Met Gala 2017: A Minute-by-Minute Breakdown of Everything That Happened On the Red Carpet
From Selena Gomez and The Weeknd to Rihanna, here’s everything you missed on the world’s most star-studded red carpet.
On Monday night—the first in May—the beautiful and famous took over the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the 2017 Costume Institute Gala. Officially, the event serves as a fundraiser for the museum, and the official debut of its newest exhibition, with this year the honor going to Rei Kawakubo / Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between. Unofficially, it’s the biggest party of the year otherwise known as the East Coast Oscars, an endless parade of singers, actresses, models, designers, and more, swanning around in their finest designer duds. But before anyone who’s anyone can get inside, they have to ascend the famous Met steps and a particularly lengthy red carpet. Here, a minute-by-minute breakdown of everything that happened on the way in.
5:44 p.m. Aaaand we’re off. The press assemble behind a pair of identical, well-manicured hedges. This year, the carpet is not actually red—perhaps in anticipation of many guests wearing the Comme des Garçons hue—but rather, a swirl of blue and white.
5:59 p.m. The first guest to arrive is, naturally, Anna Wintour, the Condé Nast artistic director, editor in chief of Vogue, the event’s co-chair since 1995, and the woman for whom the Costume Center is now named. She was clad in sparkling Chanel—“This is about as avant-garde as I get,” she quipped.
6:16 p.m. A genuinely confusing moment, as photographers’ yells blend into a symphony of “Elles:” co-hosts Pharrell and Gisele Bündchen have both arrived at the same time with their respective partners: Helen Lasichanh and Tom Brady. Pharrell is in jeans, as many are quick to note, while Lasichanh is in a full runway look from CDG’s Fall 2017 collection. Bündchen, on the other hand, has gone more mainstream (read: metallic, body-conscious) in, albeit stunning, Stella McCartney. Brady is in velvet Tom Ford.
6:20 p.m. Bündchen and Brady slowly make their way up the stairs. “How about a kiss?” screams an overzealous photographer. The duo’s response is equally overzealous; more mini-makeout channeling Tipper and Al Gore than quicky photo-op peck.
Met Gala 2017: See What Katy Perry, Gisele Bündchen, and More Wore on the Red Carpet
Katy Perry in custom Maison Margiela Artisanal by John Galliano at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Tom Brady in Tom Ford and Gisele Bundchen in Stella McCartney at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Rihanna in Comme des Garçons at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Pharrell Williams and Helen Lasichanh in Comme des Garçons at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Jaden Smith in Louis Vuitton with his dreadlocks at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Donatella Versace and Kylie Jenner in Versace at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Joan Smalls in Topshop at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Candice Swanepoel at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Tracee Ellis Ross in Comme des Garçons at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Grimes in custom Proenza Schouler at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: The Art of the In-Between” in New York, New York, May 2017.
Alexa Chung in Diane von Furstenberg at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Mindy Kaling in Prabal Gurung at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Adriana Lima in Alberta Ferretti at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Daisy Ridley in Oscar de la Renta at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
James Corden and Julia Carey at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Aymeline Valade in Marni at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Emma Roberts in Diane von Furstenberg at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Katie Holmes in Zac Posen at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Tommy and Dee Hilfiger at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Diane von Furstenberg at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Nick Jonas in Ralph Lauren at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Laura Dern in Gabriela Hearst at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Carly Steel at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Kylie Jenner in Versace at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Ansel Elgort in Tom Ford at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Claire Danes in Monse and Hugh Dancy at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Amy Fine Collins at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Emily Ratajkowski in Marc Jacobs at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Sofia Richie in Topshop at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
Bella Hadid in Alexander Wang at the 2017 Met Gala for “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.”
6:22 p.m. Aziz Ansari is an early non-host arrival, and speeds past the press line to make his way into the museum. “He looks cute,” notes a museum staffer.
6:24 p.m. Claire Danes arrives in a deconstructed Monse shirt and strappy pant that seem to channel CDG. Just as she’s hit the top of her staircase, one of the straps gets caught in her heel. She bends down to fix it. “Let’s do it inside,” urges husband Hugh Dancy, eager to get out of the bright lights of the carpet.
6:26 p.m. Also eager to get inside? Brady, as Bündchen takes her time to chat with reporters. He grabs her hand just as she’s about to start another interview. “I’m taking her with me, thanks guys,” he says.
6:33 p.m. Katy Perry, another co-host for the evening, has arrived, and is taking the theme very seriously. She’s in a veiled Maison Margiela by John Galliano ensemble, and walking slowly up the stairs, gazing straight ahead. It’s…oddly entrancing. Or rather, she seems entranced.
6:35 p.m. New mom Behati Prinsloo arrives without husband Adam Levine in a pale pink dress by Topshop. “I wanted something simple, kind of bondage, with a feminine twist,” she explains. “My nipple keeps falling out, but I just want to have fun. I love the Met, I think it’s so great.”
6:47 p.m. The woman of the evening, Rei Kawakubo, arrives. She’s in sneakers—all the better to make a mad dash inside.
Met Gala 2017: Selena Gomez and The Weeknd and More of the Best Dressed Couples on the Red Carpet
Selena Gomez and The Weeknd attend the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Co-chairs Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen attend the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez, in Valentino, attend the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Pharrell Williams and Helen Lasichanh, in Comme des Garçons, attend the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds attend the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Claire Danes, in Monse, and Hugh Dancy attend the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Hannah Bagshawe and Eddie Redmayne arrive at “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Francesco Carrozzini and Bee Shaffer attend the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Rick Owens and Michele Lamy, in Comme des Garçons, arrive “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
James Corden and Julia Carey attend the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
7:01 p.m. Marc Jacobs arrives with two dates: Courtney Love and Frances Bean Cobain. The trio appear genuinely excited to be there, taking their time on the carpet. Love repeatedly gazes over at Cobain and says,”I’m very proud of my daughter.” Awww.
7:06 p.m. David Lynch muse and Big Little Lies star Laura Dern makes her way up the stairs alongside designer Gabriela Hearst, who is carrying her It-bag the Nina in a very on-theme polka-dot print. “It matches her train!” Hearst exclaims, gesturing towards Dern’s gown.
7:09 p.m. Emma Roberts, in hot pink Diane von Furstenberg, makes her way into the entrance, but some gridlock causes James Corden to nearly trip on her train. “Oh hello,” he says, air-kissing the young star upon realizing his almost faux-pas. Crisis averted.
7:16 p.m. The rap group Migos is here and speaking in unison. Who are they wearing? “Versace Versace Versace,” they harmonize.
7:19 p.m. We have our first Kardashian/Jenner sighting: Kylie has arrived, and she’s platinum blonde. The Lip Kit queen shimmies a bit in her beaded Versace.
7:26 p.m. Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner arrive in matching gingham, and promptly compare their ensembles to the Olsen twins in How the West Was Fun. It’s actually Elizabeth Kennedy. As for Dunham’s shoes? “They’re Jeffrey Campbell. I’m keeping it real affordable.”
7:27 p.m. Selena Gomez glides by, hand-in-hand with The Weeknd. She is wearing custom Coach and some very vibrant pink eye shadow.
Rihanna, Tracee Ellis Ross and Everyone Who Actually Wore Comme des Garcons to the 2017 Met Gala
Rihanna attends the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Tracee Ellis Ross attends the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Helen Lasichanh and Pharrell Williams attend the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Rick Owens and Michèle Lamy attend “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala – Arrivals at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Caroline Kennedy attends the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Anna Cleveland arrives at “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin arrives at “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Sofía Sanchez Barrenechea attends “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala – Arrivals at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Stella Tennant attends “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” at the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
7:40 p.m. Our second Jenner has arrived: Kendall Jenner appears in a sheer La Perla gown that recalls Rose McGowan’s 1998 VMAs dress. She stops to chat with Dakota Johnson, who has just shown up with Gucci’s Alessandro Michele. It’s a surprising pairing, until you recall that Kris Jenner and Melanie Griffith are besties.
7:44 p.m. One of the more dramatic looks of the evening: Lily Aldridge in custom Ralph Lauren, paired with a Balenciaga boots and a hot pink scarf tied around the lower half of her face. Reporters shout at her, but she simply gestures to the netting obscuring her mouth. That’s one way to avoid interviews.
7:52 p.m. Diddy has finally made it to the top of the stairs, after a lengthy journey thanks to girlfriend Cassie’s over-the-top gown. “ I got to use the bathroom, man,” he announces to no one in particular.
Met Gala 2017: Rihanna, Cara Delevingne and More of the Boldest Hair and Makeup on the Red Carpet
Singer Rihanna wore her hair in a sleek top with full bangs and an exaggerated frosted magenta smoky eye with a glossy berry lip.
After recently shaving her head, model Cara Delevingne wore frosted metallic silver paint with diamond sequined-embellishments.
Actress Priyanka Chopra wears her hair in a playful, messy top knot with a metallic silver eye and a burgundy brown lip.
Model Gigi Hadid wore a spiky, playful up do with loose curls framing her face and an exaggerated cat eye.
Actress Lily Collins opted for a sleek, bob with blunt bangs wearing a purple burgundy lip with spider-like lashes.
Singer Solange was minimal perfection wearing her hair in natural curls with a bold brows and subtle white paint highlighting her face.
Pop star Selena Gomez wore her newly chopped bob sleek straight and middle-parted with a playful magenta pink smoky eye and nude lip.
Model Emily Ratajkowski wore her wavy hair in middle-part, with a gold and turquoise blue and cat eye and light contour on the cheekbones.
Sofía Sanchez Barrenechea wears her hair in a sleek high pony with a chic fishtail braid and golden and aqua blue smoky eye.
Actress Kate Hudson painted her blonde locks frosted white in a modern top knot with a taupe smoky eye.
Singer Rita Ora wore her polished platinum blonde pixie with in sleek cat eye and a bold crimson red lip.
Actress Lupita Nyong’o glowed with dewy, luminous skin and a metallic multi-colored smoky eye in all shades from magenta to jade green.
8:03 p.m. Austin Mahone is here for his first Met Gala, and seemingly unfazed by the chaos around him. “To be honest, I’m not really sure what I’m going to see inside,” he said. “I don’t know what to expect, but I got an open mind. And hopefully I’ll see Rihanna, because I love her.”
8:14 p.m. Unwittingly one-upping Gomez and The Weeknd, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez also make their red carpet debut as a couple. She is in sky blue Valentino and, of course, plenty of bling.
8:16 p.m. The Kardashian dynasty is complete: Kim Kardashian appears in a remarkably understated Vivienne Westwood dress. Arriving sans Kanye West, as previously reported, she stops to chat with Nicki Minaj.
8:18 p.m. Minaj herself is careful not to expose herself via a very high-slit on her H&M dress, placing her hand over her crotch in protection. Luckily, her sparkly red lips are distraction enough. Pat McGrath? “Yes, yes they are,” she confirms. Very nice. “Aw, thank you so much.”
8:21 p.m. Move over, Kendall Jenner. Rumored boyfriend A$AP Rocky arrives with another lady on his arm: Julianne Moore. The unlikely pairing are thanks to Calvin Klein and Raf Simons, who has dressed both.
8:22 p.m. Also at the Calvin table is Paris Jackson, taking in her very first Met Gala. So how is she feeling? “Stoked! Super stoked!” she exclaims, extending her hand in a hang-ten gesture.
8:26 p.m. Internet boyfriend Riz Ahmed makes his away inside, as a publicist informs the crowd that he is not doing interviews. One tenacious reporter can’t help herself. “Riz, are you single?” The actor pauses, and shouts something inaudible back. Internet, take it as a yes.
Madonna at the Met Gala: See the Star’s Most Outrageous Red Carpet Looks
Madonna in Versace at the “Gianni Versace” Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on December 8, 1997. Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage.
Madonna in Louis Vuitton at “The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion” Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2009 in New York City. Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage.
Madonna in Stella McCartney at the “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2011 in New York City. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/FilmMagic.
Madonna in Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci at the Costume Institute Gala for the “PUNK: Chaos to Couture” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2013 in New York City. Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images
Madonna in Moschino at the “China: Through The Looking Glass” Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York City. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
Jeremy Scott and Madonna in Moschino.
Madonna in Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci at the “Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City. Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images.
Madonna wears Moschino at the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City.
Madonna attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
8:29 p.m. Chanel girls Cara Delevingne, who has painted her newly-shaved head silver, and Lily-Rose Depp arrive together. Just as she’s about to clear the final stretch of stairs, Depp stumbles ever so slightly. “It wasn’t a real fall,” Delevingne reassures her.
8:32 p.m. Rihanna, typically one of the last to show up, arrives in full Comme des Garçons and makes a beeline towards the front door. “Are we done?” asks one optimistic publicist. Wishful thinking.
8:37 p.m. Late stragglers on the carpet: girl gang Kate Hudson, Naomi Watts, and Stella McCartney, and Janelle Monae, who needs three handlers to help her walk in her Ralph & Russo gown.
8:45. p.m. Bella Hadid and Alexander Wang are relishing in being late arrivals with much of the carpet to themselves. Hadid is also clearly relishing in her ensemble: a custom Wang catsuit. But was it comfortable? “You know what, I’m sewn in, girl. I’m sewn in.” Okay, then.
8:54 p.m. But it’s not a Hadid, or a Kardashian, or a Knowles, who shuts down the carpet. It’s Celine Dion, who is still preening for the cameras as many reporters start to pack up and make their way home. But those who stick around got a special treat: unprompted, Dion breaks out into song, for reasons unknown. And that is what we call a wrap.
Met Gala 2017: An Early, Up-Close Look at Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between
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