Plenty of glitz and glamour as biggest celebrities party at 2023 Met Gala
NEW YORK -- There was plenty of glitz and glamour as some of the biggest names in entertainment, fashion, sports and politics partied Monday at the annual Met Gala.
As always, the celebration included some head-turning costumes.
The crowd outside, which grows bigger and bigger each year, cheered when stars made their way up the stairs and when the early birds were heading home.
This year's gala marked the opening of the Met Costume Institute's Karl Lagerfeld Exhibit. The dress code was simply "in honor of Karl."
Met Gala 2023: Celebrity outfits, interviews from the red carpet on fashion's biggest night
Black and white dresses were the trend of the night on the steps of the Met Museum, all to honor Lagerfeld, the designer for Chanel from 1983 until his death in 2019.
"It's the combination of all the wonderful talent that I get to meet and the creativity that I see and the ability to try and help people, and use the platform that I am so lucky to have the best that I can," said "Vogue" editor Anna Wintour.
Co-hosting with Wintour this year were Dua Lipa, Penelope Cruz, Michaela Coel and Roger Federer.
"I was very happy when Anna called me to propose this because she knew how much I loved Karl," said Cruz.
"Anna has been very kind to me. She said something to me yesterday, which is that she sees that I am not afraid to be myself," said Coel.
"It is a little bit of pressure but I've been in situations like this before. So all good and I'm just really excited to meet a lot of people and have a good time," said Federer.
Some dressed in Lagerfeld's classic Chanel aesthetic. Others donned his signature look, including Jessica Chastain who went platinum for Lagerfeld's white ponytail.
There were plenty of nods to the designer's beloved cat Choupette, including Jared Leto, who came in a full cat suit, and Doja Cat who gave kitty whiskers.
"This took an hour, the face," said Doja Cat.
The walk up the steps could've been a walk down the aisle with all the bridalwear.
"Loved his bridal collection where he usually does something very masculine in the front, very flowy and bridal in the back. And I also just wanted to stop being a bridesmaid, you know. I wanted to show everybody that I want to be the bride of the ball this time," said Bryan Tyree Henry.
The Met Gala always brings drama. Janelle Monae made a hoop skirt costume change, Jeremy Pope had a full Karl cape. Brittney Griner made an appearance, Serena Williams debuted her baby bump, Lil Nas X and Glen Close left it all on the carpet, and Rhianna closed the night out.
So that's what happened outside the Gala, but what happens inside? That's a mystery.
The Met Gala has been the powerhouse fundraise for the Costume Institute since Wintour took it over in 1999. Tickets get more expensive every year. This year, they were about $50,000 a head.
Not everyone who pays up can get in. Wintour hand picks the guest list and approves all the outfits.
