The Met Gala 2023: Best Dressed

The starriest night on the fashion calendar, the annual Met Gala always draws a stellar guest list to ascend the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in an extravagant sartorial display. The 2023 event was no different, with a theme dedicated to the legacy of Karl Lagerfeld, co-hosted by Anna Wintour, Dua Lipa, Michaela Coel, Roger Federer and Penélope Cruz. Interpretations spanned throwbacks to some of Lagerfeld’s most famous designs plucked from the archives, looks from the storied fashion houses he helmed, nods to his own signature style, his name adorned across accessories – and, on the more outré end of the spectrum, a few homages to his iconic feline companion, Choupette (most notably, Jared Leto in a full, furry cat costume). Talking-point outfits aside, there were other standout moments on the red carpet, including pregnancy reveals from Serena Williams and Karlie Kloss, live costume changes, plus family photo opportunities from the Kardashian-Jenner clan, A$AP Rocky and Rihanna, and Kate and Lila Moss.

After much anticipation, multi-hyphenate star Rihanna closed the 2023 Met Gala red carpet in a white, fitted camisole dress that accentuated her baby bump. The bespoke Valentino Garavani design came complete with a white hood, embellished with camellia flowers, which she revealed to be a glamorous stole. Rihanna matched the dress with white, camellia-flower pumps, pearl-choker necklaces, camellia-flower earrings and fingerless gloves.

Event co-chair, award-winning actor and screenwriter Michaela Coel honored Lagerfeld in a custom, sheer Schiaparelli dress, covered in gold embellishments, as styled by Georgia Medley. In her red-carpet interview, she revealed that her “second-skin” creation took more than 3,800 hours of meticulous work and featured 26,000 mixed stones and 130,000 dazzling crystals. Coel finished the look with statement gold earrings and architectural, gilded heels – also by Schiaparelli.

In her role as official co-chair of this year’s Met Gala, Dua Lipa arrived on the red carpet wearing a vintage white tweed gown by Chanel haute couture, as styled by Lorenzo Posocco. The archival creation first debuted on the fall/winter 1992 runway, when it was modeled by Claudia Schiffer, and features a corset bodice with a voluminous, full skirt, fringed hemline and black, striped piping. Lipa finished the look with silver heels and Tiffany & Co.’s 100-carat Legendary diamond necklace.

Australian actor Margot Robbie was the very last Chanel ambassador chosen by Karl Lagerfeld (before his death in 2019), she told host La La Anthony on the red carpet. For her Met Gala attendance, Robbie chose a black gown from the brand’s spring 1993 couture collection. First worn by Cindy Crawford on the runway, it features an asymmetric neckline and transparent bodice with gold-chain piping. “It’s an honor”, Robbie said of her archival look.

This year’s Best Actress Oscar winner (for Everything Everywhere All at Once), Michelle Yeoh, chose a look from the house of Karl Lagerfeld for the titular event. An elegant white waistcoat dress was paired with black leather pants and platform boots with chain details along the ankle. The look spoke to the most notable elements of Lagerfeld’s personal aesthetic and was finished with decadent diamond jewels.

Singer and songwriter Billie Eilish wore a striking black lace gown, custom-designed by Simone Rocha. The halterneck creation was cinched at the waist with a corset bodice and embellished with sparking black beads. Eilish finished the look with black stockings, pumps and sheer opera gloves – and dyed her hair jet-black to match the dress. On the red carpet, she called Rocha “one of my favorite [designers] in the world”.

Model and co-host of Netflix’s Next In Fashion Gigi Hadid wore a black, sheer cut-out dress by Matthew Williams for Givenchy, as styled by Mimi Cuttrell. The lingerie-inspired design featured an asymmetric sleeve, embroidered with small fans, and a silver orchid brooch attached to one side of the bodice. On the red carpet, Williams explained that fan and orchid motifs were both favorites of Karl Lagerfeld.

American model Emily Ratajkowski is no stranger to a showstopping red-carpet moment. For this year’s event, she wore a beige tulle gown by Tory Burch. Punctuated with black ribbons, black pearls and a dynamic plunging neckline, the design was inspired by flapper dresses of the 1920s. Ratajkowski completed the look with diamond drop earrings, a feathered clutch and a black velvet ribbon in her hair – a nod to Karl Lagerfeld.

Only days after being appointed as Valentino Garavani’s latest Di.Va, brand ambassador Florence Pugh arrived on the Met Gala red carpet in a strapless white gown designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli. The plunging neckline was held together by a sheer black bow, and the drama of the dress was matched by a sharp buzz cut and an eclectic, black feathered headpiece. The black-and-white look was a clear nod to Lagerfeld – through a distinctly Valentino Garavani lens.

Red-carpet veteran Kim Kardashian arrived at the 2023 Met Gala wearing an opulent pearl-covered dress, designed by Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli. “I wanted to be dripping in pearls,” she told host Derek Blasberg. “And what is more ‘Karl’ than the iconic Chanel pearls?” Kardashian’s lingerie-inspired look featured a light-pink corset with a skirt and bust made entirely of strings of pearls. She paired the dress with white heeled sandals and an architectural white stole.

Singer and actor Olivia Rodrigo honored Karl Lagerfeld in a custom black-and-white Thom Browne creation. As a clear homage to the late designer, the neckline of the strapless dress was embellished with monochrome camellia flowers. Rodrigo’s stylist Danielle Goldberg paired the statement look with baguette-cut diamond earrings, black-and-white diamond cocktail rings, and slicked-back hair with an Audrey Hepburn-inspired micro-fringe.

Model Paloma Elsesser wore a stunning navy-blue gown by Luar designer Raul Lopez. The sleeveless dress featured black beading over the shoulders and black feathers along the hemline. Complete with a dramatic train and black platform pumps by Balenciaga, the look was finished by Elsesser’s stylist Carlos Nazario with slicked-back hair, a black feathered hairpiece and diamond rings.

Wednesday star Jenna Ortega took cues from her iconic goth protagonist Wednesday Addams for her 2023 Met Gala look – as well as Lagerfeld’s signature ‘high priest of fashion’ aesthetic. Custom-designed by Thom Browne, the collegiate-inspired corset dress was styled with a black bolero jacket, calf-high stockings, chunky black-and-white Oxford platform heels, and pearl earrings.

In keeping with the 2023 dress code, In Honor of Karl, event co-chair and Chanel ambassador Penélope Cruz wore a shimmering white hooded gown designed by Lagerfeld, from the brand’s 1988 bridal collection. The dress featured a tulle skirt, with an ethereal sheer shell decorated with silver sequins and pearlescent buttons, and was cinched at the waist with a matching belt.

Appearing together on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s world-famous steps for the second year running, Kate Moss and daughter Lila chose coordinating Fendi dresses, paying subtle homage to Lagerfeld – who served as the brand’s creative director from 1965 until his death – via soft pastels and dramatic details. Moss’s dress was an amped-up version of the slip dress she popularized in the ’90s, while her daughter’s featured opulent faux fur and delicate silk embroidery. The pair was accompanied to the event by the brand’s current creative director, Kim Jones, who took over from Lagerfeld following his death in 2019.

Oscar-winning actor Jessica Chastain turned once again to her go-to brand, Gucci, for another stellar red-carpet look – a high-impact, strapless, tiered black tulle confection accessorized with sheer opera gloves and, in honor of Lagerfeld’s signature look, oversized black Gucci Eyewear sunglasses. But perhaps the most dramatic element of Chastain’s look was her hair: the star swapped her trademark auburn tresses for a head-turning platinum blonde wig, telling The Cut, “It’s not forever. It’s for Karl.”