On a night devoted to fashion it was Zendaya who claimed the plaudits as the Met Gala segued into an array of exclusive, star-studded after-parties on Monday evening, DailyMail reports.
Stars including Hailey Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Jenna Ortega and Anne Hathaway converged on some of New York’s hottest venues following their attendance at the annual fashion extravaganza.
But it was Zendaya who took centre stage, just hours after attending the Met Gala in a white three piece suit complete with single-breasted jacket, waistcoat, and flared trousers.
The American actress, 28, turned heads in another bold outfit during a late night out in New York City.
Opting for a form-fitting red Bardot dress and matching heels, Zendaya, 28, looked typically stunning while exiting her Manhattan hotel flanked by bodyguards
She rounded off the look with a fringed shawl as she made her way to a waiting car ahead of an appearance at one of numerous after-parties held following this year’s event.
Elsewhere, Hailey Bieber put on a very leggy display as she left The Carlyle Hotel and head to a star-studded Met Gala after-party following her solo appearance at the event.
The model, 28, showed off her incredible physique in a gold figure-hugging corset minidress, teamed with peep-toe heels.
She accessorised with a tiny rhinestone handbag and silver jewellery, while her long brunette tresses were styled in a glamorous blow-dry.
As rain fell across Manhattan island, Sabrina Carpenter and Jenna Ortega were arm-in-arm as they made a beeline for their car following an appearance at A$AP Rocky’s star-studded Met Gala after-party.
Sabrina, 25, ensured she stood out by wearing a floor length, canary yellow coat over a smart black trouser-suit as they emerged flanked by security guards.
Earlier that night, Zendaya was praised as a savior of the 2025 Met Gala after a string of what many dismissed as ‘horrendous gowns’
The A-lister perfectly embodied the ‘Tailored For You’ theme of fashion’s biggest night as she donned an all white suit from Louis Vuitton.
She looked absolutely stunning in a white three piece suit complete with single-breasted jacket, waistcoat, and flared trousers.
The Euphoria star added to the ethereal look with a matching tie and massive stylish hat.
She accessorized with a flew platinum diamond encrusted rings on her fingers.
Her signature brunette tresses were tucked into her fashionable hat as she donned dramatic make-up including dark lip and smokey eye.
As Zendaya followed a parade of gowns which many trashed on social media, some fans took to X (formally Twitter) to bringing her fashion A-game while on theme.
One wrote: What we been waiting for [exhale emoji] zendaya you save every single event #MetGala’
Another said: ‘Zendaya said let me hurry and go save this mess. [laughing while crying emoji] #MetGala’
Many critic took to social media to blast some of the looks, primarily those who chose to wear gowns instead of tailored suits like many interpreted the theme to be.
One star who drew the ire of negative commentary was Zendaya’s Euphoria co-star Sydney Sweeney.
The actress arrived to the Met Gala wearing a simple black, cut-out gown but some fans were not into her look.
People rushed to X, formerly Twitter, to criticize it. Some said it was ‘not on theme’ while others called it ‘dull’ and ‘basic.’
‘I fell asleep, yawn,’ wrote another outraged fan
The Met Gala 2025 co-chairs are Anna Wintour, Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, and A$AP Rocky.
LeBron James served as an honorary co-chair this year.
According to biographer Amy Odell, ‘militant’ host Anna Wintour controls every aspect of the guest list, ultimately deciding who is ‘in’ and who is ‘out.’
Kanye West hasn’t been invited since 2022, when Met Gala director Anna vowed to never work with him again after his anti-Semitic rants.
And even before that, he was a habitual Met Gal skipper – his last appearance was actually in 2019 when he attended with his then wife Kim Kardashian.
Earlier this year Kanye seemed to suggest he might crash the Met Gala 2025 after he shared a sketch to X depicting a figure clad in gloves and boots.
Recently Radar Online claimed that Anna was taking the matter seriously after an insider told the publication: ‘Anna is not messing around. There’s a full protocol in place if Kanye is spotted anywhere near the carpet.
‘It’s not just about the outfit – it’s about the chaos he brings. After what happened at the Grammys, no one’s taking chances.’
They added: ‘Anna has made it clear – no drama on her carpet.’
Donald Trump is also very much not welcome at the event with some cultural commentators even remarking that the theme feels very pointed after Trump’s appointment as President.
Emil Wilbekin, assistant professor in the marketing communication department at the Fashion Institute of Technology explained the cultural significance of this year’s theme saying it feels like a ‘resistance’.
He said: ‘With the ‘Superfine’ exhibition happening in this era of [Donald] Trump and anti-DEI, the rolling back of civil rights bills, laws and policies, here comes this exhibition that’s celebrating the very thing being rolled back. It’s a very high and very intellectual form of resistance.’
Anna herself confirmed that he was banned back in 2017 after she told James Corden on an episode of The Late Late Show that he was the one person she would never invite back to the Met Gala.
Trump’s last appearance at The Met Gala with wife Melania was in 2012.
Sex And The City star Sarah Jessica Parker also opted out of the event this year due to work commitments.
Since her first attendance in 1995 the actress, 60, has been a regular at the annual New York fashion event.
Confirming she won’t be able to fit it in her calendar this year she told Entertainment Tonight: ‘I have to work… but there’s gonna be so much to see and I look forward to seeing what everybody does.
‘And I can’t wait to see how they interpret the theme and the sort of homework they did for the assignment.’
The annual invite-only event has a theme each year, with this year’s theme as ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,’ inspired by Monica Miller’s work, which includes her book Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity.
Monica is the chair of Africana Studies at Barnard College, as well as a professor at the institute.
According to Monica, black dandyism is ‘a strategy and a tool to rethink identity, to reimagine the self in a different context. To really push a boundary – especially during the time of enslavement, to really push a boundary on who and what counts as human, even,’ via Vogue.
The 2025 gala theme focuses on menswear, 22 years after the ‘Men In Skirts’ theme – which was the first gala to focus only on menswear.
The Met Gala 2025 was co-chaired by Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Colman Domingo, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour, with Lebron James as the honorary chair.