From Bad Bunny’s Tudor-inspired hat and shoes resembling cloven hooves to the hummingbird perched delicately on Zendaya’s neck, the hosts set the tone at fashion’s biggest night – the annual Met Gala in New York.
Florals, animals and vintage couture abounded at the so-called Oscars of the East Coast, a mammoth fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.
The extravaganza’s dress code this year is “The Garden of Time” – which draws inspiration from the 1962 short story of the same name, written by English writer J.G. Ballard.
In essence, it is about the ephemeral nature of beauty – perhaps a weighty theme to press on the luminaries attending this year’s gala.
For sheer drama, co-host Zendaya dominated the green and cream carpet in her first appearance at the Met Gala since 2019.
The 27-year-old star made a highly-anticipated appearance early on wreathed in jewel-toned lame, organza and satin designed by John Galliano, with vines crawling up her duchess corset and arms – and what appeared to be a hummingbird nestled into her neck.
Hours later she made a surprise second appearance – this time in dramatic, Mexican Gothic-inspired black, her two outfits bookending the fashion parade and underscoring the transience of beauty.
Most attendees chose to evoke awakenings and life – and perhaps defied the theme by demonstrating the immortality of fashion through the centuries, with many 17th and 18th century flourishes.
Some – such as singer Lana del Rey – emphasized decay, with stark sculptural twigs rising from her gown to hold a veil of tulle like a canopy over her head.
South African singer Tyla’s strapless Balmain gown evoking the sands of time – right down to the hourglass purse – was sculpted so tightly to her body that she had to be carried up the steps at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny evoked a kind of Tudor matador with a sweeping hat and a black bouquet, with the only pop of color his bright red inseam and the patent shine of his cloven shoes.
Cardi B was resplendent in funereal black, with a train so expansive it required nine tuxedoed men to lift it up the stairs.
“It’s a black rose,” she told journalists.
The gala was first held in 1948 and for decades was reserved for New York high society. Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, the high priestess of US fashion, took over the show in the 1990s, transforming the party into a catwalk for the rich and famous.
This year, a ticket cost a cool $75,000, with tables starting at $350,000. The 2023 gala – which celebrated the late designer Karl Lagerfeld – raised nearly $22 million, a record sum.
The spectacle is social media catnip for celebrity watchers – and once again this year, both the gala and the exhibit are co-sponsored by TikTok.
The tech world joined luminaries of music, film, politics and sports on the carpet, with TikTok CEO Shou Chew, also an honorary co-chair, in attendance.
Outside the event, several hundred protesters against the war in Gaza demonstrated nearby, with security tight and several arrests made as stars walked the red carpet.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline Hummingbirds and hooves take over the red carpet at Met Gala