicon dress with artful draping. It’s custom Saint Laurent.
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The Famesick author wears plumes of feathers and sequins by Valentino. She says it is inspired by childhood visits to the museum (and the blood-spattered paintings she loved).
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This all-gold ensemble from activist and model Lauren Wasser is Prabal Gurung.
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Co-chair Venus Williams frames her face with a ornate necklace (it draws on symbols from West African culture and includes a tower from California). She wears custom Swarovski.
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Another co-chair, another sparkly dress. Nicole Kidman completes her Chanel gown with feathered cuffs.
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Vogue‘s editorial director has arrived. She is covered in feathers.
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The contributing editor to Vogue Thailand wears Robert Wun. It’s one of several looks depicting hands on the body.
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Host Emma Chamberlain wears a custom Mugler gown – she explained to Vogue that she took inspiration from her father, an oil painter, and the texture of watercolours.
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Ralph Lauren has encrusted the sheer back of Delevingne’s gown with jewels.
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The Vogue editor embraces drapery, sheer and spotlights patches of textile.
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The model has chosen a sheer, ‘wet’ dress with tones that mimic her skin by Di Petsa.