Red Carpet – Met Gala 2016

The Met Gala, formally called the Costume Institute Gala and also known as the Met Ball, is an annual fundraising gala to benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. It marks the grand opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit. Each year’s event celebrates the theme of the Costume Institute exhibition, and the exhibition sets the tone for the formal dress of the night since guests are expected to choose their fashion to match the theme.

This year’s theme is Manus x Machine: Fashion in an Age of Technology. The literal translation is hand and machine, the figurative translation stands for the power of human beings over machines. The two combined enables man to use technology to create something totally new like 3-D printed dresses or allowing the hidden technologies, techniques and processes of fashion to be showcased.

Putting aside all of the history and technology, lets get down to Fashion!
There were so many amazing examples of technology and handwork in the gowns worn tonight. Beyonce, in latex and beads designed by Ricardo Tisci of Givenchy, fit to perfection. Lupita N’yongo looked like a creation out of an Erte painting in her jade sequined Calvin Klein gown. Kylie Jenner shimmered in a head to toe silver Balmain gown and Lorraine Schwartz jewels. Zendaya looked futuristic in her asymmetric copper beaded gown by Michael Kors and her mushroom bob hairdo. The scene stealer was hands down Claire Danes in her Zac Posen Couture dress that lit up with fiber optics technology.

Zayn Malik, Idris Elba, Orlando Bloom and Lewis Hamilton were standouts and represented the “Men at the Met” well.

The theme for the Gala was broad, there were more hits than misses, but the Red Carpet was definitely interesting and I cannot wait for next years “Fashion Oscars.”

Tiffany Scotrt-Clemente

 

Claire Danes in Zac Posen's Couture dress with fiber optic lights for the 2016 Met Gala
Claire Danes in Zac Posen’s Couture dress with fiber optic lights for the 2016 Met Gala