Live from New York: 2015 Met Gala...

The red carpet at the Costume Institute Gala, an annual fund-raiser for the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute, is a crossroad of the arts, fashion and entertainment. Anna Wintour issues the dress code with the Costume Institute’s fashion exhibition in mind.
This year’s show is “China: Through the Looking Glass.”

The 2015 Met Gala has only officially begun, but there's a clear leader in the race for best couple, no small feat at an event that threatens to sap Hollywood of every celebrity it has for the duration of an East Coast evening.

That would be Marc Jacobs and his surprise guest (who, by some miracle, remained under wraps until their red carpet debut), Cher.

“This has been a dream of mine for a very, very long time,” Mr. Jacobs said.

It is Cher's first appearance at the Met Gala since 1997, when she arrived on the arm of Donatella Versace.

    Ms. Kardashian West in Peter Dundas for Roberto Cavalli (Mr. West was also in an outfit by Peter Dundas for Roberto Cavalli.) As a clue to what Mr. Dundas, the newly minted creative director for Roberto Cavalli, might have in mind for his brand come his first show in September, Ms. Kardashian West’s full-on bombshell embroidered nude tulle dress provided much fodder for thought.

Indeed, the only dress that came close in the sheer sweepstakes was Beyonce's custom-made Givenchy. Is this, along with Kim Kardashian West's gown, an argument for a new cross-border transparency? Read between the beads.

Mr. Bieber in Balmain, because, shocking as it is for us to say it, the balance between gold dragons and black tie actually worked for once. Men can have fun on the red carpet too, in moderation. Always in moderation.

Capes, as in emperors, were another red carpet trend (one wonders if they were discarded for dinner, but one does not know, as one was not invited because one is press and press was not allowed), and this version, courtesy of Fan Bing Bing, managed to be both somewhat theme-appropriate, over the top — and also cool. Where’s an Avengers movie when you need one? For further examples, see Lady Gaga’s Balenciaga kimono cover-up, and Rihanna’s fur-trimmed satin number.

    Sarah Jessica Parker in a Philip Treacy headdress (top, right): The most popular accessory was, hands down (or perhaps we should say heads up), the headdress. Many gold versions came courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana (see: Karen Elson, bottom right, looking like a lantern doll; Tabitha Simmons), but this flame-throwing style by the milliner Philip Treacy topped them all. Literally.

Not surprisingly, red was the color of the night on everyone from reality star Kris Jenner to Marissa Mayer, chief executive of Yahoo! (in Oscar de la Renta), Helen Mirren (bottom right) Reese Witherspoon, Rita Ora (top right) — not to mention the new Mrs. Amal Clooney (left.) Ms. Clooney's studded leather bustier and tiered skirt might have mixed some sartorial metaphors, but at least she left the gloves at home.