Dua Lipa leads first arrivals to the Met Gala 2023

Marking the unveiling of the Metropolitan Museum’s exhibition Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty in New York, the event brings together A-listers across fashion, film and music.

German-born Lagerfeld, who died in 2019, was an influential fashion designer who served as creative director for Chanel, Fendi and his eponymous label.

Celebrities are asked to don outfits reflecting the exhibition’s theme, and singer Lipa, 27, was one of the first people to wear an archival Lagerfeld design.

As co-host of the event – along with actors Penelope Cruz and Michaela Coel, tennis star Roger Federer and Vogue editor Dame Anna Wintour – she wore a vintage Chanel gown from the brand’s couture collection.

The white dress – in Chanel’s signature tweed fabric – had a corseted bodice, black trim and fringing at the hem.

German supermodel Claudia Schiffer originally wore the design in the early 90s.

Lipa accessorised the look with a statement Tiffany diamond necklace she said had never been seen before in public.

Singer Rita Ora and her filmmaker husband Taika Waititi were also among some of the early arrivals to Monday’s event.

Ora wore a dramatic black dress with sheer panels, floral detailing and a long train, and Waititi donned a floor-length grey jacket, white trousers and a black flower on his lapel – reflecting his wife’s outfit.

Co-host Cruz wore a hooded white gown by Chanel, with a full skirt, sweetheart neckline and lots of silver detailing.

Big Little Lies actor Nicole Kidman wore a pale pink gown with delicate feathers on the voluminous skirt.

It is the same outfit she wore in the 2004 advertisement for the fragrance Chanel No5, directed by Baz Luhrmann.

To complement the dramatic dress, Kidman kept her hair loose and her make-up simple.

Wearing a pale peach gown by Tory Burch, model Emily Ratajkowski’s look was ethereal – with layers of tulle and delicate linework over the dress. She had a black bow in her hair, in an apparent nod to Lagerfeld’s love of ribbons.