Ten films to inspire your sci-fi-chic Met Gala look

Today the Metropolitan Museum of Art revealed the theme of its 2016 gala – Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology, echoing the title of the Costume Institute’s upcoming exhibition. It also announced the event’s hosts – an eclectic group featuring Taylor Swift and Anna Wintour, as well as trio of designers: Nicolas Ghesquière, Karl Lagerfeld and Miuccia Prada.

“Traditionally, the distinction between the haute couture and prêt-à-porter was based on the handmade and the machine-made,” said Andrew Bolton, curator of the Costume Insitute, expanding on the theme. “But recently this distinction has become increasingly blurred as both disciplines have embraced the practices and techniques of the other.”

Last year’s ball was themed according to the China: Through the Looking Glass exhibition and, surprisingly wasn’t the culturally appropriative maelstrom it was predicted to be. Rihanna, for example, wore a gown (launching a thousand memes in the process) by Chinese designer Guo Pei – a garment that took his team 50,000 hours to make.

But how will the guests of this year’s gala interpret the theme? By wearing a 3D-printed piece by Iris van Herpen or a video dress by Hussein Chalayan? In case they want to incorporate a cinematic reference into their choice of outfit, we’ve brought together ten films that see a very literal fusing of man and machine. Check out the gallery below.