The "Superbowl of Fashion", otherwise known at the Met Ball, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, is the opening event of the museum's exhibition entitled "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology".

Through 170 garments from Chanel to Alexander McQueen, the show looks at how designers are combining hand-crafting with machine work.

Through 170 garments from Chanel to Alexander McQueen, the show looks at how designers are combining hand-crafting with machine work.

Andrew Bolton, curator-in-charge of the museum's Costume Institute, says that, contrary to popular belief, garment construction can take longer by machine than hand - case in point, a wedding ensemble by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.

"The dress is actually made from scuba net, so a totally synthetic fabric with very few seams. The train is actually an amalgamation of both hand and machine. So initially it was sketched by hand, by Karl's own hand, transferred to a company to give a sort of pixelated sort of pattern, and then the rhinestones where initially heat transferred. So, machine transferred on to the train, finished by hand painting, and hand embroidered," Bolton said.

The opening night celebration, known as the Met Ball, is considered the Super Bowl of fashion and is attended by many A-list celebrities.

The exhibit will run from May the 5th this year to August the 14th.

Through 170 garments from Chanel to Alexander McQueen, the show looks at how designers are combining hand-crafting with machine work.