Achi news desk-
NEW YORK –
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in swirls of flora and fauna on a green-hued carpet lined with vivid foliage.
Lopez went silver leaf in a second-skin goddess gown and Zendaya was all vamp and fantasy in a rare double appearance on the steps of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The two were co-chairs of the annual fundraiser, and both received cheers from the crowd of fashion enthusiasts packed behind barriers outside.
Lopez (in Schiaparelli) was all va-va-voom in a near-bare gown. She’s got the Met Gala down: It’s her 14th.
Zendaya dressed her fashion face in peacock shades of blue and green, with a matching head piece and leaf accents. The look was Maison Margiela by John Galliano. She walked again to close the carpet in a black Givenchy Haute Couture gown also by Galliano with a floral stuffed headdress by Alexander McQueen.
It’s been five years since Zendaya last attended the gala. Lopez went with Tiffany & Co. diamonds, including a striking bird motif necklace with a diamond of over 20 carats at its center.
Flowers were everywhere, in keeping with this year’s theme: “Garden of Time,” inspired by JG Ballard’s 1962 short story of the same name.
Mindy Kaling is sure to make top lists in sand-colored swirls that swept over her head in the back. No worries about lunch. The back was removable. Her look was by Indian couturier Gaurav Gupta.
Mindy Kaling attends the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ exhibit on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Usher held a single red rose in a dark and eerie black suit and cape, a wide-brimmed black hat on his head and a black brooch on one lapel. The look was Alexander McQueen by Seán McGirr.
Kings and queens of fashion … And a good witch
Gigi Hadid got the drama in mind from the drama king himself, Thom Browne. her white gown was decorated with 2.8 million microbeads with yellow flowers and green thorns. She was high glam in a wavy bob and crimson lips.
Gigi Hadid attends the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala to celebrate the opening of the ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ exhibition on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
If there is a queen of the Met Gala apart from the master of the night, Anna Wintour, it is Sarah Jessica Parker. The long-time attendee takes each year’s theme seriously, delving into every detail. This year she was in an Alice in Wonderland look with a lavender overlay and a Philip Treacy topper on top. The dress was by Richard Quinn. Her long hair fell behind her back in beachy waves, a look that built into the beauty trend of the night.
If Parker is a queen, Ayo Edebiri is a gala baby. This was the first one and it showed in a young white face fading into a garden full of colorful flowers at the bottom near Loewe.
Serena Williams took metallic gold to another level in a dazzling one-shoulder statement. Ariana Grande was all Glinda the Good Witch, making the most of her light colored strapless Loewe look with 3D lashes on the side of each eye. She arrived with her “Wicked” co-star Cynthia Erivo, dressed in black with pink petals in a darker and edgier look by Thom Browne.
Cardi B., who is having the most fun at the Met Gala, struck a pose or three in a statement black gown with a huge tulle train. Windowsen had it. She paired the look with green jewels and a high black turban. She needed multiple helpers to move her dress up the stairs.
Channeling sleeping beauty and the garden
Penelope Cruz, meanwhile, went goth in black by Chanel. It had a bustier top and an off-the-shoulder silhouette similar to Sleeping Beauty. Another Sleeping Beauty-ish guest: Kendall Jenner in a Givenchy look made by Alexander McQueen in 1999.
Kendall’s sister, Kylie Jenner, was more Old Hollywood than storybook in Oscar de la Renta strapless chic low-cut, white floral look in her click-back updo and train behind. Older sister Kim Kardashian surprisingly covered up her lovely silver corset look with a leaf motif by Maison Margiela with a chunky gray sweater.
Dua Lipa was a completely different princess. She went all rock and roll in black by Marc Jacobs, who was with her. Her lace and feathered look slowly hit the hip with a deep plunge at the neck.
The princess’ tone referred to the Met’s spring exhibition which the gala kicks off. It’s called “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” Although it doesn’t have to be Disney related, or even princesses, some of the 400 guests went there.
Amidst all the princesses was the Mad Hatter, Barry Keoghan, in an earthy Burberry velvet Victorian look with a high neck bow shirt underneath. He had, of course, a top hat.
Demi Moore stuck to the garden in a Harris Reed look with huge wings surrounded by arrows and hand-painted with pink and white flowers.
Diesel broke through on the gala carpet on Dove Cameron. He was as different from Diesel as it gets, going for the garden too. The look had sleeves attached to her train.
Discover a deeper meaning in the theme
Lily Gladstone went for black by Gabriela Hearst.
“We wanted me to feel overwhelmed by the power of my ancestors,” she said. “For Kiowa and Blackfeet, our ancestors are the stars, that’s where we come from. … I feel like it’s about time we had so much Indigenous representation and this kind of upper echelon world of high luxury fashion, because that’s our aesthetic, you know, Natives always loved luxury.”
Brooke Bobb, fashion news director for Harper’s Bazaar, saw a multitude of meanings in all the blacks and flowers of the night.
“There was a lot of black, perhaps a gothic ode to the exhibition’s own `Sleeping Beauties’ title but also perhaps an accidental nod to the fact that we live in this chaotic world at the moment, not everything, nothing even. Great TV fashion, prime time, comes up roses,” he said.
There was no Rihanna and no Taylor Swift.
“Zendaya came out swinging for a second time in a final look to close the carpet but overall, the whole red carpet experience felt like it was stuck in some odd time warp, somewhere between the glory days of the Met Gala and r now, a moment when the camp of it all and the vibrancy of social media tends to trump fashion for the pure love of fashion,” says Bobb.
Zendaya attends the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala to celebrate the opening of the ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ exhibit on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Special floral and plus-1 looks
Colman Domingo wore a white jacket with a cape and wide trousers, holding a bouquet of white calla lilies, while Tyla chose a Balmain dress made to look like sand using real sand on fabric molded to her body. She needed help with the hourglass she had as she made her way up the stairs of the museum. Domingo’s designer was Willy Chavarria.
Sam Smith wore silver and gold metal roses hidden in the middle of a jacket, and Jack Harlow also channeled flowers, but subtly with a silver flower and pearl boutonniere.
Wintour wore a black coat decorated with multicolored flowers by Loewe. Her co-chair Bad Bunny wore Maison Margiela Artisanal by John Galliano.
Among those who had BIG fun with a nature and garden theme was Lana Del Rey. She walked up the steps of the museum like a real tree, her face covered by a fabric caught by its branches. The look was Alexander McQueen.
Pregnant Lea Michele wore Rodarte, inspired by the brand’s spring/summer 2012 collection.
“I’m honored to be here and bring my baby with me,” said Michele. “I don’t think I got a plus one, but I’m bringing one,” he said with a laugh. “I’m so grateful. I feel very beautiful, you know, in this pregnancy.”
Actor and singer Lea Michele attends the 2024 MET Gala on Monday, May 6, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Nicki Minaj also went outside the box in a bright metallic yellow dress with large dangling flowers that swayed as she moved.
Early looks at this year’s Met Gala
Larry Curran, stylist and independent brand consultant, saw big gains among a particular brand: “Is this the year people stop asking how to pronounce Loewe?”
It’s Loo-‘wev-ay.
Danielle James, beauty director of Elle.com, said the top trends of the night also included bold blush and baby bangs.
“I loved seeing Ayo Edebiri’s berry cheeks, taking the strawberry makeup trend to another level. Nell Diamond gave us a flush of poppy red on her cheeks. Gigi Hadid gave us a striking look with bold red cheeks and a bold red lip that we will surely be seeing on many nights out this summer. After seasons of no make-up and minimalist looks, color is here!”
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Associate Press Writer John Carucci contributed to this story.
