There are roughly 450 attendees at the Met Gala each year—and nearly as many people working behind the scenes. Included in that group? The handlers who guide all the evening’s starry guests from the tunnel to the red carpet—and are tasked with adjusting, carrying, and otherwise tending to the night’s many, many gown trains.
Blake Lively, the de facto queen of the Met Gala, made a regal return to the carpet with a 13-foot train that needed a crew of four to assist her disembarking from her Sprinter van. In another instance, Madonna’s Saint Laurent ensemble was accompanied by a group of seven ladies in waiting who trailed the singer from the car to the summit of the Met steps.
Indeed, individuals like Condé Nast’s SVP of Talent, Alison Ward Frank, the team at Karla Otto, and Vogue staff were on hand at the entrance to the tunnel and beneath the tent for just this reason: that is, to prevent any train disasters.
Below, a compilation of our favorite behind-the-scenes fashion moments.
