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, who's 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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(Image credit: Getty Images)

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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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Keke Palmer

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

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Olivia Rodrigo

WEAR: Saint Laurent

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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: Getty Images)

WHO: Zoë Kravitz

WEAR: Saint Laurent

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Yara Shahidi

WEAR: Custom Dior; Cartier jewelry

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Gigi Hadid

WEAR: Prada

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

WHO: Saweetie

WEAR: Christian Cowan

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Kendall Jenner

WEAR: Givenchy

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Iman

WEAR: Harris Reed

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Lily Rose-Depp

WEAR: Chanel

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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: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Serena Williams

WEAR: Gucci

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Emily Ratajkowski

WEAR: Vera Wang

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(Image credit: Shutterstock)

WHO: Jennifer Lopez

WEAR: Ralph Lauren

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Addison Rae

WEAR: Vintage 2003 Gucci 

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Naomi Osaka

WEAR: Louis Vuitton

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Hailey Bieber

WEAR: Saint Laurent

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Gabrielle Union-Wade

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

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz

WEAR: Both in Valentino

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(Image credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

WHO: Barbie Ferreira

WEAR: Jonathan Simkhai

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Kristen Stewart

WEAR: Chanel

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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

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Ella Emhoff

WEAR: Adidas by Stella McCartney

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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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(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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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Nia Dennis

WEAR: Adidas by Stella McCartney dress; Ana Khouri jewelry

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(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

WHO: Anna Wintour

WEAR: Oscar de la Renta

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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: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Tom Ford

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

WHO: Anok Yai

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Kim Kardashian

WEAR: Balenciaga

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Emily Blunt

WEAR: Miu Miu; Messika jewelry

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Simone Biles

WEAR: Area

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(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

WHO: Troye Sivan

WEAR: Altu dress; Rick Owens shoes; Cartier jewelry

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Dixie D'Amelio

WEAR: Valentino Haute Couture

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Finneas

WEAR: Givenchy; Cartier jewelry

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(Image credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

WHO: Chance the Rapper and Kirsten Corley

WEAR (Chance the Rapper): Ralph Lauren

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(Image credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Image)

WHO: Lil Nas X

WEAR: Versace

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Jennifer Hudson

WEAR: AZ Factory

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(Image credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

WHO: Valentina Sampaio

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

WHO: Laura and Kate Mulleavy

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Paloma Elsesser

WEAR: Zac Posen

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Kim Petras

WEAR: Collina Strada

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Zoey Deutch 

WEAR: Versace dress

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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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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Normani

WEAR: Valentino dress; Lorraine Schwartz jewelry

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(Image credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

WHO: Debbie Harry

WEAR: Zac Posen

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie

WEAR (Leslie): Oscar de la Renta

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Ben Platt

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Nikkie de Jager

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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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(Image credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

WHO: Adrien Brody and Georgina Chapman

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Madison Beer

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(Image credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

WHO: MJ Rodriguez

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

WHO: Dan Levy

WEAR: Loewe; Cartier jewelry

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(Image credit: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

WHO: Sophia Roe

WEAR: Halston

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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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(Image credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

WHO: Megan Fox

WEAR: Dundas dress; Jimmy Choo shoes

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(Image credit: John Shearer/WireImage)

WHO: Channing Tatum

WEAR: Versace

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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: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

WHO: Felix Auger-Aliassime and Nina Ghaibi 

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

WHO: Virgil Abloh

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

WHO: Audra McDonald

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Chloe Fineman

WEAR: Tory Burch

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Maluma

WEAR: Versace; ASLAN custom 14k gold glove

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Lorde

WEAR: Bode

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Donatella Versace

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Rachele Zegler

WEAR: Christian Dior

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Pete Davidson

WEAR: Thom Browne; Silhouette sunglasses

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Cynthia Erivo

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Taraji P. Henson

WEAR: Stuart Weitzman shoes

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Lourdes Leon 

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Irina Shayk

WEAR: Stuart Weitzman

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Rita Ora

WEAR: Prada

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Sienna Miller

WEAR: Gucci

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Tyler Mitchell

WEAR: Bode

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Kacey Musgraves

WEAR: Ralph Lauren

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Lupita Nyong'o

WEAR: Versace

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Justin Bieber

WEAR: Balenciaga

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Erykah Badu

WEAR: Thom Browne

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WHO: Mindy Kaling

WEAR: Tory Burch dress; Jimmy Choo shoes

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WHO: Whoopi Goldberg

WEAR: Valentino

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(Image credit: Getty Images)

WHO: Taylor Hill

WEAR: Versace

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WHO: Hunter Schafer

WEAR: Prada

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

WHO: Julia Garner

WEAR: Stella McCartney

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

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Senior 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.