Photographed by Taylor Jewell1/17In Formation
Gala cochair Idris Elba (in Tom Ford) poses with Beyoncé (wearing Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci) in the Great Hall. “I had to shake 900 hands. That was good, I enjoyed that because I got to meet a lot of people,” Elba said of his cohost duties on the receiving line.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn / BFA.com2/17High Risers
Danai Gurira (left, in Giambattista Valli) and Lupita Nyong’o (in Calvin Klein Collection), both with statement hair, make their way to dinner. “It’s full of life!” Nyong’o replied when asked what was keeping her tresses aloft.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn / BFA.com3/17Spin Doctor
The event’s decor designer, Raúl Àvila, covered the Great Hall’s information desk in 80,000 red roses. The double helix–inspired structure, which wound toward the ceiling, was a combination of silk roses and laser-cut lace, and took nine hours to construct on-site.
Photographed by Eric Boman4/17Gold Standard
This Chanel Haute Couture wedding dress, with a train that took 450 hours to complete, is the centerpiece of the exhibition designed by Shohei Shigematsu of OMA New York.
Director: Gordon von Steiner5/17Pale Fire
Vogue.com’s inventive video-portrait studio delivered short vignettes, directed by Gordon von Steiner, to the public via Instagram. Here, Blake Lively shows off the regal train of her Burberry gown, which featured hand-dyed and -sewn laser-cut petals.
_Producer: Kelly McGee for GVS Studio; Set Design: Daniel Graff for Mary Howard Studio; Lighting Design: Fletcher Wolfe
Video Editors: Alvaro Colom, Andrew Rothschild, Billy Nawrocki; Special Thanks: Steven Dam_
Director: Gordon von Steiner6/17Disco Glam
Alicia Vikander grooving in the booth (which at press time had almost 1.1 million views on Instagram), wearing Louis Vuitton by Nicolas Ghesquière’s gold-and-bronze sequin-embroidered dress with a red trompe l’oeil bustier.
_Producer: Kelly McGee for GVS Studio; Set Design: Daniel Graff for Mary Howard Studio; Lighting Design: Fletcher Wolfe
Video Editors: Alvaro Colom, Andrew Rothschild, Billy Nawrocki; Special Thanks: Steven Dam_
Photographed by Mimi Ritzen Crawford7/17Night Light
Claire Danes is a modern Cinderella in her glow-in-the-dark organza-and-fiber-optic gown, designed by Zac Posen, seen here leading her into the exhibition.
Photographed by Mario Testino8/17Love, Adorned
Robert Pattinson, wearing Dior Homme, gamely carries fiancée FKA Twigs’s clutch as they wait to walk the red carpet. Twigs accessorized her Atelier Versace dress with House of Malakai facial jewelry and geometric temporary tattoos.
Photographed by Kevin Tachman9/17Kiss the Girls
Met veteran Kendall Jenner (this is her third year) in Atelier Versace, shares a moment with sister—and Met-gala virgin—Kylie, wearing crystal-encrusted Balmain.
Photo: David X Prutting / BFA.com10/17Met in Black
Willow and Jaden Smith proved pose-proficient in coordinated jet ensembles. Willow in a satin bustier and rhinestone-and-sequin-embroidered blazer by Chanel Haute Couture, and Jaden in Louis Vuitton by Nicolas Ghesquière.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn / BFA.com11/17Va-Va-Bloom
More than 300,000 roses were used to create the arches and wall that rivaled the grandeur of the Temple of Dendur, where the dinner and performance were held.
Photographed by Taylor Jewell12/17In the Night
Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd—whose Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci jacket was embroidered with a coiling cobra—kicked off the post-dinner festivities with a performance that got guests up and dancing between tables.
Photographed by Eric Boman13/17Spike Zone
While this headpiece and bolero set by Maiko Takeda (featured in the exhibition) may appear entirely machine-made, each piece of ombré acetate fringe was cut by hand—the ultimate manus x machina.
Photo: Billy Farrell / BFA.com14/17Starry Night
The front was stunning, but the back of Nicole Kidman’s Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton cape was the celestial showstopper.
Photographed by Mario Testino15/17Campbell’s Scoop
With the soaring double-helix sculpture behind her echoing the carpet in the Great Hall, Edie Campbell makes a compelling case for menswear in a metallic suit by Burberry.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn / BFA.com16/17Social Network
The sisters Hadid (Bella, far right, in Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci, Gigi in Tommy Hilfiger) snap a selfie with Alexander Wang–clad Amy Schumer during dinner.
Photographed by Theo Wenner, Vogue, May 201617/17Taylor Swift wears Louis Vuitton.
Sittings Editor: Sara Moonves
