Stars camp it up at Met Gala
This year's theme embraces humour and exaggeration
Lady Gaga stunned on Monday at New York's Met Gala, embodying the extravaganza's Camp: Notes On Fashion theme as she peeled back look after look at the fete thrown by the venerable Metropolitan Museum of Art that sees Hollywood and fashion collide.
The yearly bash, which welcomes over-the-top looks that skew to a theme, was even more of an eye-popping doozy than usual thanks to this year's concept that embraces humour, exaggeration and liberal interpretation.
Gold, trains, fringe, fur, blonde wigs and inspirations from drag as well as camp legends Cher and David Bowie were trending on the pink carpet, celebrating fashion so bad that it had to be good.
Celebrities such as Zendaya, Cara Delevingne, Elle Fanning, Tessa Thompson and even actors like Ezra Miller (who sported five extra eyes on his face) and Jared Leto (who carried his "head" around) pulled out all the stops, but it was pop superstar Gaga who set the high bar, bringing a shape-shifting look sure to spawn a thousand memes.
She shed her billowing hot pink Brandon Maxwell gown to reveal a strapless black gown.
Next came a figure-hugging hot pink gown, and her final reveal before a make-up touch-up was a black bra, panties and sky-high platform boots.
Pop singer Katy Perry came dressed as a chandelier, even wearing one on her head.
"I like to be of the light and obviously be the light", she said of her 18kg costume by Moschino.
Rap star Cardi B brought her own red carpet, donning a curve-hugging oxblood Thom Browne gown embellished with feathers that radiated out to form a lengthy circular train, a look she capped with a bugle-bead headpiece.
Actress-singer Janelle Monae had jaws dropping with an elaborate black, white and pink number that recalled a cubist painting - complete with a Cleopatra-style eye covering one breast whose lavishly long eyelashes blinked and a tower of hats that would inspire envy in The Mad Hatter himself.
Gucci designer Alessandro Michele, British singer Harry Styles and tennis superstar Serena Williams joined Vogue editor Anna Wintour and Gaga to co-chair the event, which raises money for its Costume Institute.
Country superstar Kacey Musgraves rolled up in a bright pink Barbie convertible and was dressed as the iconic doll to boot, sporting a skin-tight Moschino pink zippered dress, with matching cat-eye sunglasses and a feather boa.
Lupita Nyong'o donned a gown topped off with a rainbow-colored plume, matching fluffy fan and gold Afro picks in her Marie Antoinette-style beehive updo. - AFP/REUTERS
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