Met Gala live 2023: Celebrities, red carpet and fashion highlights

Summary

The last of the Met Gala attendees are expected on the red carpet for fashion's biggest night of the year
The charity event is hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and is now underway inside
This year's hosts are Penelope Cruz, Roger Federer, Dua Lipa, Michaela Coel and Chairwoman of the Met Gala, Anna Wintour
The 2023 theme is "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" and guests honoured the iconic designer with pearls, chic dresses and capes
Some celebrities have criticised the Lagerfeld theme - calling attention to the many controversies he was involved in before his death in 2019
The event raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and tickets are rumoured to cost upwards of $50,000 (£40,000)

Live Reporting

Marianna Brady, Brandon Livesay and Holly Honderich

Brittney Griner makes Met Gala debutpublished at 01:14 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
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Brittney Griner laughs at Lil Nas X's Met Gala look
WNBA star and former Russian detainee Brittney Griner has arrived with her wife Cherelle Griner.
"It means everything, just to be here with my wife," Brittney tells Vogue on the red carpet.
"This time last year i was missing my wife, so to have her right here and to be in this moment... breathtaking," Cherelle adds.
Both Brittany and Cherelle are dressed in Calvin Klein.
The Griner's have had a glamorous and busy week - they both made an appearance in Washington DC this past weekend for the annual White House Correspondents Dinner.
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Brittney and Cherelle Griner
Kim K has arrivedpublished at 01:10 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Ellie Violet Bramley
Fashion critic
There was fervent speculation about whether this was the year that Anna Wintour would not invite the Kardashians, breaking the family’s stranglehold on the spotlight, but here comes Kim Kardashian wearing a Schiaparelli design dripping in pearls.
"I just wanted to feel glamourous," Kardashian told Vogue on the red carpet. "I wanted pearls – what is more Karl".
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Postpublished at 01:07 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Ellie Violet Bramley
Fashion critic
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While Lizzo joined the ranks of attendees going hard on Chanel's signature pearls – a look that is both elegant and very much on-brand – Leto went in a different direction, coming dressed in a giant cat costume, an unsubtle but fun nod to Lagerfeld's much-loved cat Choupette. The pair were spotted hugging on the red carpet.
For Lagerfeld, a designer who created fashion shows that made you want to take buckets of popcorn to the front row, so all-singing-all-dancing were they, it remains unclear what he would have made of these kinds of antics, but it has certainly brought a bit of playfulness to proceedings.
Postpublished at 01:03 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
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Jared Leto (we think), dressed as Karl Lagerfeld's cat Choupette
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Ke Huy Quan
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Leon Lai Yi
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Jodie Comer
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Christina Ricci
Lily Collins, Jessica Chastain and Jeremy Strongpublished at 01:00 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Some other high-profile stars have arrived at the red (white and blue) carpet.
Lily Collins, in a gown designed by Vera Wang, has one of the most obvious nods to Karl on her dress - his name, emblazoned in silver capital letters.
Jessica Chastain, a famous red-head, has gone platinum blonde for the evening, looking a little bit like Karl Lagerfeld himself.
And Jeremy Strong (aka Kendall Roy) is here looking suave.
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Lily Collins
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Jessica Chastain
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Jeremy Strong
What we've seen so farpublished at 00:59 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Brandon Livesay
Live reporter
There's still a few more red carpet arrivals to come, but we have already seen an array of incredible Met Gala fashion.
We've seen Doja Cat dressed literally as a cat (a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld's famous pet Choupette). And Lil Nas X arrived looking like some sort of mythical creature, clad in pearls.
But many of the guests have chosen vintage looks from Karl Lagerfeld's extensive catalogue - instead of going with anything too radical.
We're waiting on a few more A-listers to arrive, with plenty of anticipation for what Rihanna will be wearing.
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Postpublished at 00:53 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Nada Tawfik
Met Gala red carpet
Salma Hayak tells me she chose a red gown, custom made for her, because Lagerfeld loved her in red.
Many people here tonight had a personal or professional relationship with Karl Lagerfeld and have ben sharing their memories.
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Postpublished at 00:49 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
The latest arrivals...
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Salma Hayek
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Billie Eilish
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Kristen Stewart
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Carla Bruni
Lil Nas X leans into themepublished at 00:44 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Ellie Violet Bramley
Fashion critic
Lil Nas X, the Met Gala red carpet and a Karl Lagerfeld theme - this was always going to be a beautiful cocktail for off-the-charts boldness.
No stranger to expressing his creative self with his outfits, he has taken the signature pearls of Chanel and made them very much his own.
The talons and tiny pants feel suitably theatrical for a theme in honour of a man who once imported a 265-tonne iceberg from Scandinavia for a fashion show.
Image source, Getty Images
Doja Cat honours Choupettepublished at 00:40 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Some of the Met Gala attendees have honoured Karl with classic fashion looks.
Others have included more of a twist, like a feline-looking Doja Cat, which she said was a tribute to Choupette, Karl's beloved cat.
Theatre producer Jordan Roth added a fan-like addition to his outfit and Elle Fanning wore a Karl-inspired flower crown.
Amber Valletta included a cape-like shawl, before discarding it on the carpet, a Lady Gaga-esque transformation.
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Doja Cat
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Jordan Roth
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Amber Valletta
Postpublished at 00:35 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Ellie Violet Bramley
Fashion critic
A Chanel brand ambassador, Margot Robbie was always going to have her pick of looks from the archive. She has opted for a look first worn by Cindy Crawford for the spring 1993 couture show.
Once again, the corset and the cutout prove Lagerfeld's ability to create designs that look as current now as they did in the early 90s.
A sidepoint about all of this vintage fashion: it fits very neatly with the prevailing and long overdue red carpet mood for more sustainable options.
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Postpublished at 00:32 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Ellie Violet Bramley
Fashion critic
One of the 90s supermodels who surrounded Lagerfeld throughout that decade, Karen Elson was 18 when she first walked as a Chanel bride.
Her look tonight speaks to those years mastering walking in tricky designs – it can't have been easy negotiating the Met steps in such a free-flowing frock.
A pretty and unexpected take on the naked dress, froths of pink, white and black cling like coral to the hems and seams.
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Karen Elson
Postpublished at 00:17 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
More stars, more Lagerfeld-inspired looks.
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Margot Robbie
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Sydney Sweeney
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Gisele Bündchen
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Jessica Chastain
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Rita Ora's ornate accessories detail, at The Carlyle Hotel before the 2023 Met Gala
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Brian Tyree Henry
Usher channels signature Karlpublished at 00:17 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Nada Tawfik
Met Gala red carpet
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Musician Usher, wearing black sunglasses and channeling Lagerfeld’s signature look, told me he was excited by the theme.
“Any time you celebrate someone’s legacy, it’s like you are giving them flowers,” he said.
Usher also wore black gloves in honor of Lagerfeld but said he decided to add a little bling to the look with a ring.
Postpublished at 00:14 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
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Karlie Kloss
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Grace Elizabeth in one of the few looks that features vibrant colours
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Grammy-winning musician Usher paired his white shoes with a dark suit
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Suki Waterhouse and Robert Pattinson
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Gwendoline Christie
Naomi Campbell comfortable on the carpetpublished at 00:14 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Ellie Violet Bramley
Fashion critic
Naomi Campbell was a muse to Lagerfeld over several decades and wore Chanel pearls on her first ever cover for American Vogue back in 1989, so she was always going to feel at home with this year's theme.
While she has avoided going for any of the high drama looks from the archives, this one from the Chanel spring 2010 couture show is the perfect understated look for someone who doesn't need to prove their fashion chops.
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When the Met Gala is higher stakes than the basketball courtpublished at 00:09 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Nada Tawfik
Met Gala red carpet
NBA star Dwyane Wade tells me he had anxiety coming to his first Met Gala years ago - a comment that shocked me given how many basketball championships he has won.
He said this was a different type of pressure that he wasn’t used to, with everyone watching at home critiquing the looks.
Wearing a leather Prada look, he said he had a deep respect for designers.
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Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade
The detail in Michaela Coel's dresspublished at 00:05 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Ellie Violet Bramley
Fashion critic
Another of this year's co-chairs, Coel is wearing what can best be described as what the Milky Way might look like if someone managed to make a dress out of it.
The Schiaparelli design has, according to Vogue, been inspired by one of Chanel's maison signatures – costume jewellery.
Crystals are clustered around anatomical parts, the effect of which is both beautiful and surreal.
It reportedly took over 3,800 hours of hand-embroidery to make and you can see why.
This elaborate look is the perhaps the perfect answer to a theme inspired by a man who famously once said that sweatpants were a sign of defeat.
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David Byrne forgot his helmetpublished at 00:01 British Summer Time 2 May 2023
Steven McIntosh
Entertainment Reporter
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David Byrne is one of the few stars who has turned up looking ready to do some exercise.
Despite being famous for hits such as Lazy, the Scottish-born singer brought his bicycle with him to the red carpet.
He wisely decided to walk it rather than cycle it, which we imagine was a relief to the Met's health and safety team.
Byrne wore an all-white outfit - which will definitely get muddy later when he presumably cycles home - with some brightly-coloured trainers.
So far, Byrne is one of the few stars who has done something unusual on the red carpet - the other attendees seem to be sticking to classy rather than outlandish outfits this year, in tribute to Karl Lagerfeld.
But there are still a lot of A-listers yet to show up.
Postpublished at 23:57 British Summer Time 1 May 2023
Ellie Violet Bramley
Fashion critic
Olivia Wilde has arrived and served yet another moment that will make fashion history lovers extremely happy – she has worn a reinterpretation of the iconic robe violin dress from Lagerfeld's spring/summer 1983 collection for Chloe.
The dress has a big gold violin emblazoned down its front; the curves of the instrument cut-out to show the model's body underneath and the tuning keys stretching at the high neckline like an elaborate piece of jewellery.
Both playful and glamorous, it hits the perfect note.
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