▶ Follow AP’s live coverage of the 2024 Met Gala here.
NEW YORK (AP) — It’s Met Gala time and the fashion parade of A-listers included a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet surrounded by foliage. Jennifer Lopez went for silver leaves in a second-skin goddess gown and Zendaya was all vamp and fantasy.
Both are co-chairs of the annual fundraiser at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. And both received cheers from the crowd of fashion enthusiasts packed behind barriers outside.
Flowers were everywhere, in line with this year’s theme: “The Garden of Time.” Lopez (in Schiaparelli) was all va-va-voom in a near-naked gown that hugged like a second skin. She’s got the Meta Gala down: It’s her 14th. Zendaya put on her fashion face in hues of blue and green, with a head piece to match and leaf accents.
It’s been five years since Zendaya last attended the Met Gala. Her look, in peacock colors, was by Margiela. Lopez went with Tiffany & Co. diamonds, including a stunning bird motif necklace with a diamond of over 20 carats at its center.
Colman Domingo donned an ivory jacket with a cape, holding a bouquet of white calla lilies, while Tyla chose a gown made to look like sand. She needed help with the hourglass she held as she made her way up the museum stairs.
Sam Smith wore silver and gold metal roses tucked into the waist of a jacket, and Jack Harlow also channeled florals, but subtly with a silver and pearl floral boutonniere.
Gala mastermind Anna Wintour wore a black coat adorned with multicolored flowers. Her fellow co-chair Bad Bunny donned all black. A pregnant Lea Michele wore Rodarte, inspired by the brand’s 2012 spring/summer collection.
“I’m honored to be here and bring my baby with me,” Michele said. ”“I don’t think I was allowed a plus one, but I’m bringing” one, she said with a laugh. “I’m so grateful. I feel really beautiful, you know, in this pregnancy.”
Looking to follow along? Here’s a quick primer on what you need to know about the palooza of A-list celebrities from film, fashion, music, sports, politics and social media.
HOW TO WATCH THE MET GALA
That’s tricky. Vogue has the exclusive livestream, which starts at 6 p.m. Eastern at Vogue.com. The feed will also be available on Vogue’s digital platforms, including TikTok and YouTube.
Tons of other media will be on site, too. Catch the action on E!, also starting at 6 p.m., with livestreams on X, TikTok, Instagram and Peacock.
The Associated Press will be live outside the Mark Hotel, where many celebs get ready before heading to The Metropolitan Museum of Art for their walk up the grand staircase. That livestream will begin at 4:45 p.m. Eastern and will be available on YouTube and APNews.com.
Only the event’s stacked red carpet is watchable — the gala’s cocktail hour and dinner are notoriously private events.
WHAT’S THE
POINT OF THE MET GALA?
It’s a party, for sure, with cocktails and dinner for about invited 400 guests, but it’s also a huge fundraiser for the Met’s Costume Institute, the only department at the museum required to pay for itself. Last year, the gala raised about $22 million. Wintour, a Met trustee for whom part of the institute has been renamed, organizes the whole shebang. No phones are allowed, adding to the allure.
WHAT’S THIS YEAR’S MET GALA THEME?
There’s a dress code each year tied to the museum’s spring exhibition. Some guests, not all, step up at the request of Wintour. This year’s theme is inspired by J.G. Ballard’s 1962 short story of the same name. It’s a squishy fashion ask considering how specific last year’s theme was: all things Karl Lagerfeld.
WHAT IS THE MUSEUM EXHIBIT THIS YEAR?
It’s called “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” But we’re not talking fairytales or Disney princesses. It includes 250 items from The Costume Institute’s permanent collection, including some garments very rarely seen in public and so fragile they need to be under glass. Curators wanted to engage all the senses, including smell. They worked with a “smell artist.” And there’s a garment that actually grows. Part of the idea is to pay tribute to the natural world. The exhibit opens to the public Friday and runs through Sept. 2.
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Follow the AP’s Met Gala coverage, including live updates and live video, at https://apnews.com/hub/met-gala
