Met Gala 2023: best dressed celebs including Kim Kardashian and Nicole Kidman - why Beyoncé was not there

Another Met Gala has come to an end, an event which saw the biggest celebrities descend onto the streets of New York City adorned in the most eccentric and fabulous fashion. Like many past iterations , this year's came with a twist as A-listers honoured the legacy of Karl Lagerfeld.

Opening the curtains to a new month, the Met Gala 2023 arrived on 1 May. The event, which is formally called the Costume Institute Gala, acts as as the annual fundraising benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute

Big name stars like Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, Anne Hathaway and Nicole Kidman were among those to pay tribute to the German designer's acclaimed work at Balmain, Patou, Chloé, Fendi, Chanel, and his eponymous label, with their ensembles. The best dressed of the bunch did so in distinct ways, such as by wearing his pearl, bow and tweed-filled collections, as well as through following his own style of crisp shirts and blazers with sleek ties.

So what are some of the world's favourite and most dazzling gowns coming from the Met Gala 2023, and what were the reasons behind some of the major absentees? Here is what you need to know.

Best dressed at the Met Gala 2023

Rihanna and Asap Rocky

Margot Robbie

Pedro Pascal

Nicole Kidman

Kendall Jenner

Dua Lipa

Anne Hathaway

Penelope Cruz

Brian Tyree Henry

Halle Bailey

Why were Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Blake Lively not at the Met Gala 2023?

Beyoncé was once again a no show at the Met Gala in 2023 and has not been at the event since 2016. According to reports, the reason behind her absence is because her much-anticipated Renaissance World Tour kicks off on 10 May in Stockholm, so is understood to be in preparation for it.

Normally one of the major jaw-dropping ensembles at fashion events, singer Lady Gaga also did not show her face in New York for the Met Gala 2023. She was performing in her Las Vegas residency show Jazz and Piano at the time so could not make the express trip to the benefit.

Blake Lively also opted to not appear at the Met Gala 2023 fresh off the heels of her husband Ryan Reynold's success as co-owner of Wrexham Football Club, who were promoted to the English Football League. The actress decided to stay home and watch it from the comfort of her sofa, as rumours suggest that she did not attend as she has recently given birth to her fourth child at the start of the year.

Who was Karl Lagerfeld and when did he die?

Karl Lagerfeld was one of the fashion industry’s most highly regarded and decorated designers, having helmed Chanel since 1983. The son of a wealthy Hamburg businessman, the German also went on to design Chanel's ready-to-wear and couture lines, his own label, and collaborated with Silvia Fendi.

The fashionista is widely celebrated for his renaissance-like intelligence and aesthetic which was often infused with cultural and historical reference points. The designer was also an impressive linguist, versed in German, English, French and Spanish.

He died at the age of 85 following health complications on 19 February 2019. The cause of death was established as pancreatic cancer.

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