Celebrities including Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, supermodel Heidi Klum and singer Katy Perry walked the carpet at New York’s famed Met Gala on Monday – many of them unrecognisable.
Some were unrecognisable because they carried on the tradition of celebrities wearing crazy outfits at big events, but others were unrecoignisable because they had chosen to protest the heavy involvement in this year’s Gala of billionaire Jeff Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez-Bezos.
Leaning heavily into this year’s theme of “Costume Art,” Bad Bunny was dressed up as an elderly man, Klum was draped in a Statue of Liberty costume and Perry went incognito in a silver mask.
Perry’s fellow pop icon Beyonce was among the most notable appearances of the night, returning to the Met Gala for the first time in 10 years as one of its co-chairs.
The annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute has become known for its extravagant fashion and high-profile guests.
Why was this year’s event controversial?
This year it drew protests against Bezos, the founder of Amazon, who sponsored the event for the first time alongside his wife.
They made a donation reported by media outlets at $10 million and were named honorary chairs, which led to calls from critics for a boycott over wealth inequality and workers’ rights.
Protesters held up giant letters spelling out “TAX THE RICH” and placards highlighting what they called the “Resistance Red Carpet.” One protester was detained trying to get into the event. Actor Sarah Paulson walked the carpet with a dollar bill covering her eyes, saying her look represented the “1 per cent.”
Tickets cost $100,000 each but most celebrities attend as guests.
Which fashion choices caught the eye?
Other eye-catching looks of the night were social media personality Emma Chamberlain’s skin-tight dress with sleeves that hung to the floor and actor Gwendoline Christie’s feathered headpiece and lifelike mask. Superstar Madonna arrived with a ship on her head and was joined by an entourage to fan out the long, grey train attached to her dress.
Men also used the night to move beyond the standard tuxedo. Canadian actor Hudson Williams, who starred in the viral ice hockey drama Heated Rivalry, opted for a powder blue suit and makeup that he said was inspired by the film Black Swan.
Instead of opting for a body-hugging gown, Kim Kardashian wore a bright orange metallic body plate from the 60s designed by Allen Jones.
With Reuters/AP