Fashion Icons Dress For The Heavens At 2018 Met Gala

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The stars strutted their stuff on the golden-red carpet Monday for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual gala.

This year's theme was "Heavenly bodies: Fashion and the Catholic imagination."

Photos: 2018 Met Gala Red Carpet Arrivals

"The exhibition explores the historic relationship between fashion, art and religion inspiring one another and resulting in some of the most innovate creations in the history of fashion," said museum president Dan Weiss.

"The exhibition situates costumes alongside religious artworks to provide an interpretive context for fashion's engagement with Catholicism," curator Andrew Bolton said.

As CBS2's Ali Bauman reported, some dressed for the heavens while others wore devilish red.

"Crosses, nails, crosses, rings, head piece, red," rapper Nicki Minaj said.

"It's a chance for New York to come out and to celebrate, particularly, the fashion industry," said former mayor Michael Bloomberg.

"I'm really here for the food, but wife looks amazing," comedian James Corden said. 

Ariana Grande gave a not to the Sistine Chapel.

"I'm where Christ decides who goes to heaven and who goes to hell, so I feel fairly important in this outfit, I have to say," she said.

Her designer and date was Vera Wang.

"I think it's a brilliant, brilliant topic," she said. 

The exhibition includes 40 masterworks from the Sistine Chapel, most have never been outside the Vatican before.

"Beauty of God is reflected all over the place, even fashion," said Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

The gala is co-chaired by Anna Wintour, Amal Clooney, Rihanna and Donatella Versace.

"The church is something I grew up with," Versace said.

Among the fashion legends, the rising stars' excitement was evident.

"You'll see this outfit again and again, I guarantee that," said comedian Tiffany Haddish.

"I don't take it too seriously. I'm just here to have a nice time and be a spectator," actress Katharine McPhee said.

Tickets were about $30,000 a seat, but the exhibition runs through October. The event raises millions of dollars for the Met's Costume Institute.

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• Met Gala