All the Stars Arriving in New York City Ahead of the Met Gala

Reported by Harper's Bazaar.

The Met Gala hasn't even happened yet, and New York City is already in full fashion-week-but-make-it-couture mode. Every year, the days leading up to the first Monday in May turn Manhattan into a rotating stage for the industry's most camera-ready, and this year is no different — except the pre-parties are somehow more A-list than ever.

Two Parties, One City, Zero Chill

According to Harper's Bazaar, the pre-Gala circuit split into two distinct epicenters. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez hosted the evening's power-crowd gathering, pulling in names like Kris Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian, Venus Williams and Andrea Preti, Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad, Ashley Graham and Justin Ervin, Lindsey Vonn, Vittoria Ceretti, Nicky Hilton, Sam Smith, Lisa Rinna, and image architect Law Roach. Meanwhile, Teyana Taylor threw her own party in Times Square — and somehow made midtown feel like the only place worth being. Hunter Schafer, Jennie, Alex Consani, Naomi Watts, Irina Shayk, Sarah Paulson, and Marc Jacobs all showed up, which is essentially a masterclass guest list on its own.

There's something quietly telling about how the pre-Gala party circuit has evolved. It used to be the warm-up act. Now it is the act — a full-blown fashion moment where looks are debuted, alliances are signaled, and the real editorial content gets made before anyone sets foot on the steps of the Met. The Mark Hotel, a perennial celebrity landing pad, was already logging arrivals, with Hudson Williams spotted making his entrance.

What's clear is that the Gala's cultural gravity has expanded well beyond Monday night. The weekend before is now its own ecosystem — part industry networking, part spectacle, part carefully coordinated soft launch for whatever narrative each celebrity is about to cement on the carpet. Law Roach at a Bezos party. Marc Jacobs at a Teyana Taylor party. These aren't random RSVPs; they're positioning.

The Met Gala remains fashion's most theatrical night, but the real power moves are already happening in penthouse suites and Times Square event spaces the Friday before.

Read the original at Harper's Bazaar.