Cartier Took Over The Carlyle Hotel to Celebrate the Met Gala With an Ultra-Elegant After-Party

Cartier, the legendary Parisian fine jeweler, has been responsible for some of the most swoon-worthy Met Gala looks of all time. In 2016, Uma Thurman wore a 1948 Bird of Paradise brooch set with 90 carats of diamonds. In 2018, Rihanna sported a vintage jeweled crucifix to match her pope-inspired get-up. Last year, Emma Chamberlin dazzled in the choker Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala asked Cartier to create in 1929. Last night was no exception, with Amanda Seyfried, Elle Fanning, Jeremy Pope, and others sparkling in the house’s dazzling creations.

At Bemelmans Bar, the classic haunt nestled in the Carlyle Hotel, the room was filled with some of the world’s most interesting and beautiful people. Famous faces, including  Alexander Skarsgard and Lily Collins, lounged on the bar’s leather banquets. Actress and Met Gala co-chair Penelope Cruz and designer Prabal Gurung mingled beneath the iconic mural painted by Ludwig Bemelmans, author of Madeline.

Cartier Champagne, served in festive bottles, circulated the buzzing room. To the sound of  Bemelmans iconic piano player, gossip from the gala, mere hours before, titillated the attendees. Many guests would go on to change their outfits to something more manageable for the night’s wilder affairs. The watering hole, so filled with stars, had little room for bustles and trains.

After-parties on the first Monday of May come in all varieties: from raucous, all-night bacchanals to the most sophisticated of soirées. With its live music and elegant company, the Cartier party fell into the latter category. Even on such a busy night, the scene at Bemelmans stood out for its sparkling glamor.