We Have High Expectations for Monday's 'Tech White Tie' Met Gala Red Carpet
Justin Bieber and Balmain's Olivier Rousteing. Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Fashion's biggest night of the year is right around the corner. On Monday night, every notable celebrity and designer on earth will descend upon 82nd Street and Fifth Avenue for a well-documented trek up the Metropolitan Museum of Art's lauded front steps. The evening's dress code is "tech white tie," as dictated by Anna Wintour and in accordance to the theme of the Costume Institute's newest exhibit, "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology." Wintour's co-chairs this year include your boyfriend Idris Elba, Apple's Chief Design Officer Jonathan Ive and a platinum blonde Taylor Swift.
There's much we don't know about the A-list event, but that hasn't stopped the Fashionista team from speculating on the surprises the red carpet might have in store. Wintour has a knack for pairing designers with unexpected muses to dress for the evening, so we look forward to seeing custom techy takes. But Wintour also told the "Today" show that at least one guest is having her dress designed by artificial intelligence, so we are definitely keeping an eye out for elaborate, robotic looks that are as creative as they are unwearable.
There are also more eyes on the Met Gala this year than ever before. A documentary about the 2015 record-breaking exhibit and fundraising event, "The First Monday in May," is in theaters now and E!'s "Live from the Red Carpet" will be covering the arrivals for the first time. What can we expect from the 2016 Met Gala? Read on for more of our predictions for the evening.
Buzzy Couples
Will Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik make their red carpet debut? The young couple posed for Vogue's May issue, but have otherwise not appeared together outside of paparazzi-filled sidewalks and social media. Meanwhile, Beyoncé has a night off from her Formation world tour, which hopefully means she will be there too. In a post- "Lemonade" world, a red carpet appearance with Jay Z would be interesting, to say the least.
First Timers
Long gone are the days when Kardashians were not welcome at the Met Gala. Kris, Kim and Kendall Jenner all attended last year, and we'd be surprised if Kylie didn't join them for the first time — she appeared in a Vogue shoot with Bella Hadid and Lottie Moss in December. Will Caitlyn Jenner debut, too? We could see her at Jeremy Scott's table.
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Futuristic Fashion
As we mentioned above, the high-tech theme will hopefully inspire some creative and unexpected red carpet looks. Our money is on Rihanna wearing something that's literally robotic and Swift continuing the edgy and sparkly makeover Vogue gave her for their current cover. (But will she carry a sword?) More conservative guests will opt for silver looks. May we suggest that silver Vetements dress?
All-White Vogue Staff Looks
Last year, Vogue support staff (including Grace Coddington) wore matching silk printed pajamas. Based on our social media lurking, it looks like all-white dresses will be the go-to this time.
Tech Accessories
Considering fashion's growing obsession with virtual reality, we bet the technology will be a part of the evening in some way; perhaps someone will casually wear an Oculus Rift headset. The hoverboard trend may be waning, but someone like Justin Bieber might still be tempted to bring one and... carry it up the steps?
Musical Performance
Rihanna, Kanye West, Florence and the Machine, Bruno Mars and Debbie Harry have all taken to the Temple of Dendur stage in years past to perform at the Met Gala dinner. Who will follow in their footsteps? Calvin Harris will probably be on hand as Swift's date, so he could be an option, though perhaps Daft Punk or Deadmau5 would be more on theme.
No Donald Trump
While the presidential candidate hasn’t attended since 2012, he'd previously had yearly presence since 2004. It’s very unlikely that he’ll attend this year with wife Melania, since his campaign is in full swing and Wintour has been unequivocal in her support of Hillary Clinton. Daughter Ivanka Trump, however, is a regular guest.
Check back Monday for our live coverage of the 2016 Costume Institute Benefit, a.k.a the Met Gala.
