Inside look at the red carpet, LaQuan Smith after party
NEW YORK — For the first time since 2019, the Met Gala returned to its traditional venue on the first Monday in May. The celebrities in attendance brought real glamor – and it was a golden affair if there ever was one.
After a pandemic cancellation in 2020 and a postponement to September last year, the full extent of the red carpet has returned in the form of a seemingly endless stream of stars, from Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson to Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, posed for the cameras before climbing the famous steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In keeping with the “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” theme, the invitation-only event’s white-tie dress code was “golden glamour,” a reference to the golden age of the late 1800s. that participants based their fashionable interpretations on the gold and wealth of the time, another definition of “golden” – which focuses on a false shine and a whimsical exterior hiding a dull reality – also informed the night .
After a sunny weekend, the gala took place in gloomy and rainy weather, but that didn’t stop the stars from showing off their best on a Monday night for fashion’s biggest night. And from our vantage point on the steps of the Met, the fashion elite conjured up feelings of grandeur that momentarily stopped time.
Beneath a grand red carpet, the star-studded event was briefly shielded from the realities of American life, as news of a leaked draft opinion from the United States Supreme Court about to to quash Roe v. Wade coincided with the snaps. camera lenses and cheering fans lined up outside the Fifth Avenue entrance.
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The annual benefit, the backdrop to the latest fashionable and historic exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, is always a glitzy spectacle, this year leaning more into old American glamour.
From celebrities to moments you haven’t seen, USA TODAY got a glimpse of the walleye. Here’s a look at what happened on the mat (and at the afterparties).
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What’s really going on on the Met Gala red carpet?
On the crowded carpet, which lasted more than three hours, members of the press lined both sides of the large steps leading to the entrance of the museum, which led to a sumptuous dinner for the guests. The limited list, one of the most popular tickets in town, is endorsed by Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue and honorary co-chair of the Met Gala, and tickets for a table can cost up to $200,000.
The first stars to hit the carpet on Monday were Vanessa Hudgens and LaLa Anthony, who (along with Vogue Global Editor Hamish Bowles) co-hosted Vogue’s livestream. Wintour was not far behind, her arrival signaling the official start of the regular cascade of celebrities decked out in gold glamour.
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As one of the co-chairs of the evening, Lively stepped onto the carpet with an expert understanding of the theme: her quick-change dress served as a tribute to New York, courtesy of Versace.
Other highlights include Billie Eilish, who appeared to emerge from her living room in 1890 to throw a rowdy party; Janelle Monáe, shimmering in a Ralph Lauren headpiece and dress; Kerry Washington as Tory Burch; Cardi B, golden at Versace; Bad Bunny, wearing a bun and a Burberry ensemble; Lizzo, whose golden flute was more than just a prop (it played a tune for reporters); co-chair Lin-Manuel Miranda; Kid Cudi in a gorgeous royal blue cape; and Rosalia in a corseted Givenchy dress.
While many view fashion as mere frivolity – and there is usually a genuine excess of frivolity at prom – it continues to serve as an important marker in history. The Costume Institute (and the filmmakers hired to design portions of the exhibit) attempted to highlight this historical context with stories of unsung heroes, especially women and people of color, in American fashion. The Met Gala and its 2022 theme also provided a stage to recall historic moments in fashion and bring them to life with historic new ensembles.
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Beyond the clothes, the carpet featured some never-before-seen moments among the guests.
Reynolds gazed lovingly at his wife as she posed for the cameras. Celebrity couple Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz shared a cozy embrace at the top of the steps, while Kourtney Kardashian waved to onlookers as she held Travis Barker’s hand.
Cynthia Erivo greeted Met Gala veteran Sarah Jessica Parker, who was suffering from laryngitis, she told reporters as she walked up the steps in her voluminous Christopher John Rodgers dress. Valentino designer Pier Paolo Piccioli adjusted Glenn Close’s hot pink look before stepping on camera for Vogue’s livestream.
Jimmy Fallon met with Corey Gamble, Giveon and Kid Cudi, shaking hands and exchanging hugs. When Lizzo spotted Kim Kardashian, she let out a sigh and commented on how beautiful the star looked in her gold dress.
Kardashian and Davidson made their Met Gala red carpet debut as a couple, with the reality star and businesswoman draped in the same figure-hugging dress Marilyn Monroe donned while singing “Happy Birthday” at the former President John F. Kennedy, marking nearly 60 years on the day.
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All of the Kardashian sisters gathered on the carpet ahead of her arrival, with mom Kris Jenner and her beau Gamble holding court waiting for everyone to come upstairs. Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian stood side by side with sisters Kylie and Kendall Jenner, their unity visually echoing the sentiment they confess on their new Hulu reality series: “Never go against the family.”
Afterparties feature celebrity sightings, performances
Many celebrities are carpeting at the nearby Carlyle or Mark Hotels, a few blocks from the Met – and close to some afterparties.
An afterparty hosted on Instagram at the James B. Duke House featured a DJ set by Anderson .Paak and a performance by SZA. Playboy and Cardi B hosted an afterparty at the Boom Boom Room in the Meatpacking District, with guests including Eilish, Awkwafina, Sebastian Stan, Donatella Versace and more.
Downtown, designer LaQuan Smith hosted another of the night’s rare afterparties, decorating Peak at Hudson Yards. Although the departure time is officially 11 p.m., guests have been pouring in for several hours (it’s the city that never sleeps, after all). Celebrities at the party included Teyana Taylor, Saucy Santana, LaLa Anthony and Billy Porter; each had their own VIP area inside the crowded room.
Guests were ushered to the 101st floor for a post-gala party, complete with a yet-to-be-released Popeye’s type of chicken sandwich (Taylor and Santana were spotted indulging in the late-night bite) and drinks at cognac signed Remy Martin flowed. Pairs of Smith’s slippers and brightly colored sunglasses were available for $1 a pop from quasi-vending machines that revelers could grab and wear.
USA Today
