For most people, today is just a sunny Monday in May. For insiders and fans of fashion and pop culture, today is the first Monday in May, the only Monday that makes us tingle with anticipation and might even keep us up all night, eyes glued to images broadcast live from New York. Today is the Met Gala. And if there’s one adjective to describe this now-legendary cultural event, it’s exclusive. Between the exorbitantly priced seats purchased by major luxury brands who then select their guests, and the need to be approved by Madame Wintour herself to make it onto the seating chart, getting the chance to walk the most iconic red carpet in New York—and more importantly, to attend the most prestigious and private gala in the Big Apple—is no small feat. And yet, among all the Hollywood A-listers, supermodels of yesterday and tomorrow, and pop stars who light up our lives, there are always one or two Frenchies each year.
Last year, the French ambassadors for the evening were Aya Nakamura, stunning in a floral embroidered mermaid dress by Balmain, Léna Mahfouf, divine and perfectly on-theme in Schiaparelli, and Isabelle Huppert, still effortlessly modern in Balenciaga. The year before, it was Angèle, Carla Bruni, Marion Cotillard, and Charlotte Casiraghi, all four dressed by Chanel, proudly representing the Francophone world. But what about this year? While we already know the identities of the gala’s co-chairs—Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky, Lewis Hamilton, and Pharrell Williams—no French celebrities have been confirmed yet. Still, we have a strong feeling that some of our stars will surely show up tonight at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Our top pick? None other than Angèle. In addition to Instagram stories posted yesterday featuring a skyline that can only be New York’s, the Belgian singer’s recent appointment as ambassador of Chanel’s new Chance fragrance only strengthens our suspicion that she’ll attend tonight. She’s collaborated with the Rue Cambon house for years and wore their design for her Met debut in 2023. But this year marks a milestone for Angèle, who not only lends her face to the brand but also wrote and performed a song for Chanel’s new fragrance campaign. With her radiant smile and sparkling eyes plastered from Paris to Tokyo, her appearance at the Met would make perfect sense (and be well deserved). The same goes for her friend Léna Mahfouf, aka Léna Situations, who wouldn’t be a Met rookie either. After walking the red carpet (or rather, toothpaste-colored carpet) in 2022 and again in 2024, her attendance is highly anticipated—though far from certain, since she announced in a live Twitch session last night that she wouldn’t be attending due to other ongoing projects. Still, after last year’s surprise and her tendency to keep secrets, we prefer to stay in denial—just in case we get a happy surprise tonight.
In the film world, we’re almost certain to see our favorite French-American: Timothée Chalamet. After a successful promo tour dressed as Bob Dylan for A Complete Unknown, frequent appearances with his sweetheart Kylie Jenner, and his recurring Met Gala presence, it’s nearly a given that we’ll see him tonight. Maybe with a Chanel bag or in a dandy Dylan twist—who knows? His ex-girlfriend Lily Rose Depp is also likely to attend, a Met regular and Chanel darling. Also on the actor list is Isabelle Huppert, a Balenciaga muse who’s no stranger to the Met. A possible but less certain attendee is Adèle Exarchopoulos, who last walked the carpet in 2014 in Louis Vuitton while nominated for a César for Blue is the Warmest Colour. Following this year’s success of L’amour Ouf, she could be back—perhaps accompanied by co-star François Civil. There’s also a chance we’ll see Charlotte Gainsbourg, another Met veteran who currently shines in the American series Étoile.
Last but not least: in the singer category at the 2025 Met Gala, we call Yseult. After conquering Europe, the French singer started gaining international traction last summer following a breathtaking performance of My Way by Frank Sinatra at the Paris Olympics closing ceremony. Her rendition, of course, reached American ears, earning her the title of most-listened-to Francophone artist worldwide and landing her an invite last September to The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, one of America’s most beloved late-night shows. So we wouldn’t be surprised to see the star step onto the MoMA carpet tonight. Until the clock strikes midnight (European time) and our Cinderellas arrive at the Met steps, our predictions on guests and their outfits remain wide open. Ready, set, place your bets.
