The most iconic celebs of our time, dressed in ‘Gilded Glamour’, sparkled on the red carpet at the Met Gala in New York on Monday. The event, also known as the fashion party of the year, returned to its usual pre-pandemic glamor levels on Monday.
Co-host Blake Lively was one of the first to cause a stir on the red carpet in a beaded Versace gown with an oversized satin bow and a light blue train.
The actress’ husband, actor Ryan Reynolds, arrived in a brown velvet tuxedo and described his wife’s dress as a “homage” to New York City architecture, including the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.
Other guests included Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, who paired a Chanel dress with a tiara. The High Priestess of Fashion is leading the philanthropic party that will raise millions of dollars for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.
The fundraiser gala returned to its usual date in early May after the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 event and pushed last year’s edition to the fall.
Around 400 famous names from the world of music, film, fashion, sports and many other fields were ready to strut down the red carpet of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the costume parade.
Olympic gold medalist and snowboarder Chloe Kim made her Met Gala debut in a feathered tulle ball gown, while actress Michelle Yeoh wore a flowy green gown by designer Prabal Gurung.
Actor Riz Ahmed took a different approach to the theme, wearing a black open shirt with a white singlet underneath and leather boots: “This is a tribute to the immigrant workers who kept the Golden Age golden,” said the Brit of Pakistani descent .
The guest list is a closely guarded secret before the event begins. Participants include singers Jon Batiste and Shawn Mendes, tennis player Venus Williams and actress Emma Corrin.
One of the most eye-catching outfits worn this year was the gold Kim Kardashian dress worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang a – now iconic – birthday song to then-President John F. Kennedy in 1962.
A partner look was popular: actor Jared Leto and Gucci designer Alessandro Michele appeared in a matching cream-colored tuxedo with a floral pattern. Marvel star Oscar Isaac and his wife Elvira Lind also matched, but he wore the skirt and she wore the pants.
The Gilded Age was expressed primarily in the colors red and gold: actress Jessica Chastain appeared in a sequined purple ensemble by Gucci, singer Billie Eilish wore a dress with a corset and a shimmering gold skirt, also by Gucci. Model Gigi Hadid attended the event in an oxblood padded dress by Versace and Dakota Johnson wore a burgundy robe with a Gucci train. Musician Lizzo played the flute in a black and gold outfit and model Cara Delevingne appeared in a red suit by Dior, under which she was painted gold.
Political Messages
New York City Mayor Eric Adams used the red carpet to make a political statement: the words ‘End gun violence’ were written on his jacket.
That struck a chord at the fashion event, where tickets cost $35,000 and tables go for up to $300,000. Last year, the gala raised more than $16.4 million for the Met’s Costume Institute.
The dress code relates to the theme of the annual exhibition that the party coincides with. This year’s theme is ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’ – a retrospective from the late 19th century to the present.
Monday’s Met Gala was also co-hosted by Oscar-winning actress Regina King and Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of Broadway hit ‘Hamilton.’
This year’s honorary presidents are Instagram boss Adam Mosseri and designer Tom Ford.
The gala was first held in 1948 and was reserved for New York high society for a long time. Wintour took over in 1995 and turned the party into a catwalk for the rich and famous.(AFP)
This article was previously published on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ