NEW YORK (AP) – Never let it be said that Rihanna doesn’t know how to make an entrance.
On a night when big stars were a dime a dozen – try George and Amal Clooney, Lady Gaga, Madonna and Cher – the pop singer still managed to pull the red carpet out from under the rest of them at the Met Gala on Monday when she swooped in wearing a fur-trimmed yellow cape with floral swirls of gold and a train so long it required three wranglers.
The ensemble came with a little pink mini-dress underneath, and a sparkling tiara. In keeping with the evening’s theme – China, and its artistic influence on the West – the outfit came from Beijing-based designer Guo Pei, whose sumptuous designs also are on display in the current Metropolitan Museum exhibit, “China: Through the Looking Glass”.
As befitting a star – or fashion royalty – Rihanna commanded premium attention on the carpet by being one of the very last to arrive. But compared to another A-lister, she was an early-bird.
Beyonce and her husband, Jay Z, arrived so late that many photographers were giving up and leaving. She was highly photogenic, though, in an ultra-sheer, bejewelled Givenchy Haute Couture gown by Riccardo Tisci.
Deep, ruby reds, shimmery golds and other jewel tones dominated the colour scheme as the multitudes of invited celebrities embraced this year’s China inspiration. There were sequins aplenty, and embroidery was everywhere.
One of the first to arrive was the gala’s longtime head, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who sported an orange-and-red floral couture gown from Chanel as she walked up the stairs to kick off the star-studded party that raises millions for the Met’s Anna Wintour Costume Centre.
She was followed by a succession of stars from film, music, fashion, TV and even sports unrivalled anywhere but perhaps the Oscars. As actress Kate Hudson noted: “It’s like Oscar night for the fashion world, but without the pressure of who’s going to get an award.” Hudson was dressed in a sleek gown of gold sequins, by Michael Kors.
