Met Gala 2023: Alia Bhatt plays it safe, Priyanka Chopra fails to impress

LOS ANGELES:

A-listers from the worlds of fashion, film, politics and sports celebrated the late king of couture, Karl Lagerfeld, at the annual Met Gala on Monday, bringing their top style game to New York, oozing glamour - and delivering serious baby news.

This year marked the debut of Bollywood's sweetheart Alia Bhatt, who strutted the coveted red carpet in a Prabal Gurung creation. The dress, which was custom-made for Bhatt, featured a sleek, modern silhouette with a fitted bodice and a flowy, floor-length skirt. The box-shoulder neckline added a touch of elegance and sophistication, while the structured waistline accentuated Bhatt’s hourglass figure.

One of the most striking features of the dress was the intricate beading and embroidery that adorned the entire bodice. The delicate embellishments were a nod to neoclassical craftsmanship — and added a touch of glamour to the otherwise minimalistic design.

The other Bollywood icon, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, came to the gala with her husband, American singer Nick Jonas right by her side. Chopra paid tribute to Karl Lagerfeld by wearing a black Valentino gown and teamed it with white opera gloves. The gown featured gathered around details at the side with a thigh-high slit and an extended train ruched details train in satin fabric. The actor paired a diamond necklace, earrings and ear cuff from Bulgari to team with her look. Lastly, her outfit was completed with a pair of black high heels.

For hair, the actress opted for a dramatic high bun with the tail hanging at the front. Last but not least, her makeup was quite subtle yet sultry featuring winged eyeliner, nude rosy lipstick, groomed eyebrows, and soft contour.

Pop superstar Rihanna showed up late as usual but shut down the red carpet all the same, tennis legend Serena Williams and supermodel Karlie Kloss debuted their baby bumps with flair -- and two celebs dressed up as Lagerfeld's cat.

Oscar winners Nicole Kidman and Michelle Yeoh, singers Cardi B and Bad Bunny, WNBA superstar Brittney Griner and supermodels Gisele Bundchen and Kate Moss were also among the hundreds of invitees at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The guest list is tightly curated by Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue who took over the charity gala in the 1990s and transformed it into one of the world's buzziest fetes.

Vogue Editor Anna Wintour, who has organised and presided over the event since 1995, told Coel that she selected her to be a co-chair because she is unafraid to be herself and felt Karl's journey was to try to learn to be unafraid of being himself, the actress told Vogue. The so-called Oscars of the East Coast this year is also co-chaired by Spanish actor Penelope Cruz, Swiss tennis great Roger Federer and Wintour.

The guest list was shrouded in secrecy until the main event, but some 400 people are reportedly expected. The ball is invitation-only, with single tickets costing $50,000 and tables starting at $300,000.

This year, the extravaganza - which always falls on the first Monday of May, save for a pandemic-era schedule change - celebrates Lagerfeld, and ushers in the opening of a Costume Institute exhibition dedicated to the iconic designer, who died in 2019.

"Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" pays homage to his decades in the industry at the helm of Chanel, Fendi, Chloe and his own line, all the while molding the future of fashion. And the celebs in attendance understood the style assignment, most of them sporting vintage looks from the elegant German-born designer - or silhouettes that reflected his aesthetic.

Rihanna was cloaked in white Valentino, with airy camellias - the flower synonymous with Chanel - adorning the hood of her cape. Her white fingerless gloves mirrored those favored by Lagerfeld. Underneath? A sexy fitted white gown with spaghetti straps.

The singer, who is pregnant with her second child, told reporters on the red carpet she was "feeling good" as she entered the venue hours later than most guests. "It feels amazing. I'm happy to be a dad," said her partner, rapper ASAP Rocky, when asked about the impending arrival of their new child.

Diamonds and cats

Kidman sported a blush Chanel gown that cascaded to the floor in feathers -- a dress she first wore in an ad for the house's iconic No. 5 perfume nearly 20 years ago. "I'm so glad I'm still able to wear it," she told AFP on the red carpet.

Singer Dua Lipa wore a cream-colored Chanel bridal gown from the 1990s, accented with black stitches and accessorized with a stunning Tiffany diamond necklace she said was taken from the jeweler's vault. Olivia Wilde reached into another archive, wearing a Chloe "violin" gown designed by Lagerfeld in the 1980s.

Many attendees wore shades of black, white and cream, though a few pops of color emerged (and a bit of silver body paint on Lil Nas X). An enormous fluffy, white, blue-eyed Burmese cat mascot ascended the Metropolitan Museum of Art steps on Monday in homage to Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved pet “Choupette,” who later revealed himself as actor Jared Leto, bringing a whole new meaning to this year’s Met Gala dress code “in honor of Karl.”

In another homage to the famous feline, American rapper and singer Doja Cat wore a prosthetic cat nose and a hooded Oscar de la Renta gown fitted with cat ears.

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