Vogue gives first look at upcoming Met Costume Exhibition - China: Through the Looking Glass

The American magazine gives readers a first glimpse of the designs on display in its May issue.

Vogue shoot looks from upcoming exhibition China: Through the Looking Glass (Vogue/Steven Meisel)

Vogue has given readers a first look at the fashion exhibition due to open next month at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Dresses from the exhibition are the subject of a shoot in the May issue with photographs by Steven Meisel, styled by Grace Coddington and modelled by Fei Fei Sun.

China: Through the Looking Glass is the result of a collaboration between The Costume Institute and the Met's Department of Asian Art.

The eagerly anticipated exhibition examines the relationship between western fashion and the the influence of Chinese cluture.

Vogue shoots looks from upcoming exhibition China: Through the Looking Glass (Steven Meisel/Vogue)

Visitors can expect to see designs on show from the likes of Alexander McQueen, Karl Lagerfeld, John Galliano and Tom Ford as well as displays from the worlds of art and film.

The exhibition will open next month in New York, but not before the annual Met Gala which takes place on May 4th, preceding the opening of the exhibition and provides the opportunity for fashion designers and celebrities to collaborate in support of the museum.

Earlier this week the list of attendees was revealed - as previously announced Jennifer Lawrence will co-chair the event alongside Anna Wintour. Other guests include Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Anne Hathaway, Blake Lively, Sienna Miller, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Dakota Johnson, Carey Mulligan, Julianne Moore, Karlie Kloss and Cara Delevingne.

China: Through The Looking Glass runs from May 7th - August 16th metmuseum.org

The May 2015 issue of Vogue is on newsstands now.