NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Fashion's biggest night got underway Monday at the in a rainy Manhattan.
This is the first Met Gala to focus exclusively on Black designers, and the first in more than 20 years to have a menswear theme. This year's theme is based on the Metropolitan Museum of Art鈥檚 spring exhibit,
Among the hosts are Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo and A$AP Rocky. LeBron James was made honorary chair but will not attend because of a knee injury.
The guest list includes about 450 people from tech, sports, art, entertainment and more.
Vogue鈥檚 Anna Wintour is the gala鈥檚 mastermind. The gala raises the bulk of the budget for the Metropolitan Museum of Art鈥檚 .
Rain fell in the city as guests began walking the carpet.
For full coverage of the Met Gala, visit:
Here鈥檚 the latest:
鈥楩1鈥� actor Damson Idris arrives in a designer racing suit
is kicking off in style. The actor pulled up to the event in a race car from the film wearing a Tommy Hilfiger-designed racing suit and embellished helmet featuring 20,000 Swarovski crystals. Eventually, he took off the kit and helmet to reveal a tailored suit.
Idris wasn鈥檛 the only person repping the upcoming film (in theaters June 27), in which he stars alongside Brad Pitt as an up-and-coming racer in the glamorous world of Formula One. Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, who was involved in the film from the earliest days as a consultant, is a co-chair of the Met Gala.
鈥榃hite Lotus鈥� stars arrive on the carpet
Several cast members from the recently wrapped Season 3 of 鈥淭he White Lotus鈥� turned out on the blue carpet, including Aimee Lou Wood and Walton Goggins, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Lisa.
Goggins and Lisa walked separately, but Wood and Schwarzenegger spoke to Vogue before walking the carpet together.
Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan makes his Met Gala debut
Shah Rukh Khan is a Bollywood megastar, with legions of fans the world over. At 59, with decades of fame under his belt, he鈥檚 finally making his Met Gala debut 鈥� in Sabyasachi.
Bollywood celebrities aren鈥檛 strangers to the Met Gala, but it鈥檚 rarer for a male actor to appear. In recent years, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone and crossover star Priyanka Chopra Jonas have represented the Hindi film industry at the annual fundraiser.
鈥淚鈥檝e not done too many red carpets, I鈥檓 very shy,鈥� Khan, toting a cane and necklace with a large K, told Vogue. He credited his attendance to Sabyasachi, and said he informed the designer he only wore black and white.
鈥淛ust to give you a little bit of context, Shah Rukh Khan is probably one of most famous men in the world,鈥� the designer, who sported a literal feather in his cap, said. 鈥淎nd his fan following is legendary, and we nearly had a stampede outside of our hotel when he came out.鈥�
A$AP Rocky confirms baby no. 3 with Rihanna
鈥淚t feels amazing, you know,鈥� gala co-chair told reporters who congratulated him after outlets reported the couple was expecting their third child. 鈥淚t鈥檚 time that we show the people what we was cooking up. And I鈥檓 glad everybody鈥檚 happy for us 鈥榗ause we definitely happy, you know.鈥�
TMZ reported earlier Monday that Rihanna and the rapper were expecting their third child. A representative for Rihanna didn鈥檛 immediately return The Associated Press鈥� request for comment. Photos taken of the singer Monday walking in New York showed her with what appeared to be a baby bump.
鈥淗onestly, it鈥檚 a blessing nonetheless,鈥� Rocky told the AP. 鈥淏ecause you know how like some people in other situations at times can be envious of other people. But we鈥檝e been seeing love for the most part. And we real receptive to that and appreciate that, you know what I mean? That鈥檚 love. Love is love.鈥�
Some choose gowns and no pants over suited looks
Despite the 鈥淭ailored For You'' menswear dress code, there were a surprising number of stars wearing gowns on the blue carpet.
From rapper Megan Thee Stallion to model Gigi Hadid, the celebrities chose dresses over suited looks.
wore ... most of a Pharrell Williams for Louis Vuitton suit. Most, because it featured a jacket and no pants.
Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens make Met Gala appearance a day before anniversary
Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens made a stylish pit stop at the Met Gala just a day before celebrating their anniversary.
The Olympian and the Chicago Bears defensive back showed up dapper and dazzling, admitting Met prep was more nerve-wracking than a gymnastics meet or NFL game.
鈥業 train for the Olympics my whole life, and this is like a one-day event,鈥� Biles joked in her short blue dress. 鈥淕ot in yesterday, we did all the fittings and it鈥檚 just a lot. It鈥檚 stressful.鈥�
The couple attended the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.
Pro-Palestin
ian protesters gather near the gala
Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered about a block away from the gala as the area immediately around the museum had been cordoned off by police.
Organizers calling for protesters to 鈥渟urround鈥� the Met in social media posts claimed the Manhattan institution is 鈥渢ied to genocide in every way possible.鈥�
Within Our Lifetime also called out celebrities for continuing to 鈥渇launt their extreme wealth and materialism鈥� as residents of Gaza suffered in the ongoing war with Israel.
Video clips shared on social media showed some protesters hopping over barricades as they marched in the rain through Central Park. Other clips showed protesters met by vocal counterprotesters supporting Israel.
New York City police said Monday evening that no arrests had been made.
It鈥檚 the second year in a row that protests have taken place outside the gala.
Diana Ross arrives in a massive train
Allow to collect her flowers. The Motown icon arrived in a massive ivory train as a starstruck Zendaya 鈥� and everyone else 鈥� looked on. In some ways, it recalled the memorable yellow train wore by a decade ago 鈥� the Guo Pei couture gown that lit up the internet at .
Ross had six men helping her with her train at the top of the Met steps. She fanned herself from the heat as they helped her remove her long feathered train. She said the dress was vintage and she鈥檇 had it forever.
The inside of the train, she told Vogue, had the names of 鈥渁ll my children and my eight grandchildren鈥� embroidered in it.
a white suit with a hat.
Coco Jones hits the red carpet before kicking off tour
is having a better time than most. Last week, she released her debut And on Monday, she stunned in custom Manish Malhotra at the Met Gala 鈥� an ivory white suit with a long train.
鈥淭his is where fashion meets intention,鈥� Jones told Vogue on the carpet. 鈥淚 think this is going to be historic for our culture.鈥�
And Tuesday: A tour kicks off in Philadelphia for the singer. Not a bad way to start the week.
Choir sings M
otown classic on the carpet
A choir of tuxedo-dressed men added some liveliness to the carpet erupting in the classic 鈥淎in鈥檛 No Mountain High Enough鈥� by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.
Vogue host LaLa Anthony and others cheered on the choir.
At the bottom of the carpet, Anna Wintour beamed at the choir as danced in place.
Teyana Taylor was among the early arrivals.
Host Pharrell Williams wears jacket with thousands of pearls
Pharrell Williams鈥� jacket consists of 15,000 pearls and took 400 hours to construct, a representative with him confirmed.
Williams is and a gala co-chair.
The Associated Press
