Elle Fanning beamed in a dress that would have been perfect for a bride as she walked the red carpet at Monday’s Met Gala.
The 25-year-old actress added some spring-esque touches, including a floral pattern reminiscent of a Karl Lagerfeld-directed photoshoot.
The Met Gala returned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on Monday night, and everyone from Kim Kardashian to Paris Hilton attended the annual fundraiser.
This year, the fundraising campaign has the motto Lagerfeld and is subtitled A Line of Beauty. The late German designer, who died in 2019 at the age of 85, was Chanel’s longtime creative director.
Designed by Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, her mesmerizing lace dress featured an off the shoulder design with a train behind her.
Woman in white: Elle Fanning, 25, was a vision in a white lace wedding dress as she arrived at the 2023 Met Gala on Monday
The Neon Demon star contrasted the top number with a modest cropped black jacket with long sleeves.
She was accessorized with a sparkling gold necklace and a thick gold ring.
The blonde beauty wore her long hair in soft waves that cascaded gently down her chest.
She kept with the spring theme with a bouquet of daisies she carried with her.
The Great Star had more of the flowers in her crown, to which black bows were tied.
In an Instagram post earlier Monday, Elle explained that she wore the crown because she wore a similar piece of clothing at a photoshoot for Chanel that Lagerfeld put together, which was one of her favorite moments in the late designer’s presence.
“When I first heard that the MET Ball’s theme honors Karl Lagerfeld, I began to reflect on memories we had shared together. The stand out memory was when he photographed me for his book Little Black Jacket. I was 13,” she recalls.
“Everyone pictured was wearing the same black Chanel jacket and although we all wore the same one, Karl let our individual styles and personalities dictate how the jacket should be worn. For my portrait he chose to put a daisy crown on my head and pull the jacket over the white dress I arrived in.’
On Monday, Elle was spotted leaving her hotel as she headed to the Met Gala.
Delicate: Designed by Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, her mesmerizing lace dress featured an off-the-shoulder design with a train behind her. She contrasted it with a modest short black jacket with long sleeves
Lovely: She kept with the spring theme with a bouquet of daisies she carried with her, along with a coordinating flower crown
Glamorous: She accessorised with a sparkling gold necklace and chunky gold ring
Despite Elle’s affection for Lagerfeld, this year’s decision to honor the late designer has sparked controversy, from criticizing the #MeToo movement to rejecting the same-sex ones, given the many offensive remarks he’s made over the years Before.
“I’m against it for a very simple reason: in the ’60s everyone said we were entitled to the difference. And now all of a sudden they want a middle-class life,” he told Vice of same-sex marriage.
“It’s hard to imagine – one of the dads at work and the other at home with the baby. How about that for the baby? I don’t know. I see more lesbians married with babies than boys married with babies. And I also believe in the relationship between mother and child more than that between father and child.”
Lagerfeld had an 18-year relationship with Jacques de Bascher, who died of AIDS in 1989, though the fashion legend claimed they were strictly platonic through all those years.
While Lagerfeld finally showed his support for same-sex marriage at his Chanel haute couture show in spring 2013, he still said he was “less keen” on same-sex couples adopting children, according to the Associated Press.
Along with Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, who directs and hosts the annual event, the 2023 MET Gala will also be co-hosted by Penelope Cruz, Dua Lipa, Michaela Coel and Roger Federer.
While the show may be known for its glitzy and over-the-top red carpet — with details of what happens inside they often remain mysterious — at its heart is a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.
Last year, the 2022 MET Gala alone grossed $17.4 million, Billboard reported.
This year, according to Page Six, the ticket price went up from $30,000 to $50,000.
History: She explained on Instagram that she wore the flower crown because she wore a similar one for a photo shoot with Lagerfeld when she was 13
Out and about: On Monday, Elle was spotted leaving her hotel on her way to the Met Gala
Even those with the cash aren’t guaranteed entry to the party, although many of the guests are sponsored by the fashion houses who foot the bill for their tickets.
Every guest must be invited, and there is a waiting list for the coveted golden ticket.
And status matters, according to The New York Times, which means the hottest stars are quick to turn up for an invite.
Paris Hilton is among the big names attending her first Met Gala.
Meanwhile, Blake Lively, a frequent attendee, announced she won’t be at the party.
“I’ll watch,” she said, according to People.
Elle Fanning, Kim Kardashian and La La Anthony are among the other celebrities in attendance.
As for Wintour’s role at the bash, Vogue’s editor-in-chief is organizing the party and overseeing the guest list and even the menu.
She has chaired the Met Gala since 1994 and continues to oversee each event.