Met Gala: A red carpet for fashion's favourite celebs

It’s quarter to fashion’s biggest night with the annual Met Gala set to stage next Monday in New York City. As history has taught us, this is no Oscar night with elegant gowns or Grammy Awards with edgy style. The iconic Met stairs calls for jaw-dropping trains, dramatic cuts, over-the-top details, haute couture magic and extravagant entrance from our fave celebrities. 

This year’s dress code takes cue from the theme of “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”, paying homage to the legacy of the late German couturier. Lagerfeld’s illustrious career spanned over seven decades and aside from his eponymous label, his Midas touch has been felt at Chloé, Balmain, Fendi, Patou and Chanel – being at the helm of the latter for 30 years before his death in 2019 at 85.

SMag has curated a wish-list of how our perfect Met guest list would look like and which high-end designs should make the red carpet:

Tyla 

The amapiano sensation has already made so many international moves this year. First she sat front row at Dolce & Gabanna next to Kim Kardashian, then she was the opening act for Chris Brown’s European tour. Last week, she attended the Mugler x H&M launch event in New York. While still in New York, why not make our fashion dreams come true by attending the Met. We can also see Been Thinking hit-maker in an avant-garde Dolce & Gabbana creation. As the kids would say: “Yanos to the world.”

Michaela Coel 

As one of six co-chairs of this year Met, the British megastar may surprise audiences with her fashion choice come Monday. We predict a custom Balmain ensemble that will ring all the style bells.       

Rihanna 

The soon-to-be-mom-of-two has gotten bolder with her fashion choices and as a regular attendee of the Met, her growing baby bump will certainly not be a style hindrance. We would lurv to see the multihyphenate either come as the bride at Chanel or offer an ode to Lagerfeld through the lens of John Galliano.     

A$AP Rocky 

The suave rapper and fashion killa’s last appearance at the Met was in 2021 when he and beau Rihanna came dressed in co-ordinating outfits. This year, we see him channelling his street cred-approved ensemble from the house of Louis Vuitton.   

Zendaya

Tinseltown’s (and ours) fave fashion girl had jaws on the floor at the few red carpet appearances she made during award season earlier in the year.  As a fairy God-style mother, we predict that Valentino and her are a match made in fashion heaven.

Doja Cat 

There is not much that the musician and rapper wouldn’t do, or rather wouldn’t wear. With Cat, we anticipate a serving on the red carpet and this is why we love a tailored Thom Browne get-up for her.  

Burna Boy

The Nigerian megastar performed at the Met after-party last year and we will love to see him take centre-stage at the front stage on the museum steps in Balmain.   

Tems 

The Afrobeats musician made heads turn, quite literally, when her Lever Couture gown obstructed guests’ view at the Oscars in February. We would love to see her continue to ride that wave by being daring with her fashion in Chanel.  

Giveon 

If the house of Chanel were to drop a menswear collection, we would petition that he be the face of the sought-after CC. Can you guess what we would suit him up in? Starts with the letter "C".