Kiwi director Taika Waititi struck a pose with wife and singer Rita Ora as Hollywood stars, A-list celebrities, musicians and fashion's elite turned out for the 2024 gardened-themed Met Gala.
The annual fundraising event is fashion's biggest night of the year and held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, heralding the start of a major exhibit at the New York gallery created by Andrew Bolton.
The event is always held on the first Monday of May and organised by Dame Anna Wintour, the global editorial director of Vogue and a trustee of the Met.
Stars were told to dress in "Garden of Time" attire for the invite-only event, known for its A-list celebrities and extravagant outfits. Attendees walked a white and green carpet surrounded by lush foliage and white flowers up the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Film and TV star Zendaya, a host of this year's event, sported heavy eyeliner and a blue lamé and organza bias-cut dress worn over a duchess satin corset. Designed by John Galliano, the gown featured clusters of grapes on a hip and arm, a large ruffle on one side and a blue hummingbird on a shoulder.
She later changed into a black Givenchy gown and large floral Alexander McQueen hat.
A high-profile annual event, the Met Gala is a benefit for the New York museum and marks the opening of its Costume Institute's annual fashion exhibit.
This year's exhibit, called "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion," will feature rare items that have been dormant in the institute's permanent collection, including designs so fragile that they will be displayed only through animation and projections.
Jennifer Lopez, another host, wore a beaded, see-through Schiaparelli gown and a butterfly-shaped necklace. Australian actor Chris Hemsworth and musician Bad Bunny also were named hosts of the evening.
Ora arrived in strings of long, colourful beads that swung as she walked and revealed a skintight, nude-colored bodysuit underneath.
Many attendees chose a floral look. Queen Latifah sported a black dress and jacket with large, orange bird of paradise accents. Demi Moore wore a black structured gown made out of vintage wallpaper that featured pink and white flowers.
Ariana Grande sparkled in an ivory gown with a mother-of-pearl bodice and posed with Cynthia Erivo, her co-star in an upcoming film adaptation of Broadway musical Wicked. Erivo wore a two-piece black outfit covered in pink petals.
Among the men, musician Lil Nas X donned an ivory suit and jacket with 56,000 hand-placed Swarovski crystals arranged in large, gleaming swaths. Members of K-Pop boy band Stray Cats also walked the carpet, in matching suits.
Chinese-owned TikTok, which faces a US ban unless its owners sell the social media app to allay security concerns, was among the sponsors of the event. TikTok's chief executive Shou Chew was named an honorary co-chair of the gala and was expected to mingle with guests.
Outside the event, pro-Palestinian protesters on Madison Avenue tried to draw attention to the Gaza war. Police made some arrests to contain the protests, the New York Times reported.
- Reuters and ODT Online
