Ahead of the First Monday in May, early festivities in honor of fashion’s biggest night continued throughout Manhattan with United Talent Agency gathering a group of celebrity clients and friends of the firm on Sunday evening for their fourth annual pre-Met Gala party.

“The Met Gala guest list has always had a mixture of fashion and art, but also film, music, and sport. And being an agency that represents some of the most influential people across all of those areas, it’s a nice nod to all the things that we do,” Darnell Strom, partner and head of UTA UK, told Vogue as the party kicked off.

Charli D’Amelio was among the first to arrive at Nubeluz by Chef José Andrés’ glamorous sky box cocktail lounge. Located on the 50th floor of The Ritz-Carlton New York Nomad, the light-filled space features sweeping views of the skyline, which proved particularly breathtaking during golden hour. The TikTok star looked sleek and polished in an off-the-shoulder black mini and pointed-toe pumps, with her jet black hair slicked back in a half-up, half-down style. 

Shortly after, UTA party regulars Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade entered the soirée alongside Karlie Kloss, who sparkled in a silver slip dress with a lace trim. Before settling in, the husband-and-wife duo took a minute to enjoy the venue’s expansive terrace, stepping outside to take in the scenic views and snap photos amid the sunset backdrop. 

Back inside, guests, with an assortment of Tanquery cocktails in hand, lined up for portraits at the event’s pop-up photo studio, while Lisa Rinna attempted to make her way through the busy room, but was stopped by every other guest, including Ella Emhoff, who greeted the Traitors alum with a warm embrace. 

“My daughter, Amelia [Hamlin], is going to the Met Gala tomorrow. My husband Harry left today, but I stayed because I wanted to come to this party,” Rinna, who spent the weekend pre-Met party hopping, told Vogue in a corner. “Harry doesn’t often do a lot of the fashion stuff… so it’s been nice for him to mingle in that. This weekend has been amazing.”

Rinna, who danced alongside the marble bar in her vintage Rodarte sequin dress and matching boots, wasn’t the only one to bring a sense of fashion-forward drama to the evening soirée. Just before 9 p.m., newly minted UTA client Janelle Monáe made an entrance in a menswear-inspired ensemble featuring an oversized blazer styled with a white collared blouse and black trousers.

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