Ah, the Met Gala is back. Inarguably the most important night in fashion (and almost the only red – well, technically cream – carpet we’re interested in), the 2021 Met Gala returns after being postponed indefinitely last year (with the 2020 theme being About Time: Fashion and Duration). Marking a departure from the usual date of the first Monday in May, the 2021 Met Gala is split into two parts; the first of which takes place today, the 13th of September. The theme for the 2021 Met Gala is In America: A Lexicon of Fashion. The accompanying exhibit opens on the 18th of September and is expected to be an homage to young and emerging American designers.
The theme was in part inspired by the question “who gets to be American,” proposed by Prabal Gurung at the designer’s tenth anniversary runway show in September 2019. Greeting guests at the Anna Wintour Costume Centre is a red, white, and blue Prabal Gurung silk sash emblazoned with the question. “American designers are at the forefront of conversations around diversity, inclusivity, sustainability, gender fluidity, and body positivity,” Met curator Andrew Bolton explained to Vogue. “The framework of the show enables us to focus on the younger designers who are engaging thoughtfully and deeply with those ideas.”
Taking a millennial approach to this year’s event, the 2021 Met Gala is co-chaired by Billie Eilish, Timothée Chalamet, Naomi Osaka, and Amanda Gorman. Notable changes to this year’s Met Gala include the introduction of vaccine mandates, face masks on the red carpet, and physical distancing. However, the most controversial change comes in the form of inviting TikTokers and YouTubers to the event, with both Addison Rae and Emma Chamberlain on the guest list.
Naturally, the Met Gala has the tendency to turn us all into farrshunnn critics. So, slip into your best silk pyjamas and judge away. All the 2021 Met Gala looks below.
Anna Wintour in Oscar de la Renta
Billie Eilish in Oscar de la Renta
A$AP Rocky in ERL & Rihanna in Balenciaga
Justin Bieber in Drew & Hailey Bieber in Saint Laurent
Normani in Valentino
Barbie Ferreira in Johnathan Simkhai
Chloe & Halle Bailey in Rodarte
Zoë Kravitz in Saint Laurent
Whoopi Goldberg in Valentino
Lily-Rose Depp in Chanel
Carrey Mulligan in Valentino
Margaret Qualley in Chanel
Brooklyn Beckham & Nicola Peltz in Valentino
Emma Chamberlain in Louis Vuitton
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez & Aurora James in Brother Vellies
Lil Nax X in Versace
Lil Nax X in Versace
Lil Nax X in Versace
Kim Petras in Collina Strada
Lorde in Bode
Frank Ocean in Prada and Homer
Emma Raducanu in Chanel
Felix Auger-Aliassime n Ermenegildo Zegna
Cara Delevingne in Dior
Evan Mock in Thom Browne
Addison Rae in Tom Ford
Ben Platt in Christian Cowen
Ella Emhoff in Stella McCartney
Julia Garner in Stella McCartney
Iman in Harris Reed
Helen Lasichanh & Pharrell Williams in Chanel
Channing Tatum in Versace
Keke Palmer Sergio Hudson
Gigi Hadid in Prada
Lewis Hamilton in Kenneth Nicholson
Kaia Gerber in Oscar de la Renta
Lili Reinhart in Christian Siriano
Rosé Park and Anthony Vaccarello in Saint Laurent
Paloma Essler
Irina Shayk in Moschino
Megan Fox in Dundas
Karlie Kloss & Wes Gordon in Carolina Herrera
Emily Blunt in Miu Miu
Tom Ford in Tom Ford (obviously)
Ilana Glazer in Aliette
Naomi Osaka in Louis Vuitton (co-designed by Nicolas Ghesquière & Osaka’s sister Mari)
Amanda Gorman in Vera Wang
Timothée Chalamet in Haider Ackermann
Ciara in Dundas
Jennifer Hudson in AZ Factory
Kit Harrington in Saint Laurent & Rose Leslie in Oscar de la Renta
Amandla Stenberg in Thom Browne
Jasmine Tookes
Serena Williams in Gucci
Lupita Nyong’o in Atelier Versace
Megan Thee Stallion in Coach
Emily Ratajkowski in Vera Wang
Jennifer Lopez in Ralph Lauren
Kim Kardashian in Balenciaga
Kendall Jenner in Givenchy
Zoey Deutch in Harry Winston
Storm Reid in Prada
Madison Beer
Imaan Hammam
Jordan Alexander in Christopher John Rogers
Taylor Hill
Eva Chen
Finneas
Dan Levy in Loewe
Olivia Rodrigo in Saint Laurent
Cordae Dunston
Elliot Page in Balenciaga
Nikkie de Jager
Maisie Williams in Thom Browne
Troye Sivan in Altu
Yara Shahidi in Dior
Tracee Ellis Ross in Balenciaga
Pete Davidson in Thom Browne
Saweetie in Christian Cowan
Virgil Abloh
Megan Rapinoe in Sergio Hudson
Precious Lee in Area
Words by AR Staff
All images courtesy of Getty Images
