The Breathtaking 2021 Met Gala Looks We'll Be Talking About for Years

That's right—the time has finally come. After a two-and-a-half-year hiatus, the Met Gala is back, and believe us when we say it's really back. While we typically find ourselves counting down the days in the lead-up to the first Monday in May, this year has us especially on our toes and not just because we've been missing the epic red carpet looks. The 2021 Met Gala, whose theme is In American: A Lexicon of Fashion, will be an "intimate gala" with a guest list that skews notably Gen Z, if the night's co-chairs Billie Eilish, Amanda Gorman, Naomi Osaka, and Timothée Chalamet are any indication.

The looks you're about to bear witness to feature everything from over-the-top feathers and showstopping shimmer to sultry cutouts—many of them fresh off the spring/summer 2022 runways that just wrapped up in New York. They may be all we can talk about right now, but we just know they'll leave an impact on fashion dialogue for years to come. With plenty of breathtaking moments and epic celebrity sightings to enjoy, scroll down to see all the best red carpet looks from the 2021 Met Gala.

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WHO: Rihanna

WEAR: Balenciaga; Bulgari and Thelma West jewelry; custom Maria Tash earrings

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Billie Eilish

WEAR: Oscar de la Renta; Jimmy Choo shoes; Cartier jewelry

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Amanda Gorman

WEAR: Vera Wang; Stuart Weitzman shoes; Chopard jewelry

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Emma Chamberlain

WEAR: Louis Vuitton

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WHO: Kendall Jenner

WEAR: Givenchy

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WHO: Olivia Rodrigo

WEAR: Saint Laurent

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Keke Palmer

WEAR: Sergio Hudson; Giuseppe Zanotti shoes; Ana Khouri jewelry

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Timothée Chalamet

WEAR: Haider Ackermann jacket; Rick Owens pants; Converse shoes; Cartier pin and brooch

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Yara Shahidi

WEAR: Custom Dior; Cartier jewelry

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WHO: Zoë Kravitz

WEAR: Saint Laurent

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WHO: Lily Rose-Depp

WEAR: Chanel

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Iman

WEAR: Harris Reed

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Saweetie

WEAR: Christian Cowan

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WHO: Emily Ratajkowski

WEAR: Vera Wang

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WHO: Jennifer Lopez

WEAR: Ralph Lauren; JLO Jennifer Lopez shoes

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WHO: Addison Rae

WEAR: Vintage 2003 Gucci; De Beers Jewelry

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Serena Williams

WEAR: Gucci

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WHO: Gigi Hadid

WEAR: Prada

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WHO: Naomi Osaka

WEAR: Louis Vuitton

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(Image credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

WHO: Barbie Ferreira

WEAR: Jonathan Simkhai; Mudd Pearl head piece

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz

WEAR: Both in Valentino

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WHO: Gabrielle Union-Wade

WEAR: Iris Van Herpen dress; Jimmy Choo shoes; Messika jewelry

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WHO: Hailey Bieber

WEAR: Saint Laurent

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WHO: Megan Fox

WEAR: Dundas dress; Jimmy Choo shoes

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Megan Thee Stallion

WEAR: Coach; Stuart Weitzman shoes; Fernando George jewelry

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Storm Reid

WEAR: Prada

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Eva Chen

WEAR: Christopher John Rogers; De Beers Jewelry

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Tracee Ellis Ross

WEAR: Balenciaga dress and clutch; Tiffany and Co. jewelry

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Kaia Gerber

WEAR: Oscar de la Renta dress; Christian Louboutin shoes

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WHO: Ella Emhoff

WEAR: Adidas by Stella McCartney

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(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

WHO: Anna Wintour

WEAR: Oscar de la Renta

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WHO: Kristen Stewart

WEAR: Chanel

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Maisie Williams

WEAR: Reuben Selby dress; Nodaleto shoes; Cartier jewelry

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Evan Mock

WEAR: Thom Browne; Lorraine Schwartz

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WHO: Amandla Stenberg

WEAR: Thom Browne

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Ilana Glazer

WEAR: Aliette

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Nia Dennis

WEAR: Adidas by Stella McCartney dress; Ana Khouri jewelry

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WHO: Simone Biles

WEAR: Area

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WHO: Paloma Elsesser

WEAR: Zac Posen

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WHO: Troye Sivan

WEAR: Altu dress; Rick Owens shoes; Cartier jewelry

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Anok Yai

WEAR: Ana Khouri jewelry

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WHO: Normani

WEAR: Valentino dress; Lorraine Schwartz jewelry

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WHO: Dixie D'Amelio

WEAR: Valentino Haute Couture

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Jennifer Hudson

WEAR: AZ Factory

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WHO: Lil Nas X

WEAR: Versace

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WHO: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Aurora James

WEAR: Brother Vellies (Ocasio-Cortez)

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WHO: Lorde

WEAR: Bode

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WHO: Kim Kardashian

WEAR: Balenciaga

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Mary J. Blige

WEAR: Dundas

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WHO: Kate Hudson

WEAR: Michael Kors; Giuseppe Zanotti shoes; Lorraine Schwartz jewelry

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Sophia Roe

WEAR: Halston

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WHO: Laura Harrier

WEAR: Altuzarra

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WHO: Lupita Nyong'o

WEAR: Versace; De Beers jewelry

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Karlie Kloss

WEAR: Carolina Herrera dress; Christian Louboutin shoes; De Beers jewelry

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WHO: Hunter Schafer

WEAR: Prada

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WHO: Joan Smalls

WEAR: Ralph Lauren

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Precious Lee

WEAR: Area

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Zoey Deutch

WEAR: Atelier Versace dress; Stuart Weitzman shoes 

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WHO: Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello

WEAR (Cabello): Jimmy Choo shoes

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Virgil Abloh

WEAR: Louis Vuitton

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WHO: Winnie Harlow

WEAR: Iris Van Herpen

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WHO: Lily Alridge 

WEAR: Ralph Lauren

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WHO: Ciara

WEAR: Dundas dress; Stuart Weitzman shoes; Superbowl ring; Hoorsenbuhs rings

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WHO: Emily Blunt

WEAR: Miu Miu; Messika jewelry

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WHO: Justin Bieber

WEAR: Balenciaga; Jacquie Aiche hoops

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WHO: Irina Shayk

WEAR: Moschino dress; Stuart Weitzman shoes 

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Kim Petras

WEAR: Collina Strada

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WHO: Maluma

WEAR: Versace; ASLAN custom 14k gold glove

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Dan Levy

WEAR: Loewe; Cartier jewelry

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WHO: Pete Davidson

WEAR: Thom Browne; Silhouette sunglasses

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WHO: Jordan Alexander

WEAR: Christopher John Rogers dress; Christina Louboutin shoes

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WHO: Michaela Cole

WEAR: Balenciaga

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WHO: Rita Ora

WEAR: Prada; De Beers Jewelry

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WHO: Cynthia Erivo

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WHO: Carey Mulligan

WEAR: Valentino Haute Couture

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WHO: Tessa Thompson

WEAR: Iris Van Herpen

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WHO: Diane Kruger

WEAR: Prabal Gurung dress; Jimmy Choo shoes; Tasaki jewelry

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WHO: Hailee Steinfeld

WEAR: Iris Van Herpen dress; Jimmy Choo shoes

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WHO: Kacey Musgraves

WEAR: Ralph Lauren

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Eiza Gonzalez

WEAR: Versace dress; Bulgari jewelry

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WHO: Chloe and Halle Bailey

WEAR: Rodarte

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WHO: Taraji P. Henson

WEAR: Moschino; Stuart Weitzman shoes

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(Image credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

WHO: MJ Rodriguez

WEAR: Thom Browne dress; Ana Khouri jewelry

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WHO: Sienna Miller

WEAR: Gucci

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WHO: Tyler Mitchell

WEAR: Bode

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Grimes

WEAR: Iris Van Herpen

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WHO: Rosalía

WEAR: Rick Owens

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Madison Beer

WEAR: One/Of dress; Stuart Weitzman shoes; Lorraine Schwartz jewelry

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WHO: Taylor Hill

WEAR: Atelier Versace

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WHO: Mindy Kaling

WEAR: Tory Burch dress; Jimmy Choo shoes

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(Image credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)

WHO: Julia Garner

WEAR: Stella McCartney

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WHO: Lili Reinhart

WEAR: Christian Siriano

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WHO: Finneas

WEAR: Givenchy; Cartier jewelry

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WHO: Chloe Fineman

WEAR: Tory Burch

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WHO: Whoopi Goldberg

WEAR: Valentino

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WHO: Debbie Harry

WEAR: Zac Posen

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WHO: Lourdes Leon 

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WHO: Erykah Badu

WEAR: Thom Browne

Up next, see the VMAs red carpet looks that shocked and amazed us.

Editor

Anna is an editor on the fashion team at Who What Wear and has been at the company for over five years, having begun her career in the Los Angeles office before relocating to New York, where she's currently based. Having always been passionate about pursuing a career in fashion, she built up her experience interning at the likes of Michael Kors, A.L.C., and College Fashionista before joining the team as a post-graduate assistant editor. Anna has penned a number of interviews with Who What Wear's cover stars over the years, including A-listers Megan Fox, Issa Rae, and Emma Chamberlain. She's earned a reputation for scouting new and emerging brands from across the globe and championing them to our audience of millions. While fashion is her main wheelhouse, Anna led the launch of WWW Travels last year, a new lifestyle vertical that highlights all things travel through a fashion-person lens. She is passionate about shopping vintage, whether it be at a favorite local outpost or an on-the-road discovery, and has amassed a wardrobe full of unique finds. When she's not writing, you can find her shooting street imagery on her film camera, attempting to learn a fourth or fifth language, or planning her next trip across the globe.