By Ben Kellerman
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Zendaya wore a dark blue gown adorned with grape clusters and Lana Del Rey donned a dramatic headpiece with tree branches, two of the head-turning looks at this year’s garden-themed Met Gala on Monday.
Stars were told to dress in “Garden of Time” attire for the invite-only event, known for its A-list celebrities and extravagant outfits. Attendees walked a white and green carpet surrounded by lush foliage and white flowers up the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Film and TV star Zendaya, a host of this year’s event, sported heavy eyeliner and a blue lamé and organza bias-cut dress worn over a duchess satin corset. Designed by John Galliano, the gown featured clusters of grapes on a hip and arm, a large ruffle on one side and a blue hummingbird on a shoulder.
Zendaya later changed into a black Givenchy gown and large floral Alexander McQueen hat.
Del Rey, the Grammy-nominated singer, stood out in a beige, corseted Alexander McQueen gown and a headpiece with natural hawthorn branches. The branches were draped with sheer tulle that fell below her face.
A high-profile annual event, the Met Gala is a benefit for the New York museum and marks the opening of its Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit.
This year’s exhibit, called “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” will feature rare items that have been dormant in the Costume Institute’s permanent collection, including designs so fragile that they will be displayed only through animation and projections.
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Jennifer Lopez, another Met Gala host, wore a beaded, see-through Schiaparelli gown and a butterfly-shaped necklace.
Singer Rita Ora arrived in strings of long, colorful beads that swung as she walked and revealed a skintight, nude-colored bodysuit underneath. She was accompanied by her husband, film director Taika Waititi.
Many attendees chose a floral look. Queen Latifah sported a black dress and jacket with large, orange bird of paradise accents. Demi Moore wore a black structured gown made out of vintage wallpaper that featured pink and white flowers.
Ariana Grande sparkled in an ivory gown with a mother-of-pearl bodice and posed with Cynthia Erivo, her co-star in an upcoming film adaptation of Broadway musical “Wicked.” Erivo wore a two-piece black outfit covered in pink petals.
Among the men, musician Lil Nas X donned an ivory suit and jacket with 56,000 hand-placed Swarovski crystals arranged in large, gleaming swaths. Members of K-Pop boy band Stray Cats also walked the carpet, in matching suits.
Chinese-owned TikTok, which faces a U.S. ban unless its owners sell the social media app to allay security concerns, was among the sponsors of the event. TikTok’s CEO Shou Chew was named an honorary co-chair of the gala and was expected to mingle with guests.
Outside the event, pro-Palestinian protesters on Madison Avenue tried to draw attention to the Gaza war. Police made some arrests to contain the protests, the New York Times reported.
