Inside the Met Gala afterparties

The Met Gala returned to New York on Monday night with the celebrity world descending on the Metropolitan Museum for the event.

And after stunning on the red carpet the famous faces headed to various afterparties in the city as they continued their partying into the night.

In one highlight from the various bashes was Janelle Monae posing with a huge Choupette bag in honour of Karl Lagerfeld’s pet cat – while elsewhere Naomi Campbell got her groove on and Kendall Jenner sported her raciest ever outfit.

This year’s dress code for the fashion extravaganza was Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty – paying tribute to the controversial German fashion designer and many took inspiration from Choupette for their outfits.

Glass Onion: Knives Out star Janelle, 37, left little to imagination in a revealing ensemble as she hosted the Boom after party at Boom Boom Room in NYC.

She showed off her toned physique in a tiny black shimmering two-piece.

The bikini featured pearl tassel detail and she wrapped a quirky black coat around her while dancing in the street.

Janelle boosted her height in a pair of white platform trainers, while carrying the eye-catching cat handbag. 

Elsewhere Naomi attended Michaela Coel’s after party at Loosie’s Moxy in Manhattan. 

She looked like she was having a great time as she busted some moves with close pal Edward Enninful. 

She looked great in a black dress which showed off her sophisticated sense of style.  

Elsewhere Kendall Jenner, Rita Ora and Emily Ratajkowski donned their most revealing looks yet as they lead the stars at Zero Bond’s after party. 

The model, 27, looked ravishing in a completely transparent black micro bodysuit that left little to the imagination as she headed to the bash with her new beau Bad Bunny after they both attended the annual fundraising event.

The Vogue cover girl made the streets of New York her runway as she strolled in the very revealing outfit and a strappy black heels.

The racy look featured a pair of cheeky black thong underwear and a black crop top with pearl straps. 

Kendall lead the way while the Puerto Rican rapper, 29 – whose real name is Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio – walked behind her in a white T-shirt, brown jacket, black pants and a large cross necklace. 

Kendall wore her black tresses parted in the middle and pinned halfway back, and accessorised her look with big sparkling diamond studs and a shimmer clutch bag.

Kendall’s sister Kylie was seen arriving for the same party soon after, opting for another plunging black gown that highlighted her jaw-dropping curves.

The makeup guru highlighted her ample cleavage in the sexy black dress with white detailing, with her glossy raven tresses into a mass of elegant waves. 

Earlier in the night Kendall also put on a very cheeky display in a black sequined bodysuit with floor-length sleeves and sparkly silver collar as she stunned at the Met Gala red carpet.

Emily Ratajkowski, 31, was also spotted attending the same bash, and looked incredible in a black sheer gown adorned with pearls.

The model added extra height to her look with a pair of black stilettos and accessorised with a chic black bag. Like Kendall, she put on a cheeky display, showing off her derrière in a black thong.

Kendall was just one of a slew of stars seen making their way to the post-red carpet event with Rita Ora slipping into yet another jaw-dropping outfit.

The hitmaker donned a sexy black bralet and matching studded bottoms adorned with gold chained belts and an array of chunky necklaces.

Rita layered the eye-catching look with a fur and snakeskin coat, while adding a pair of opaque tights with towering platform heels. 

The seriously accessorised look also included a pair of oversized earrings and a series of chunky bangles, teamed with a pair of cool vintage shades.

The Kosovo-born star appeared to be having the time of her life turning the annual fashion extravaganza, as she flashed a beaming smile and waved to cameras.

She skipped the red carpet, but Kate Hudson more than made up for her no show at the Met Gala with a sizzling after party look.

Kate showed off her jaw-dropping figure in a daring black gown which plunged to her naval.

The barely-there dress also flashed her long legs with it’s thigh-high split, with Kate accessorising with glittering heels, and added a pop of colour to her look with a bright red dress.

Olivia Wilde went braless in a daring white crochet dress over black lingerie as she headed into the party, after narrowly avoiding her ex Harry Styles’ flame Emily at the Met Gala itself.

She accessorised her look with chunky black leather boots and a gold clutch bag as she joined a slew of stars in attendance at the party.

Priyanka Chopra, 40, opted for an eye-catching red frock paired with a black tie and a racy thigh split, showcasing her slender legs.

Elsewhere, Gigi Hadid and Leonardo DiCaprio did little to squash dating rumours, as they were spotted attending the same after party.

Leonardo, 48, made a low-key arrival at the star-studded bash sporting a black face mask and a basketball cap with his suit jacket and dark-wash jeans.

Meanwhile, the model, 27, was seen making her arrival at the same venue, flanked by two pals as she smiled for cameras on her way past.

The biggest night in fashion took place on Monday night with a slew of the industry’s most notable stars walking the red carpet to showcase their glamorous and daring looks.

The 2023 Met Gala returned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, with everyone from Kim Kardashian to Paris Hilton attending the fundraising event.

Since 1948, stars have ascended the majestic staircase into a very exclusive party where no selfies are allowed.

In keeping with tradition, the event was held on the first Monday of May and the annual extravaganza kicked off at 6:30PM EST on May 1.

The ball’s theme was Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty. The late German designer was Chanel’s long-time creative director. He passed at age 85 in 2019.

His beloved cat, Choupette, was even invited to the festivities. 

The decision to honor Karl sparked controversy given the many offensive remarks he has made over the years, from slamming the #MeToo movement to opposing same-sex marriage.

‘I’m against it for a very simple reason: In the 60s they all said we had the right to the difference. And now, suddenly, they want a bourgeois life,’ he told Vice of same-sex marriage. 

‘It’s difficult to imagine—one of the papas at work and the other at home with the baby. How would that be for the baby? I don’t know. I see more lesbians married with babies than I see boys married with babies. And I also believe more in the relationship between mother and child than in that between father and child.’ 

While he ultimately showed his support for same-sex marriage at his spring 2013 Chanel haute couture show, he still said he was ‘less keen’ on same-sex couples adopting children, according to AP.

Along with the Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, who runs and hosts the annual event, the 2023 MET Gala was co-hosted by Penelope Cruz, Dua Lipa, Michaela Coel and also Roger Federer.

While the show may be known for its glitzy and over-the-top red carpet – with details of what occurs inside often remaining mysterious – at its heart, it is a fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.

Last year, the 2022 MET Gala alone raised a grand total of $17.4 million, reported Billboard. 

This year the price of admission was raised from $30,000 to $50,000, according to Page Six. But even if you have the funds, that doesn’t guarantee you entry into the party.

Every guest has to be invited, and a waiting list exists for the coveted golden ticket.

And status matters, according to The New York Times, meaning the hottest stars are a shoo in for an invite.

Heiress Paris was among the biggest names to attend the event, in what marked her first ever Met Gala.

However it didn’t go off without a hitch, as her grand Met Gala entrance was blocked by angry climate change protestors who laid in front of her vehicle.

But the small disruption didn’t stop the billionaire from arriving on the red carpet and stunning an off-the-shoulder leather dress.

The best dressed of the night included Met vet Kim, who wowed in an incredible pearl dress, as she seemingly revisiting her Playboy look from 2007 by accident.

Kim wore custom Schiaparelli, covered in 50,000 pearls that were hand-strung and draped onto her body.

The mother of four revealed that she wanted pearls because ‘what is more Karl’ than ‘iconic Chanel pearls,’ she said during her interview on Vogue.com’s livestream.

Pregnant Rihanna, Gisele and Emily Ratajkowski also honoured Karl in their statement gowns as they brought their A-game to the red carpet.

Meanwhile, Blake Lively, a frequent attendee, announced she would not be attending the party this year. ‘I will be watching,’ she said, according to People.

As for Wintour’s role in the bash, Vogue’s editor-in-chief organises the party and oversees the guest list and even the menu. 

She has served as the Met Gala’s chairwoman since 1994 and continues to serve look after look at every event.