Zendaya and Kim Kardashian stun on Met Gala red carpet - BBC News

With Brandon Drenon on the red carpet in New York and analysis from fashion critic Scarlett Harris

Live Reporting

Edited by Brandon Livesay

All times stated are UK

Posted at 2:17
That's a wrap
Laura Blasey
US reporter
Another year’s Met Gala has come to a close for the BBC team – we’re ready to turn into sleeping beauties ourselves.
It was a night filled with big gowns, garden motifs, cool accessories (literally, in the case of Camila Cabello’s ice purse) and high fashion, but no Rihanna.
What did Sleeping Beauties really mean? Whose looks were on-theme? That’s up for you to decide.
Here's a round-up of outfits from the night in case you missed a few.
Our coverage was brought to you by Brandon Drenon on the red carpet, fashion critic Scarlett Harris and Ana Faguy.
This page was edited by Brandon Livesay and Laura Blasey.
Thanks for joining us.
Article share tools
Posted at 2:12
Indian designers in full bloom at the Met Gala
Suranjana Tewari
Asia business reporter
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Natasha Poonawalla
For Indian celebrities, the Met Gala is an opportunity to shine on the global stage.
Some attendees like Natasha Poonawalla are regulars. This year the socialite – dubbed Mrs Vaccine on social media owing to her Covid vaccine-making billionaire husband - served a custom look from Maison Margiela’s Artisanal Collection designed by John Galliano.
Indian designers also continue to have their moment in the sun. Actress and producer Mindy Kaling stunned in a champagne ensemble crafted by Gaurav Gupta, named “the melting flower of time”.
Architectural gowns have become a trademark of the Indian designer, who has dressed some of the world’s most well-known faces.
“It makes me really happy to rep such talented geniuses who happen to be from my community,” Kaling told Vogue.
Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt attended the Met for the second time, wearing a custom Sabyasachi sari studded with real gems and a long train. Isha Ambani, daughter of Asia’s richest man donned a bespoke Rahul Mishra hand-embroidered couture sari gown. The creation took 10,000 hours to complete.
British actresses of Indian origin Ambika Mod and Simone Ashley also attended the event.
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Alia Bhatt
Article share tools

Posted at 2:00
The surprise ending no-one wanted
Brandon Drenon
Reporting from the red carpet
Well that wraps the Met Gala red carpet for this evening.
It was an event filled with the biggest names in Hollywood and all the fashion one can imagine.
We saw everything from dresses so big they consumed multiple flights of stairs to outfits so minimalist they barely covered skin.
It was mostly the Zendaya show - she wore two stunning looks on the carpet.
Doja Cat also dropped jaws - per usual - in an outfit that looked like a dripping wet T-shirt turned dress.
There was a surprise ending, though not the one most had hoped for… a no-show from Rihanna.
Copyright: BBC
Image caption: BBC reporter Brandon Drenon says goodbye from the red carpet
Article share tools
Posted at 1:51
A preview of the exhibit behind the gala
Earlier today, event officials, including Anna Wintour, hosted a press conference at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to preview the Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion exhibit.
The dress code was more subdued, but some attendees wore hints of the garden imagery we saw on the green carpet tonight.
Wintour wore a matching green coat and dress that was printed with flowers, along with her signature sunglasses.
Copyright: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images
Image caption: Condé Nast CEO Roger Lynch, Anna Wintour and President and CEO of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Max Hollein
Copyright: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images
Copyright: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images
Article share tools
Posted at 1:41
A gala filled with flowers
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Kerry Washington
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Zendaya
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Nicki Minaj
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Demi Moore
Article share tools
Analysis
Posted at 1:32
Sleeping on the theme
Scarlett Harris
Fashion critic
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Tyla
Delving into the theme of the exhibition and dress code for the carpet, attendees had an opportunity to make a statement about renewability and what the fashion industry is doing to our planet - yet only a few took it.
Furthermore, the Garden of Time theme could have gone hand-in-hand with social commentary about the current moment, but nary a pin commenting on the war in Gaza could be found on a lapel or neckline - despite protests happening outside the event.
And there was no comments made about the Conde Nast union threatening to strike and form a picket line outside mere hours ago (Condé Nast, which runs the Met Gala, and the union ultimately struck a deal for improved employee wages).
Some standout looks for me were Emma Chamberlain, Lana Del Rey and Tyla - coincidentally all muted takes on an otherwise sparkly but surface level Met Gala red carpet.
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Emma Chamberlain
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Lana Del Rey
Article share tools
Posted at 1:20
Jimmy Fallon arrives .... slightly on theme
Brandon Drenon
Reporting from the red carpet
The Met Gala red carpet has wrapped up, but here's a moment from earlier with Jimmy Fallon - who appears to be wearing his humour at this year's event.
"I might be the only one who put thought in their outfit tonight," he says, wearing a solid navy blue tuxedo.
Copyright: BBC
Image caption: Jimmy Fallon
Article share tools
Posted at 1:14
BreakingRihanna is sick, she's not coming
Shock has just gripped the dozens of reporters gathered at the Met.
"Is it true," one asks.
"It's a lie," says another.
Rihanna. Where is she? She's one of the Met Gala's main attractions in recent years.
And although she was extremely late last year - which reporters this year braced for, expecting a repeat - it's just been confirmed that Rihanna will not be attending this year.
Multiple outlets are reporting she's out with the flu.
Met Gala staff told the BBC: "She's not coming".
Article share tools
Posted at 1:10
A hush comes over the red carpet, this is why
Brandon Drenon and Scarlett Harris
Copyright: Getty Images
For the first time in hours, the carpet was empty.
It was quiet.
"Someone big must be coming," one person says. "This is it."
Suddenly, Zendaya steps onto the carpet - met by screams from fans whose faces are hidden in the dark of night beyond the tent.
She doesn't answer questions. She walks, gracefully.
Zendaya is wearing a gothic funerary-esque robe and a floral hat.
Law Roach assembles her train upon the cleared-out Met steps.
Copyright: Getty Images
Copyright: Getty Images
Article share tools
Posted at 1:05
Basketball star Angel Reese graces red carpet
Brandon Drenon
Reporting from the red carpet
Copyright: Getty Images
Angel Reese tells reporters on the red carpet, "it's my birthday".
She's part of a crew of rising stars in women's basketball, following record-breaking success by the women's NCAA March Madness tournament (a collegiate tournament).
The other big WNBA name rumoured to possibly appear tonight is Caitlin Clark, though she hasn't been spotted yet.
Article share tools
Posted at 1:01
Nikki Minaj wears recycled cans
Copyright: Getty Images
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Francesco Risso and Nicki Minaj
Article share tools
Posted at 1:00
Lil Nas X sparkles on the carpet
Brandon Drenon
Reporting from the red carpet
Lil Nas X arrives wearing Loewe and a metallic manicure to match. He says he almost reconsidered attending earlier in the day, but ultimately decided to walk the carpet.
"I was like you know what - I wanna go, this is always a really nice opportunity to be a part of the cool kids club," he said.
Copyright: Getty Images
Copyright: Getty Images
Article share tools
Posted at 0:56
Playing with pastels
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Uma Thurman
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Phoebe Dynevor
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Donatella Versace
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Sarah Paulson
Article share tools
Posted at 0:52
Where in the world is Rihanna? Even the celebs want to know
Brandon Drenon
Reporting from the red carpet
When asked what she’s most looking forward to tonight, Taraji P. Henson tells the BBC: “Rihanna. I’m looking forward to Rihanna.
“Is she here yet?”
No - Rihanna is not here yet.
And if she’s operating on the same clock as last year - when she was notoriously late - she might not be here for hours to come.
Article share tools
Posted at 0:49
Suffering for fashion
Scarlett Harris
Fashion critic
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Camila Cabello
There were a few examples of suffering for fashion on the red carpet tonight, but Camila Cabello takes the cake for toting a literal block of ice as her purse.
I guess by the end of the “Garden of Time”-themed gala, the passing of it will have come for her accessory.
Copyright: Getty Images
Article share tools
Posted at 0:45
Shakira is another first-timer
Brandon Drenon
Reporting from the red carpet
Copyright: Getty Images
I was surprised to find out that tonight is Shakira’s first time at the Met Gala.
I asked her - innocently but naively - what her favourite thing was about the event.
She responds: “I’m about to find out".
“I’ve been invited many times but it never happened.”
Article share tools
Posted at 0:44
How the Met Gala became fashion's night of nights
If you want to find out more about the background to the event check out ‘9 Ways to Nail the Met Gala’ available on the News section of the BBC iPlayer now (UK audiences only).
Article share tools
Posted at 0:40
Cardi B 'shuts down' the red carpet
Scarlett Harris
Fashion critic
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Cardi B
“This is the way you shut down the Met Gala carpet,” La La Anthony said of the much-anticipated arrival of Cardi B in a capacious black tulle train and headwrap.
And let’s not forget about those emeralds.
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Cardi B
Copyright: Getty Images
Article share tools
Posted at 0:37
Make way for the real stars, Mayor Bloomberg
While walking tonight's red carpet, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was asked to move out of the way for a bigger star - screen legend Isabelle Huppert.
Take a look:
Video content
Video caption: Bloomberg asked to 'back it up' to make room for Isabelle Huppert
Article share tools
Posted at 0:35
An outfit made from wallpaper
Scarlett Harris
Fashion critic
Copyright: Getty Images
Image caption: Harris Reed
One of the only designers to grapple with the undertones of sustainability and circularity within the exhibition, Harris Reed was inspired by wallpaper of all things.
Accompanied by Demi Moore, whose dress incorporates deadstock wallpaper to make up the double Duchess silk panel.
“The other pieces of [the dress] have over 5,000 to 6,000 hours of hand embroidery,” he told Vogue.
Copyright: Getty Images
Article share tools