It’s been called the Oscars of the East Coast as the biggest names in fashion and entertainment arrived in dazzling costumes for this year’s Met Gala.

The star-studded event in New York celebrates the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new exhibit, Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology, with outfits following a theme of the convergence of man and machine.

Curator Andrew Bolton said the exhibit seeks to prove that the machine is an “equal protagonist” to the hand in creating the best fashions.

Anna Wintour and her daughter Bee Shaffer
Anna Wintour and her daughter Bee Shaffer (Evan Agostini/AP)

Met Gala chairwoman Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, wearing a white body-hugging gown by Chanel, arrived with her daughter Bee Shaffer, who wore an elegant black gown from Alexander McQueen.

Taylor Swift, one of the evening’s co-hosts, embraced the evening’s theme with a short silver-sequinned Louis Vuitton gown with high black gladiator sandals. Her close friend Selena Gomez also wore an outfit by the same designer.

Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift (Evan Agostini/AP)
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez (Evan Agostini/AP)

Poppy Delevingne wore low-cut silver tiered spangles and jewels on a Marchesa gown, her platinum hair hanging loose, while Rita Ora also wore silver in a Vera Wang gown.

Poppy Delevingne
Poppy Delevingne (Clint Spaulding/AP)
(Evan Agostini/AP)
Rita Ora wears a Vera Wang gown (Evan Agostini/AP)

Supermodel Cindy Crawford wore a classic long metallic silver Balmain, while actress Alicia Vikander took the idea of “machine” to a new level in a multi-coloured mini dress paired with a pair of Louis Vuitton combat boots.

Alicia Vikander arrives in a Louis Vuitton dress
Alicia Vikander arrives in a Louis Vuitton dress (Evan Agostini/AP)

Idris Elba, one of the event’s co-hosts, wore a white tie and black tails from Tom Ford and had some advice on how to get ready for the gala.

Idris Elba
Idris Elba (Charles Sykes/AP)

“Take your time. Make sure your shirt’s down and the whites of the cuffs are out,” he said.