Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna and Beyonce to rock futuristic fashion vibe. Buckle up!

The stars will be rocking a futuristic fashion vibe at this year’s Met Gala. Buckle up!

Rihanna, Beyonce, Jay Z, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Sarah Jessica Parker. Pictures: Getty Images.

Sure, there are couture and ready-to-wear fashion shows in Paris, Milan, New York and London throughout the year. There are the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the BAFTA’s, the SAGs and closer to home, umm, the Logies? *Insert wide-eyed emoji here.

But as far as a serious, glamorous, no-holds-barred fashion event is concerned, nothing comes close to the annual Met Gala in New York, held on the first Spring Monday night in May each year.

Think of this annual, Costume Institute event (our time Tuesday morning) as the ‘Olympics’ of style; the grand final of the grandiose; the 21st century pinnacle of designer style.

OK, so what exactly IS the Met Gala?

Sarah Jessica Parker looking fierce in her Met Gala hat created by Philip Treacy for her 2015 look. Picture: Instagram.

Basically the Gala ball acts as a precursor and major fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit.

Celebs don’t pay for the privilege to attend, but if you are a paying guest, tickets are usually around the $25,000 per head mark. No, I did not add a ‘0’ in there.

And hey, if Vogue editing guru Anna Wintour invites you and you’re a celeb of serious repute, well, you kind of have to go, right?

Here is an easy-to-decipher guide to what it is all about and the type of fashion and the celebs we can expect to see on the red carpet from New York.

To get you in the mood, take a quick look at the trailer of the documentary made all about last year’s seriously grand event, aptly titled First Monday in May

WHO RUNS THIS SHOW:

The all-powerful American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour has been at the helm of the event since 1995 and like the total professional she is, selects an honorary ‘chair’. This year she has chosen everyone’s fave and ever-fashionable Taylor Swift as her running mate. (Imagine those planning meetings? Gold!)

One of Taylor’s best pals has already told us who Taylor’s date is. And it isn’t her BF, Calvin Harris.

“We are going together,’’ Selena Gomez told Access Hollywood.

“It’s so fun; it’s going to be the best. It’s kind of prom for fashion.”

Anna Wintor rules the roost when it comes to the Met Gala. Here she is at the recent 2016 Tribeca Film Festival opening night of the doco, First Monday in May. Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival

Taylor Swift at the Met Gala in 2014. Picture: Andrew H. Walker

This year’s ‘honorary’ chairs include the unstoppable Chanel and Fendi designer Karl Lagerfeld, Prada and MiuMiu chieftain Miuccia Prada and Louis Vuitton designer Nicolas Ghesquière, while Apple is the major sponsor of the whole shebang.

THEME:

Following on from the mega successful ‘China: Through a Looking Glass’ theme last year, this year it is ‘Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology’. Simply, it is about the fusion of machine-made and mad-made fashion.

While guests are encouraged to dress to theme, this year the vibe will be way on-trend with the likes of metallics, armour-inspired pieces and techno fabrics (those that have been laser cut and hey, can we expect some sporty, tech fabrics?) already standouts on the runways and retail racks. The invite actual says “tech white tie”, so read into that what you will.

Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West aware guests at the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum last year. Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris

THE GUESTS:

Word is that Ms Wintour and the Costume Institute have been a tad silent on the year’s cast list (which is around the 700 people mark) but you can bet your latest pair of Manolo’s that, along with Taylor, there will be a Kardashian, Kanye, Jenner or two; perhaps Met Gala fave Rihanna; the always beautiful Beyonce; the bold Baz Luhrmann; the style-minded SJP and a swag of A-team designers, often on the arms of various celebrities, who are usually wearing one of their designs.

Last year’s ‘mega’ performer at the ball was Rihanna and the current money for this year is on Beyonce.

Rihanna attended and performed at the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum last year. Picture: Mike Coppola

YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE:

The Met has never been televised live. And as it gained so much momentum since it started in 1995, E! has decided to cover it with a ‘Live from the Red Carpet’ special.

Instagram, too, will also be showcasing the best videos from within the Met Ball through a video channel dedicated especially to it and if you look at news.com.au throughout the day, we’ll be keeping you updated too.

So, ahead of Aussie budget lockouts and the, well, serious news of the day, immersing yourself in some fashion fantasy may just be the tonic for a beautiful Aussie autumn day.

Follow Melissa in Instagram and Twitter @melisahoyer

Originally published as Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna and Beyonce to rock futuristic fashion vibe. Buckle up!