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Zendaya is in the building
Ellie Violet Bramley
Co-chair and absolute queen of meta-dressing – see the shoes with tennis ball heels she wore to promote sexy tennis flick, Challengers – Zendaya has arrived. Her stylist Law Roach has had the internet speculating, with a red herring post yesterday on Instagram that read “How did I forget that I have this dress in my archive!… we had the dress the entire time,” followed by a face palm enoji. But the floral Emanuel Ungaro couture gown he posted a picture of was clearly not meant to be. Of course Zendaya went for the drama of this gown by Maison Margiela’s John Galliano, complete with wonky silhouette and plumage.
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Andrew Scott, Donatella Versace and Jude Law, oh my!
Ellie Violet Bramley
The gang you didn’t know you needed has landed in the form of Andrew Scott, Donatella Versace and Jude Law. Scott and Law no doubt have plenty to talk about, both playing Tom Ripley, the titular character in Ripley and The Talented Mr Ripley respectively. But their takes on red carpet fashion couldn’t be further apart – Scott is very much of the new school of experimental menswear – arms out, bling on - while Law has kept things simple in an old school tux. Versace, meanwhile, is the creme de menthe making this cocktail zing.
Chloe Mac Donnell
It turns out Tyla’s four assistants have now resorted to lifting her up the steps. Variety Magazine posted the below video of the singer on X, formerly known as Twitter. Note, she’s had to ditch the hourglass sand timer. Bet her helpers are counting down the minutes until they can clock off.
Ellie Violet Bramley
Tennis-core might have having a moment, but Serena Williams never stopped serving up high-fashion aces. This time in the form of a Balenciaga couture dress from 2022. According to Vogue, “the atelier dedicated 150 hours to pattern-making and crafted the couture piece from 25 meters of gold foil-laminated taffeta sourced from Italy.” The opera gloves add drama, as if more were needed.
Jeremy Strong does Succession-style hyper-luxury in Loro Piana
Ellie Violet Bramley
In another win for meta dressing, Jeremy Strong, the actor who plays heir-apparent to the Logan throne in HBO’s Succession, has chosen to wear a suit by the Italian hyper-luxury brand Loro Piana. The same brand is behind the £500 cashmere baseball caps his character Kendall Roy chooses to keep the sun off his expensively moisturised in the series. The floral details of this look to one side, the excess of the brand feels apt for the theme. Plus, might Strong be nodding to Count Axel, the main character in Ballard’s short story, with his facial hair? Perhaps, although a George V beard would have been truer to the text.
Mirror Mirror... Lauren Sánchez makes her Met debut
Chloe Mac Donnell
Mirror mirror on the wall… Lauren Sánchez makes her Met Gala debut in Oscar de la Renta. In the lead up to tonight Anna Wintour is rumoured to have been “personally helping” Sánchez with her look. Given Wintour is herself a huge fan of the American fashion house this look does nothing but add further fuel to that fire. The mirrored gown is a very literal interpretation of the Sleeping Beauties fairytale theme but remember that theme isn’t really the theme of the gala. But at this stage of the evening and judging by some of the looks coming up it seems any theme goes.
Ellie Violet Bramley
Leave it to the new-ish head of British Vogue, Chioma Nnadi, to bring a Burberry look to the Met carpet. All soft sherbet lemon and frills, it feels very soothing on the eye. Again, Ballardian nightmare this is not. But it is extremely lovely.
Jeff Goldblum is here and the gloves are off
Chloe Mac Donnell
Jeff Goldblum has arrived and the fashion gloves are now off. He looks smart in a black overcoat, straight leg trousers and high shine shoes. But being Goldblum of course there’s going to be a fashion twist. This time it comes in the form of a natty white scarf, an eclectic collection of brooches and green tinted glasses. He’s even made the white magician-esque gloves somehow work. Is there anything this man can’t pull off?
Greta Lee, star of Past Lives, can do no red – or even green – carpet wrong. Yet another twist on the naked dress, this sheer lace gown is the work of Jonathan Anderson at Loewe. Lee told Vogue ahead of her Met debut that “it has this really hard architectural shape but made of this transparent lace.” Is hard/soft the new high/low in fashion? Perhaps if Lee has anything to do with it. Also in that vein is her hair, a wig apparently chopped by hairdresser Jenny Cho and inspired by Stella Tennant.
Greta Lee is worried about missing dinner
Another celebrity, another Loewe look. The Spanish house is really ruling those steps tonight. Greta Lee’s column gown features a solid shaped “shield” which the actor says isn’t “exactly functional”. She’s having to pose side on so the paparazzi can get a clear shot of her face. Speaking to Vogue she is now pondering about how she’s going to eat in it. Completely sheer aside from some chantilly lace and carefully placed 3D flowers this is one brave look for the best dressed Gala battle.
Ellie Violet Bramley
The “naked” dress has been a staple on the Met steps ever since Cher wore one designed by Bob Mackie in 1974. While Cher’s version went down in some quarters like a lead balloon – a copy of Time magazine with her wearing it on the cover was banned in some cities at the time – we can, I think, be sure that Emily Ratajkowski’s will receive a less draconian reception.
Gigi Hadid wears New York-based designer Thom Browne
Ellie Violet Bramley
Spilling trains are something of a pedestrian sight on the amped-up stage that is the Met Gala steps, but model Gigi Hadid has still managed to make this one special. With a little help from New York-based designer Thom Browne, who may perhaps be best known for being the designer behind Sydney’s chef jacket in The Bear. It apparently took 13,500 hours to create. I wonder how many Boursin cheese filled omelettes topped with crushed sour cream and onion crisps one could make in that time.
And just like that… Sarah Jessica Parker has arrived
Chloe Mac Donnell
And just like that … Sarah Jessica Parker arrives. For her 12th Met Gala, the actor has chosen a sculptural look from the British fashion designer Richard Quinn. With intricate lace and thousands of crystals it’s the most glamorous lampshade we’ve ever seen. Being SJP she’s gone heavy on the accessories. The statement hat is from Philip Treacy while even her boots have been vajazzled.
