Gala Gowns

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. She also worked at Vogue Magazine, then later as a talent manager for social media influencers in the fashion and beauty space.

When we heard this year's 2023 Met Gala theme, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, we knew that we were in for an assortment of gorgeous bridal-inspired gowns. How? Dating back to the late 80s, Karl Lagerfeld was known to end his Chanel Haute Couture runway shows with a bride, also known as the Chanel bride. So given that this year's theme set forth to pay homage to the late designer, it only made sense for our favorite celebrities to step out in their best Chanel-worthy wedding dresses fit for the Met stairs.

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Hosted by co-chairs Anna Wintour, Michaela Coel, Penelope Cruz, Roger Federer, and Dua Lipa, this year'sgala had some of the best fashions we've ever seen on a red carpet. And while many A-list stars wore looks inspired by a variety of Lagerfeld's past collections, including designs from his tenure at Fendi andChloé, in our opinion, it was the wedding dresses that truly stole the show.

Thus, to honor the beautiful we saw on the Met steps this year, here are the most gorgeous wedding-worthy gowns from the 2023 Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala.

Pulled from Chanel Couture's Spring/Summer 1988 collection, Penélope Cruz looked like a true fairytale bride in this vintage hooded ensemble. Between the white pearl buttons, full ball gown skirt, and silver sequin embellishments, this was one of the best wedding-worthy looks of the evening.

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Another vintage look, Dua Lipa turned heads in this gorgeous white ball gown from Chanel's 1992 Haute Couture collection. Featuring a drop waistline and scoop-neck silhouette, this ensemble is for with elegant and baroque tastes.

Leaning into the full bridal white aesthetic, Sergio Hudson dressed Lala Anthony in a one-shoulder trumpet gown. Equal parts sexy and sophisticated, we absolutely love Anthony's modern interpretation of bridalwear, especially seen through her unique accessory choices.

Continuing the archival theme, Nicole Kidman stepped out in a vintage Chanel gown from the brand's former Chanel N°5 advertising campaign. What makes it bridal? Well, everything, from the blush hue to the feather embroidery and the veil-like shoulder streamers.

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One word: Train! We simply cannot get over Alia Bhatt's gorgeous wedding gown designed by Prabal Gurung. Drawing inspiration from Chanel's signature aesthetics, Gurung donned Bhatt in an allover pearl-encrusted, drop-waist dress featuring a full cathedral train.

Leave it to Gisele Bündchen to hit the red carpet looking like a Victora Secret bridal angel. Pulled from Chanel's Spring 2007 Haute Couture collection, we absolutely love the simplicity of the column silhouette juxtaposed with the dramatic feather overcoat.

Though not a traditional iteration of bridalwear, Imaan Hammam showed up in a gorgeous and sexy long sleeve white gown. Designed by Standing Ground, we can certainly see drawing inspiration from this look for a winter, city-chic wedding.

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Keke Plamer absolutely stunned at the 2023 Met Gala, wearing a strapless design by Sergio Hudson. Featuring Lagerfeld's signature Chanel fabric, tweed, the actress also gave a subtle bridal nod with her something blue cape that doubled as a train.

Leave it to Halle Bailey to turn heads on the red carpet in the best way possible. Wearing a semi-sheer lace gown designed by Gucci, Bailey's look is for the bride with bold and daring tastes—one who's not afraid to be a little risqué.

Not only did Ava Max step out in one of the most sumptuous wedding dresses of the evening, but she also tapped bridal designer Christian Siriano to do it in style. Between the pearl-encrusted top and headpiece and the voluminous tulle skirt, Max's ensemble honored the late designer in a contemporary and trendy way.

Black Gala Gowns

It wouldn't be an evening at the Met without spotting at least one fully sequined gown. This year, Lea Michele donned a daring Michael Kors silver mirror gown, which featured fringe and a medium-sized bow at the neckline. Disco-inspired , this look is for you!

Drawing inspiration from the Chanel bride, but with an incredibly sexy twist, Anne Hathaway's Atelier Versace gown is one we can envision seeing at a formal engagement party or rehearsal dinner. For who subscribe to a more-is-more aesthetic, look to Hathaway's Met Gala ensemble for your own bridal wardrobe.

We love this sweet Valentino look that Nicola Peltz Beckham wore to the 2023 Met Gala. The flowy silhouette and strapless neckline provide warm-weather wedding vibes, especially for getting married during the spring and summer months.

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Elle Fanning truly leaned into the bridal spirit at this year's Met, wearing a white lace gown by Vivienne Westwood. She paired her wedding dress with a black cropped jacket (a nod to Chanel’s signature color palette), a flower crown, and a daisy floral bouquet.

Mindy Kaling's Jonathan Simkhai strapless gown is a must-have for with a mix of classic and sophisticated aesthetics. You can even follow her styling lead and keep accessories minimal for a lovely wedding day look.

Sporting a sleek long sleeve getup by Balmain, Ice Spice's 2023 Met Gala dress is a bridal-inspired look for those who favor pared-back but sexy styles. We adore the non-traditional design elements of the look, including the sheer paneling and the body-hugging silhouette.

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We could absolutely see this Dior gown walking down any wedding day aisle. Miranda Kerr looked like a true bride in this A-line ensemble, and her getup will certainly serve as inspiration for those getting married this year and beyond.

Last, but certainly not least, Rihanna was the true belle of the ball at the 2023 Met Gala (obviously!). For this year's red carpet, the singer and beauty mogul donned a spaghetti strap Valentino dress, a major bridal trend from the Spring 2024 Bridal Fashion Week collections.It may be useful, when trying to comprehend the work that went into the gymnast Simone Biles’s Met Gala dress — a showgirl-inspired satin gown with crystal embroidery that mimics feathers — to know the numbers.

The gown was made by Area, a New York label designed by Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Panszczyk, who said the embellishment took about 6, 650 hours and 100 workers, including beaders, quality checkers and packers.

Simone Biles Dons A Showgirl Inspired Dress At The Met Gala

It used more than 17, 000 feet of Swarovski glass crystal chains and nearly 200 feet of tulle. The dress weighs 98 pounds, the designers said, which is close to the weight of the woman wearing it; fortunately, Ms. Biles has superhuman strength. (Although the skirt is detachable, worn over a knitted night-sky bodysuit, and Ms. Biles is expected to shed it before she sits down for dinner inside the museum.)

Area, an independent label, has remained relatively small since it was founded in 2014, despite earning significant industry recognitions, like being named a finalist for the 2016 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and a semifinalist for the LVMH Prize in 2020. The designers said they had not expected that they would ever dress one of the world’s most famous athletes — a pairing proposed by Vogue — on fashion’s biggest stage.

“It wasn’t even on our radar that we would be invited, to be honest, ” Ms. Fogg said. The invitation came personally via email from Tom Ford, the CFDA chairman.

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Mr. Panszczyk said Ms. Biles’s gown was inspired by the concept of performance — particularly the designers’ desire to reveal the work that goes into performances like Ms. Biles’s gymnastics routines, which require intense control and power in order to appear so seamless and graceful.

“People are all about entertainment, but they don’t really understand the craftsmanship that actually goes into something before it’s even entertainment, ” Mr. Panszczyk said. Not unlike a gown that comes across as pretty and shiny in an online slide show but took thousands of hours of meticulous handcrafted work.

Still, Area didn’t want to lean too far into athleticism; simply nodding to it was enough. Ms. Biles, whose sponsor Athleta collaborated with the Area designers, has worn plenty of sparkling unitards and not enough sparkling evening gowns. The designers also looked for inspiration in archival images of Josephine Baker, the Black entertainer and activist.

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A version of this article appears in print on  , Section D, Page 7 of the New York edition with the headline: Simone Biles Is a Showgirl. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe