After Hours at the Met: Who Really Shut Down the 2025 After-Parties
When the steps of the Met went quiet, the real show began. The 2025 Met Gala after-parties lit up New York City like a couture fever dream — a chaotic, dazzling reminder that the red carpet may belong to the museum, but the night belongs to the bold. Celebrities ditched their curated statements and stepped into looks that felt unfiltered, risky, and loud — exactly how after-hours fashion should be.
This year’s after-parties weren’t just events — they were declarations. Of identity, of style, of cultural power. Here’s everything you missed once the cameras stopped rolling.
May 6th . Written by Ryan Packer | Editor and Cheif of PlannMagazineThe Best After-Party Looks That Outshined the Gala
Zendaya: A Sequel More Stunning Than the Original
Zendaya once again proved why she’s the undisputed queen of the Met, not just on the carpet but beyond it. While her main gala look was already a theatrical hit, she flipped the script for the after-party by slipping into a vintage Patrick Kelly strapless gown drenched in ruby-red sequins and framed with a bold rose print. The entire look screamed drama, made even more iconic by a burgundy feather shawl draped around her shoulders and red pumps that felt part-dancer, part-dominatrix.
She completed the look with a slicked-back ballerina bun and a red lip, channeling old Hollywood sirens with a modern, dangerous edge. The moment felt less like a change of clothes and more like the emergence of an alter ego — one that thrives in dim light, dance floors, and whispered chaos. When Zendaya walks into a party, it’s not an entrance — it’s a shift in atmosphere.
Rihanna: Pregnancy Reveal Meets Punk Elegance
Rihanna didn’t walk the Met Gala carpet this year — but as always, she knew exactly how to make an impact without touching a single step. She arrived at A$AP Rocky’s after-party revealing her third pregnancy in a blacked-out ensemble that combined leather, lace, and oversized tailoring. A ruffled blouse peeked from under a dramatic floor-length coat, while the textures layered against one another like a visual mixtape of rebellion and motherhood.
It wasn’t just fashion — it was power dressing through a Rihanna lens. With slick shades at night and her bump on full display, she turned heads without even trying. While others came to be seen, Rihanna came to declare: she’s still the blueprint, still the rule-breaker, and still rewriting what maternity style can look like. And she did it with a drink in hand and not a single flash of performative modesty.
Hailey Bieber: From Boardroom to Bombshell
Hailey Bieber served one of the cleanest transformations of the night, swapping her blazer-core Saint Laurent gala look for a champagne-toned corseted mini dress that felt dipped in liquid gold. It hugged her in all the right places, cinched at the waist, and revealed just enough leg to remind the crowd she’s not here to play safe. Her hair was pulled back in a soft updo, adding polish to a look that was anything but buttoned up.
The shift in energy between her gala and after-party fits perfectly captured the duality of Hailey’s brand — minimalist at a glance, but deeply considered in execution. She doesn’t scream for attention; she designs the silence that follows her. This after-party look didn’t just work — it whispered luxury, seduction, and ease, all in one breath.
Janelle Monáe: Protest Through Glamour
Janelle Monáe left the gala in a custom red Paul Tazewell suit, sharp and theatrical. But it was what came after that made headlines. She peeled back the layers — literally — at the after-party and emerged in a topless, barely-there ensemble that sparked both fashion praise and cultural conversation. It was a raw expression of freedom, body positivity, and the evolving language of Black femme identity in fashion.
What made it work wasn’t just the skin — it was the intention. Janelle’s look wasn’t trying to be sexy for the male gaze or shocking for headlines. It was a performance piece in itself, continuing her tradition of turning red carpet appearances into storytelling. When the night grows darker, Janelle doesn’t disappear — she reveals.
Sabrina Carpenter & Jenna Ortega: Gen Z Power Dressing
Sabrina Carpenter came through in a tailored black-and-white ensemble: sleek black pants, a crisp white button-down, and a bright yellow Louis Vuitton faux-fur jacket slung effortlessly over her shoulders. The look was playful, structured, and screamed youthful cool. It felt like a ‘90s boyband look crashed into Carrie Bradshaw’s closet — and it worked.
Jenna Ortega matched that energy but brought her own edge. She wore a tuxedo-inspired bodysuit with bold shoulder pads, sheer tights, and knee-high boots — think Morticia Addams on a Vogue cover. Together, they embodied the new face of fashion: less about being ladylike, more about bending gender, era, and silhouette at will. Gen Z didn’t just show up to the after-party — they redefined it.
Where the Night Really Happened
There wasn’t just one party — there was an entire universe of them. After the carpet flash faded, fashion’s elite splintered across Manhattan to chase vibes, clout, and the kind of unforgettable moments you can’t capture with a Getty watermark.
Willy Chavarria’s Soirée at The Mark Hotel
Willy Chavarria’s Soirée at The Mark Hotel was more than a party — it was a love letter to softness, strength, and the beauty of expression. The venue was bathed in moody red light and filled with roses that mirrored the rich tailoring and emotional depth Chavarria is known for. Every corner felt like it was dripping in cinematic tension, as if something sacred was happening under the surface.
The guest list read like a manifesto of influence — Maluma, Michael Kors, and Taraji P. Henson floated through the room, dressed in ensembles that matched the night’s romantic rebellion. There was no loud music trying to dominate attention. Instead, it was quiet power, stylish confidence, and the type of fashion-forward energy that proves luxury doesn’t always need a spotlight — sometimes it just needs intention.
A$AP Rocky’s invite-only bash at Jean’s
A$AP Rocky’s invite-only bash at Jean’s, co-hosted with Ray-Ban, leaned into the chaos — and made it couture. This was the party where boundaries vanished and the fits got unhinged in the best way possible. Megan Thee Stallion walked in draped in a crystallized halterneck gown under a rich fur coat, commanding the room like royalty at a rave. Meanwhile, Julia Fox pulled off an anti-glamour moment in oversized jeans and a latex bra that felt more like performance art than fashion.
The atmosphere at Jean’s was electric and unpredictable — an underground energy mixed with high-budget polish. The playlist shifted from classic hip hop to electro-soul with no warning. It wasn’t a night about networking — it was about being seen by the right people in the right look, at exactly the wrong time. Everyone there looked like they belonged in a campaign, but acted like it was their last night on Earth.
Stella McCartney and Charlotte Tilbury’s bash at Zero Bond
Stella McCartney and Charlotte Tilbury’s bash at Zero Bond offered something completely different: polished, posh, and impeccably styled, even as rain poured down outside. Guests arrived to a British-inspired spread complete with vegan mini burgers, bespoke cocktails, and velvet lounge seating that whispered “private club, but make it fashion.” McCartney’s eco-luxury sensibilities met Tilbury’s glam-soaked beauty bar for the kind of dual-hosting energy that worked like a charm.
Celebs like Anne Hathaway, Chris Rock, and Lauryn Hill made their way through the crowd — low-key, camera-free, and clearly there for the experience, not the attention. The bathrooms were stocked with Charlotte Tilbury touch-up kits and perfume spritzers, because of course they were. If Jean’s was the fashion rave, this was the style salon — classy, curated, and just wild enough to keep you wondering what happened when the doors finally shut.
