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See All of the Red Carpet Looks from the 2021 Met Gala

Modern America meets high fashion.

By and Harper's Bazaar Staff
new york, new york   september 13 rihanna attends the 2021 met gala celebrating in america a lexicon of fashion at metropolitan museum of art on september 13, 2021 in new york city photo by theo wargogetty images
Theo Wargo//Getty Images

It's the most wonderful time of the year in fashion. After a 2020 hiatus from Met Gala season, the annual fashion party has finally made its return on a smaller, pandemic-friendly scale. Though, the evening's set of looks have proven just as extravagant and memorable as any other year.

On Monday, celebrities and designers officially reconvened on the red carpet, bringing their A-game to the year's most anticipated event in fashion in a slew of expressive looks, from chic sets to embellished gowns—as well as everything else in between. For this year's theme, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, the style is all about modern America, playing up tropes of expression, individuality and freedom. In other words, the looks are bound to be as over-the-top dramatic, ironic, and political as you'd imagine.

“I really do believe that American fashion is undergoing a renaissance," said Andrew Bolton, the Wendy Yu Curator in Charge of the Costume Institute. "I think young designers in particular are at the vanguard of discussions about diversity and inclusion, as well as sustainability and transparency, much more so than their European counterparts.”

For a glimpse into the takes on the fashion event's most patriotic theme, see all the celebrity red carpet looks from the 2021 Met Gala ahead.

1

Rihanna

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in Balenciaga

2

Lily Aldridge

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in Ralph Lauren

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3

Laura Harrier

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in Altuzarra

4

Ava DuVernay

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in Prada

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5

Amandla Stenberg

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in Thom Browne

6

Kid Cudi

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in Louis Vuitton with a KAWS x Ben Baller chain

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7

Paloma Elsesser

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in Zac Posen and Ana Khouri jewelry

8

Joan Smalls

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in Ralph Lauren and Ana Khouri jewelry

9

Diane Kruger

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in Prabal Gurung and Tasaki

10

Kehlani

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in Aliette

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11

Emma Raducanu

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in Chanel

12

Janet Mock

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in Valentino Haute Couture

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13

Normani

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in Valentino Haute Couture

14

Carey Mulligan

new york, new york   september 13 carey mulligan attends the 2021 met gala celebrating in america a lexicon of fashion at metropolitan museum of art on september 13, 2021 in new york city photo by jeff kravitzfilmmagic
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in Valentino Haute Couture

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15

Venus Williams

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in Atelier Prabal Gurung

16

Natalia Bryant

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in Conner Ivers

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17

Indya Moore

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in Saint Laurent

18

Emily Ratajkowski and Vera Wang

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in Vera Wang Haute

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19

Hunter Schafer

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in Prada

20

Lily-Rose Depp

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in Chanel

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