A glowing fibre optic dress is everything fashion lovers needed from the 2016 Met Gala

Based on what we've come to expect from celebrity culture in recent years, it seemed almost certain ahead of the 2016Met Gala in New York Citythat someone like Beyonc, or Kim Kardashian, or even Kanye West would generate the most buzz with what they wore to Monday night's event.

This was not the case and it wasn't because Madonna outshonethem all by exposing her butt.

The starlet in this year's most-coveted gown didn't show much skin, in fact, especially compared toall the peek-a-booty "naked dresses" on the Met Gala red carpet in 2015.

The belle of the ball wasHomeland actress Claire Danes.

Danes looked breathtaking, wearing a princess-blue Zac Posen gown befitting Cinderella herself.

Beautiful? Of course but so were almost all the gowns on the red carpet Monday evening for theannual fundraisinggala to benefit theMetropolitanMuseum of Art's Costume Institute.

What makes this particular dress more interesting than, say, Kanye'sequally blue (and mildly robotic-looking) contact lenses?

About 30 mini-battery packs sewn into layers upon layers of fibreoptic woven organza, apparently.As the teens would say, this dress is lit:

The hype actually started building for Posen's unique, glow-in-the-dark gown before anyone even knew Danes would be wearing it.

The celebrated American fashion designershared a cryptic snap of a mysterious blondcelebrity being fitted ahead of the gala, prompting his fans to wonder,"Who's that girl?"

Then, he shared what the dress looks like when the lights go out.

This drove the masses crazy.Several names were floated amongst Twitterati as to who the lucky woman wearingthe dress might beRachel McAdams,HeidiKlum,and Lady Gagaamong them. But when Danes showed up to the ball with Posen on her arm, the secret was out.

Lucky for the well-liked actress, fashion lovers seemed more congratulatory than jealous.Overall, Danes wore what turned out to themost widelypraised of anything on theMet red carpet this year.

While the positive reception might appear to beagood thing for Posen, it'sactually kind of bittersweet unless, of course, he has thousands of these dresses ready to sell immediately.

Check out more photos fromthe 2016 Met Gala below, or replay our live blogof the red carpet arrivals here.