Bouclé, Baby Bumps, and Bedazzled Bodies: The Met Gala’s Best Looks

It’s the first Monday in May which, for those in the know, is the day scores of our favourite A-Listers traipse the red carpet in the name of fashion – and charity, supposedly. Falling just once a year, the fundraiser has become one of the most prominent, exclusive and glamorous events in the world. 

This year’s theme for the evening: Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty. In honour of the late legendary designer, celebrities and designers alike have been busy brainstorming how to capture Lagerfeld’s genius. Having lent his expertise to Chloé, Balmain, Fendi, and Chanel over the years, attendees had a plentiful archive to reference. 

Amongst a somewhat disappointingly monochromatic wave of outfits, there were but a few surprising highlights. From Doja’s Cats cosplay to the gothic get-up of Phoebe Bridgers, read on for the best bits of this year’s Met Gala.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky

Rihanna gave a whole new meaning to maternity wear in a pristine flowing Maison Valentino gown and rosette-decorated upper half and hood. She walked the carpet alongside beau A$AP Rocky, who sported a high-low kilt over bedazzled jeans. The Harlem-hailing rapper finished off his Gucci-suited upper half in black sunnies to match Riri’s falsie-embellished sunnies.

Doja Cat

Shining like gloss as per usual, Doja delivered a glittering feline look inspired by Lagerfeld’s beloved fur bestie, Choupette. Silver ears attached to her silver Oscar de la Renta gown furthered the effects of her off-kilter, kitten-inspired facial prosthetics.

Phoebe Bridgers

Bedecked in pearls, Bridgers glided through the event in a slinky black textured dress by no other than Tory Burch. The “Motion Sickness” singer’s mesh gown was a subtle take on the skeleton iconography that’s become a signature part of her style.

Dua Lipa

The Met Gala co-chair pulled out all the stops with a vintage Chanel number for this year’s event. Though her cream-coloured gown harks back to the classic bouclé tweed jacket, what really stood out was the jaw-dropping Tiffany & Co gem around her neck. 

Lil Nas X

Though X may have taken a little bit of creative licence with the theme this year, his hardly-there outfit certainly made an impact. The musician was covered in silver paint and rhinestones in what seemed an attempt to blend in with the dinner’s sparkling cutlery. With platformed boots and a thong to hide his decency, Lil Nas X gave a hard no to playing it safe. 

Jennie Kim

Twitter’s already had its field day with Jennie Kim from BLACKPINK’s first-ever Met Gala appearance – so here’s the low down. One of Lagerfeld’s esteemed muses, Jennie strode the carpet in a vintage Chanel mini dress. The centrepoint of the scalloped-edged piece was a signature rosette, and she accessorised the retro look simply with black stockings, gloves, and platform heels.

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish made fashion girlies happier than ever in her corseted gothic get-up. Made with patchworked repurposed fabrics, the lacy Simone Rocha mini dress was decorated with a tweed harness and embellished hips. Hand-beaded tulle gloves and stockings worked alongside the statement high neck, adding the perfect touch of Gala glamour. 

Rita Ora

With jewels literally dripping from her manicured fingertips, Rita Ora’s bewitching look is one for the Gala’s history books. Designed by Prabal Gurung, Rita’s gown was a textural cocktail, comprising the likes of mesh, lace, ruching and ruffles. The entirely black ensemble also featured a lace choker and cape, bringing her seductive sorceress look to new heights.

Erykah Badu

A yeti, the Ghost of Christmas Past, and simply Sia are all ways Erykah Badu’s all-white ensemble has been marked on Twitter. The “On & On” songstress wore a frayed white wig, and Chanel-inspired beaded dress by Marni – with whom she’s been working on a new collection. 

Halle Bailey

In the run-up to the release of the live-action Little Mermaid, Ariel actor Halle Bailey’s making waves on the Met Gala’s steps. The singer of sister duo Chloe and Halle wore a sheer, glistening white dress with a bridal flair that’s bound to get Eric blushing. She donned the Gucci gown with a matching coral-like ruffled cape.