From a wedding gown to red opera gloves: The weird and wonderful looks from 2022 Met Gala
Celebrities made their gilded, glamorous entrances at the 2022 Met Gala, marking the event’s return to its traditional slot of the first Monday of May.
This year’s gala invited guests to interpret the theme of ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’, with a dress code of “gilded glamour, white tie”.
For an event considered to be the fashion equivalent of the Oscars, onlookers expected celebrities to embody the grandeur of New York from the late 19th century.
So – did the stars deliver?
Blake Lively
Blake Lively wore custom Versace to the Met Gala, while her husband Ryan Reynolds hit the red carpet in a custom Ralph Lauren suit. Photo: Getty
Blake Lively always stuns on the red carpet and she certainly did at the 2022 Met Gala.
Lively, who was one of the co-hosts of the event alongside her husband Ryan Reynolds, wore an ombré gown with matching opera gloves by Versace.
Inspired by New York City architecture, Lively’s dress featured nods to Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty.
Not to mention, Lively’s arrival at the event included a dress transformation from copper to turquoise.
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Megan Thee Stallion
Megan Thee Stallion rocked her second Met Gala red carpet dressed head to toe in gold. Photo: Getty
Grammy winner Megan Thee Stallion was a golden goddess in a Moschino gown with feather-cap sleeves, a cutout bodice and a high slit.
The artist later posted a slew of selfies from the exclusive event to her Instagram, posing with fellow artist Cardi B, Bridgerton star Simone Ashley and actor Jared Leto.
Taylor Hill
Trains are a given at the Met Gala, so it helps if celebrities add a little something to help them stand out from the crowd.
Enter model Taylor Hill, who wore a royal blue gown with a spectacular train from designer Miss Sohee.
Kid Cudi
Capes were common on the Met Gala red carpet, with celebrities including Kid Cudi donning one. Photo: Getty
Rapper Kid Cudi was one of the few men who veered away from a standard black suit.
He stood out in a custom Kenzo look from Japanese designer Nigo.
Lizzo
Lizzo donned a magnificent custom look from Thom Browne that featured an ornate satin coat with gold embroidery over a black silk corset dress.
The beloved artist paired her look with her signature accessory: A flute.
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian, who shocked fans at last year’s gala with a literal head-to-toe black Balenciaga look, wore Marilyn Monroe’s iconic Happy Birthday dress.
“What’s the most American thing you can think of? And that’s Marilyn Monroe,” Kardashian told Vogue.
Monroe originally wore the dress, embellished with more than 6000 crystals, to serenade US President John F Kennedy on his 45th birthday in 1962.
Kardashian said she lost 16 pounds (seven kilograms) in three weeks to fit into the dress.
Given its fragile nature and historical value, Kardashian only wore the dress for a few minutes as she walked the red carpet, and then changed into a replica dress for the rest of the night.
Alicia Keys
As Alicia Keys sings, “In New York/Concrete jungle where dreams are made of”. Photo: Getty
Empire State of Mind singer Alicia Keys wore the New York City skyline to the Met Gala in the form of a Ralph Lauren black cape.
“My inspiration is our city. New York City forever,” the 15-time Grammy winner said.
Kendall Jenner
Kendall Jenner brought bleached eyebrows to the Met Gala on Monday. Photo: Getty
Kardashian’s half-sister Kendall Jenner wore an all-black ensemble by Prada, with a full skirt and train.
The skirt, which featured ruffled pleating all over, was paired with a crop top.
Cardi B
Versace dressed Cardi B in a gown that took 20 people to make and 1300 hours to complete.
The gown was made from a mile (1.6 metres) of golden metal chains, and featured Medusa medallions and crystal notes.
The neck detailing, which was hand-sculpted, is a nod to the Victorian ruff collar.
Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish put her own spin on gilded glamour at the Met Gala. Photo: Getty
Eilish, who recently became the youngest artist to headline Coachella, wore a custom Gucci corseted gown and completed the look with a gothic choker.
Eilish said her gown was made of “all existing materials so we didn’t have to waste a bunch of stuff – this all already existed, and [we] just wanted to be as eco-friendly as possible.”
Gemma Chan
Gemma Chan, Emma Stone and Squid Game’s HoYeon Jung wore dresses from the Louis Vuitton archive. Photo: Getty
To celebrate circular fashion, Gemma Chan was one of 14 celebrities that were dressed in pre-worn Louis Vuitton looks.
Chan wore the Ellipse dress from the spring 2022 collection, as well as a cape from the 2020 collection.
Bad Bunny
Bad Bunny made his Met Gala debut on Monday wearing a custom look. Photo: Getty
Striking a rather serious pose, Bad Bunny was dressed in a custom Burberry linen boiler suit tailored with puff sleeves and a detachable skirt.
The Puerto Rican rapper completed his look with his hair in a beaded updo.
Kylie Jenner
The younger Jenner turned heads with her choice of a wedding dress. Photo: Getty
Kylie Jenner opted for a bridal gown, designed by Off-White’s founder, the late Virgil Abloh.
It featured a very full, tiered tulle skirt and a mesh top. Jenner also wore a backwards cap.
Wholly unexpected – but perhaps a fitting tribute to the trailblazing Abloh – onlookers were left scratching their heads over this look.
Kodi Smit-McPhee
For his first Met Gala, The Power of the Dog star Kodi Smit-McPhee avoided formal wear completely.
Instead, the Australian actor went for a far more casual look.
McPhee wore a modern Bottega Veneta ensemble, featuring a button-down shirt and jeans.
He paired them with men’s work boots, red opera gloves and Cartier jewellery for a little shine.
Jared Leto
Jared Leto, who famously carried a wax replica of his head to the 2019 Met Gala, is no stranger to standing out from the crowd.
This year, Leto attended the event with Alessandro Michele, the creative director of Gucci.
The pair took ‘twinning’ to the next level, both wearing custom Gucci double-breasted suits with floral bouquet embroideries, red satin bows, matching leather gloves and brown suede clutches.
Both men let their hair down for the night and accessorised with a crystal clip.
Fredrik Robertsson
Last but not least is Fredrik Robertsson, the entrepreneur who was (understandably) mistaken for Jared Leto for his fabulously strange custom look by Iris van Herpen.
Van Herpen is often represented at the Met Gala by celebrities who adore the designer’s futuristic works.
Experimental musician Grimes famously wore a van Herpen gown to the Met Gala last year, accessorising it with a… giant sword.
Anything goes at the Met Gala.
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