The A-est of A-list celebrities, models and socialites hit the Met Gala red carpet Monday night in high style—and high tech—celebrating “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology,” the new exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.
Arguably the hottest event of the social season, the annual museum fundraiser was co-chaired by Taylor Swift, Idris Elba, Vogue’s Anna Wintour and Apple chief design officer Jony Ive.
The exhibit showcases hand- and machine-made fashion, as did the stars. Looking leggy in Louis Vuitton: Swift in a shimmery mini and bondage sandals, and Alicia Vikander in copper.
Flaunting feathers—Zoe Saldana (lots of ‘em) and Saoirse Ronan. Ciara, who shimmered in custom H&M, risked silvery metallic hair (her stylist’s idea). “We wanted to have fun with this thing,” she said.
As for the men, Elba (perhaps the next 007?) looked Bond-worthy in Tom Ford. Rapper Wiz Khalifa was cool in cream. And only will.i.am could pull off a face visor. (Seriously, Will, pull it off.)
Most “illuminating?” Karolina Kurkova, in a “cognitive dress” by Marchesa and IBM. Embedded with LED lights and IBM’s Watson technology, the gown changed colors in response to the tone of Twitter comments at the Met.
Marchesa’s Keren Craig called it “something almost living and breathing.” And perhaps a sign of high-tech styles to come.
