Last year, it took 275,000 bright pink roses to adorn the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the biggest night in fashion and one of the biggest concentrations of star power anywhere.

It remains to be seen how the come the first Monday in May, but one thing is not in question: those entering it will look spectacular. The theme centers on the late designer Karl Lagerfeld, who made an indelible mark on luxury fashion in his long career at Chanel, Fendi and elsewhere. It is a B次元官网网址� Lagerfeld was known for contentious remarks about everything from #MeToo to curvy bodies.

Want to know what to expect as the big day approaches? Not to worry. WeB次元官网网址檝e dusted off our annual guide for you here, with some key updates.

WHAT IS THE MET GALA ANYWAY?

It started in 1948 as a society midnight supper, and wasnB次元官网网址檛 even at the Met.

Fast forward 70-plus years, and the Met Gala is something totally different, one of the most photographed events in the world for its head-spinning red carpet B次元官网网址� though the carpet isnB次元官网网址檛 always red.

WeB次元官网网址檙e talking as a bejeweled pope. as Cinderella with a light-up gown. as a chandelier morphing into a hamburger. Also: in as an carried on a litter 16-minute striptease. And, last year, host Versace dress B次元官网网址� a tribute to iconic New York architecture B次元官网网址� that changed colors in front of our eyes.

Then , bringing commitment to a whole other level. One year, she wore a dress so tight, she admitted she had to take breathing lessons beforehand. Two years ago, she wore a dark bodysuit that covered even her face. And last year she truly stole the carpet, actual, rhinestone-studded B次元官网网址淗appy Birthday, Mr. PresidentB次元官网网址� dress (borrowed from RipleyB次元官网网址檚 Believe It or Not! museum), changing the minute she got inside to protect it. There was controversy later over suspicions, that sheB次元官网网址檇 caused some damage. But still B次元官网网址� that was an entrance. (And, folks, sheB次元官网网址檚 coming back B次元官网网址� she posted a photo from Paris with LagerfeldB次元官网网址檚 famous cat, Choupette, noting she was in the French capital scoping out possibilities for this yearB次元官网网址檚 attire.)

ItB次元官网网址檚 important to note that the party has a purpose B次元官网网址� last year, the evening for the MetB次元官网网址檚 Costume Institute, a self-funding department. Yes, thatB次元官网网址檚 a heckuva lot for a gala. It also launches that brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to the museum.

But itB次元官网网址檚 the carpet itself that draws the worldB次元官网网址檚 eyes, with the guest list B次元官网网址� strategically withheld until the last minute B次元官网网址� featuring a collection of notables from movies, music, fashion, sports, politics and social media that arguably makes for the highest celebrity wattage-per-square-foot of any party in the world.

WHOB次元官网网址橲 HOSTING THIS YEAR?

are drawn from television (Emmy-winning writer, actor and producer ); the movies (Oscar-winning actor who has worked with Chanel for more than 20 years); sports ( tennis superstar ); and music (Grammy-winning songstress ). Finally there is VogueB次元官网网址檚 (do we need to tell you sheB次元官网网址檚 in fashion?) running the whole thing as usual.

IS THERE ALWAYS A THEME?

Yes. As mentioned above, the theme is and the exhibit, B次元官网网址淜arl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,B次元官网网址� looks at B次元官网网址渢he designerB次元官网网址檚 stylistic vocabulary as expressed in aesthetic themes that appear time and again in his fashions from the 1950s to his final collection in 2019.B次元官网网址� Once again, it has been created by the

DOES EVERYONE FOLLOW THE THEME?

Not really. Some eschew it and just go for But expect some guests to carefully research the theme and come in perfect sync. It was hard to beat the carpet, for example, when the and Rihanna came as the pope, Zendaya channeled Joan of Arc, and Perry navigated the crowd with a set of enormous angel wings. For Lagerfeld, the clothes may be a bit more, er, down to earth.

HOW MUCH DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR A MET GALA TICKET?

Wrong question. You cannot just buy a ticket. The right question is: If I were famous or powerful and got invited, how much would it cost?

OK, IF I WERE FAMOUS OR POWERFUL AND GOT INVITED, HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST?

Well, you might not pay yourself. Generally companies buy tables. A fashion label would then host its desired celebrities. This year, the cost has gone up, as it does every few years due to rising expenses: ItB次元官网网址檚 now $50,000 for an individual ticket, and tables start at $300,000.

SO WHO GETS INVITED?

This year, there will be roughly 400 guests B次元官网网址� similar to recent years but still lower than of 500-600. Wintour and her team still get to approve every guest.

Trying to predict? Take out your pen and jot down some of your favorite names, the buzzier the better. Newly minted Oscar winners, for example, are a good bet. is a special favorite of WintourB次元官网网址檚. She also loves tennis B次元官网网址� this is not first Met Gala. Now, cross everyone off your list except the very top. At this gala, everybodyB次元官网网址檚 A-list.

THAT MUST BE AN EXAGGERATION.

Not really. Ask She went in 2010 and later described walking around to sit and talk with. That ended up being

HOW CAN I WATCH?

You can watch the whole carpet unfold on If youB次元官网网址檙e in New York, you can also join fans across the street, behind barricades, on Fifth Avenue or even further east on Madison. has been known to greet fans.

DO WE KNOW WHOB次元官网网址橲 COMING? AND WHO ISNB次元官网网址橳?

ItB次元官网网址檚 secret. But reports slip out, often about who is not coming and why. You can count on various celebrity showing up.

WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE?

Entering the museum, what is usually an impossibly enormous flower arrangement in the lobby, with perhaps an orchestra playing nearby, and over to cocktails. Or, they head to view the exhibit. but the most famous B次元官网网址� or those who plan to make the biggest entrance B次元官网网址� sometimes come (fashionably) later.

Around 8 p.m., guests are summoned to dinner B次元官网网址� perhaps by a team of buglers (B次元官网网址淎re they going to do that between every course?B次元官网网址� actor Gary Oldman asked aloud one year).

IS IT FUN FOR EVERYONE?

Occasionally, someone says no. Fey, in a comic rant to David Letterman in 2015, described the gala as a B次元官网网址渏erk paradeB次元官网网址� and said it included everyone youB次元官网网址檇 ever want to punch, if you had millions of arms. left early in 2016 and said later she felt awkward and like it was B次元官网网址渁 punishment.B次元官网网址�

SO THEY NEVER CAME BACK, RIGHT?

Wrong. Schumer was back in 2017. And then last year again.

Hey, this is the Met Gala.

___

For more coverage of the 2023 Met Gala, visit

Jocelyn Noveck, The Associated Press

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