While there are plenty of major red carpets throughout the year to get fashion fans' hearts racing (we're looking at you, Oscars and Cannes), there's truly nothing like the Met Gala to have capital-F fashion take the spotlight. This year, the stars, models, luminaries, and more arrived at the storied Metropolitan Museum of Art steps as the beloved institution hosts 2023's Costume Institute exhibition, "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty."
While paying homage to a singular designer isn't new territory for the Met, with past exhibits highlighting Alexander McQueen, Comme des Garçons's Rei Kawakubo, and Miuccia Prada in the past, this time around, the one and only Karl Lagerfeld will be highlighted, known for his work at his eponymous label as well as Chanel, Dior, Fendi, and even his humble beginnings at Jean Patou and Balmain.
Naturally, the attendees paid homage to the Kaiser of fashion, bringing some of his most well-known creations to this year's red carpet. From Cardi B to Penelope Cruz, there were unforgettable throwback looks and, it being the Met Gala, plenty of brand-new major fashion moments that'll live in our hearts and minds forever.
Penelope Cruz
As one of the 2023 Met Gala co-chairs as well as a Chanel Ambassador, Cruz wore an embellished, hooded Chanel ballgown to honor Lagerfeld.
Chloe Fineman
The Saturday Night Live star wore a pink off-the-shoulder dress overflowing with rosettes by Wiederhoeft. She added a crystal cat bag, seemingly as a nod to Lagerfeld's beloved feline, Choupette.
La La Anthony
The TV host wore a white one-shoulder Sergio Hudson gown with chain detail, retro sunglasses, and Stuart Weitzman shoes.
Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa headed to the archives for her look, selecting a gown from the Chanel Fall/Winter 1992 Couture collection originally worn on the runway by Claudia Schiffer.
Emily Ratajkowski
Em Rata wore a tan beribboned Tory Burch gown, bow headband, and Fred Leighton jewelry.
Emma Chamberlain
The YouTube sensation was baby blue in Miu Miu and complementary eye makeup.
Taika Waititi
The director wears a floor-length grey coat over white pants, accessorized with a long strand of pearls.
Phoebe Bridgers
The singer wore a pearl-encrusted black gown by Tory Burch.
Harvey Guillén
Guillén chose a pink tweed suit with oversized rosette details and a long coattail.
Liu Wen
The model wore an off-the-shoulder black gown with a dramatic tulle hem filled with white rosettes by Tory Burch, accented with opera-length gloves.
Rita Ora
The singer wore a sheer black one-shoulder gown by Prabal Gurung featuring a dramatic train, and equally dramatic manicure.
Gabrielle Union
In a sea of black, white, and pink, the actress stood out in a long red dress and coordinating long coat by Prada.
Olivia Wilde
Wilde wore custom Chloé, inspired by the classic "Violin dress" designed by none other than Karl Lagerfeld.
Anok Yai
The model brought the sparkle in a glimmering Prabal Gurung gown with beaded fringe and sheer train. To top it off? A beaded eye mask.
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
Kidman hit her own fashion archive for the occasion, wearing the ballerina pink gown from her iconic 2004 Chanel No.5 commercial.
Quinta Brunson
Brunson attended her first-ever Met Gala in a pink Prabal Gurung gown with a dramatic train, along with De Beers jewelry.
Quannah Chasinghorse
The model wore a pink cutout gown with tulle skirt, along with delicately detailed opera gloves.
Maude Apatow
Apatow wore a black Chloé gown featuring cutouts lined with mirrored embellishments.
Ice Spice
Ice Spice wore a white long-sleeve gown by Balmain, another label that is a part of Lagerfeld's legacy, featuring sheer cutouts from head to toe paired with Effy Jewelry.
Michaela Coel
Coel, one of the evening's co-chairs, wore a beaded gold custom Schiaparelli gown featuring strategically placed embellishments.
Margaret Qualley
Who says you need a gown? Qualley wore a short lace vintage Chanel LBD, along with ballet-inspired lace-up heels.
Naomi Campbell
The supermodel of all supermodels paid homage to her friend in a pink satin gown with silver embellishments from the Chanel Spring/Summer 2010 Couture collection.
Amanda Seyfried
The actress went for short and shimmery in a beaded Oscar de la Renta number and matching heels.
Dwyane Wade
The basketball star wore a leather vest topped with a long overcoat by Prada, accessorized with one of the evening's biggest trends, gloves.
Karlie Kloss
Bump reveal! The supermodel revealed she is expecting baby number two on the carpet while wearing a trompe l'oeil long-sleeve gown by Loewe.
Kate Moss
Moss wore a pale pink lingerie dress custom made for her by Kim Jones for Fendi Couture.
Irina Shayk
Shayk wore a white satin asymmetrical archival Yohji Yamamoto gown (featuring another big trend, rosettes) along with Ana Khouri jewels.
Karen Elson
Elson wore a sheer gown with strategically placed rosettes in black, white, and pink — the colors of the night.
Maya Hawke
The Stranger Things star wore an oversized 3-D detail white coat over a matching mini by Prada.
Iman Hamaan
The model wore a long-sleeve body-con dress with a rope-belt detail.
Eileen Gu
Gu wore a printed peplum gown and gloves from the Robert Wun Spring/Summer 2023 Couture collection.
Usher
Usher wore a black suit, sunglasses, gloves, and added a bit of sparkle with a brooch on his tie.
Adut Akech
Akech wore a tiered black-and-white strapless gown from Carolina Herrera with floral detail on the skirt, and had a dramatic beauty moment with black lipstick.
Grace Elizabeth
Elizabeth added a punch of color to the mostly black-and-white carpet with her multi-pink Christopher John Rogers gown.
Suki Waterhouse
The Daisy Jones and the Six star wore a sheer Spring/Summer 2019 gown by Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi. Jewelry from REZA finished her look.
Precious Lee
The model wore a pink and black gown from the Autumn/Winter 2023 collection by Kim Jones, along with a pink sequin Fendi Baguette and opera gloves.
Ashley Graham
Graham wore a pink-and-black Harris Reed gown with exaggerated hip and shoulder details, and a fishtail hem. She topped the look off with Mikimoto pearl jewelry.
Margot Robbie
Robbie, who has worked with Chanel since 2018, wore a recreation of Cindy Crawford's Chanel gown from the Spring/Summer 1993 haute couture show, featuring a sweetheart neckline, sheer midsection, and black-and-gold boning.
Kristen Stewart
Stewart, who is also a Chanel Ambassador, wore a Chanel tuxedo jacket with black cropped pants and loafers.
Jennie Kim
The Blackpink singer wore a white vintage Chanel minidress with long black gloves, tights, and a choker.
Halle Bailey
The Little Mermaid star went high glam in a sequin halter gown and ruffled wrap by Gucci.
Anitta
Anitta wore a custom Marc Jacobs black gown with white opera-length gloves and platform heels.
Jessica Chastain
The Oscar winner went platinum blonde for the evening wearing a strapless black Gucci gown with a tiered skirt and sheer gloves.
Sydney Sweeney
The Euphoria star wore a pink bejeweled Miu Miu gown with a black bow and long train.
Lily Collins
Emily left Paris for the evening to celebrate the occasion, wearing a black-and-white look by Vera Wang decorated with "KARL" on the skirt.
FKA Twigs
The musician wore a liquid black dress with grey accents by Maison Margiela by John Galliano.
Keke Palmer
Palmer wore a tweed strapless Sergio Hudson dress and baby blue cape.
Emily Blunt
Blunt was the rare celeb to choose pants, wearing a custom sequin-and-lace custom Michael Kors look accented with a bow and rosette.
Daisy Edgar-Jones
Edgar-Jones wore an ab-baring Gucci look with trompe l'eil bows and a rosette at the neckline.
Yara Shahidi
Shahidi gave mermaid vibes in her tan custom Jean Paul Gaultier dress with embellished bodice, along with Cartier jewelry.
Alexa Chung and Tom Sturridge
Chung wore a white Roisin Pierce look with sheer skirt and rosette detailing, along with a ribbon hair accessory.
Kerry Washington
Washington went sheer and lacy in a custom Michael Kors two-piece look topped with an oversize blazer. Her jewelry was from Mikimoto.
Marion Cotillard
Another longtime friend of Chanel, Cotillard wore a sparkly minidress from the Fall/Winter 2007 Couture show with ruffled panels, and showed off a pink pixie cut.
Rachel Brosnahan
Mrs. Maisel, is that you? Brosnahan wore a black gown by Sergio Hudson with a totally sheer top, and connected fingerless gloves (a Lagerfeld signature). She topped off the look with custom Simon G jewelry.
Christina Ricci
Ricci wore a is top and skirt look by Kim Jones for Fendi Couture, made from a trompe l’oeil lurex fabric.
Doja Cat
Doja Cat went as...a cat! The star channeled Choupette with her beauty look while wearing a custom Oscar de la Renta gown and Stuart Weitzman shoes.
Lily James
James wore a strapless black Tamara Ralph ballgown with fingerless gloves and De Beers jewelry — plus, new baby bangs.
Lil Nas X
Leave it to Lil' Nas X to bring the drama! The rapper wore head-to-toe silver crystals — and not much else — plus Choupette-inspired cat whiskers. Team Pat McGrath began studding the rapper with crystals at 8:30 A.M. and finished at 7 P.M., covering him with 5,000 crystals.
Ashley Park
The Emily in Paris star wore a belted black mesh long-sleeve custom Michael Kors gown and — yes! — fingerless gloves. She added Rachel Katz jewels to finish the look.
Florence Pugh
A new face of Valentino, Pugh wore a strapless white gown from the label as she debuted a shaved head(!) at the event.
Alexandra Daddario
Daddario wore a sheer tiered Christian Dior gown and Boucheron jewelry.
Miranda Kerr
The model wore a white embellished Dior Haute Couture corset ballgown.
Jenna Ortega
Ortega channeled her Wednesday alter-ego in a ruffled Thom Browne coat-dress, sheer knee socks, and platform oxfords.
Cara Delevingne
Delevingne was inspired by her friend Karl's classic white shirting and silver hair for her look, which she paired with thigh-high leg warmers. She finished her look with heels from Stuart Weitzman.
Lizzo
Lizzo paid homage to Chanel's iconic strands of pearls with her draped black gown from the label.
Kim Kardashian
Kim followed her polarizing Marilyn Monroe moment in 2022 with a custom Schiaparelli dress made of strands of pearls.
Kendall Jenner
The model wore a black sequin bodysuit featuring a Swarovski crystal collar, paired with black Swarovski crystal boots, both by Marc Jacobs.
Jennifer Lopez
Lopez added a Karl-inspired twist to her signature brand of sexiness in a skin-baring custom Ralph Lauren halter gown and hat.
Camila Morrone
Morrone went for the black-and-white memo in a lace-topped Rodarte gown. She sparkled in Fred Leighton jewels.
Gigi Hadid
Hadid wore a custom Givenchy look with a long train and short gloves, along with Smiling Rocks & Lagos jewelry.
Elle Fanning
Fanning brought a flower-child air to the evening in her custom Vivienne Westwood look and Cartier jewelry.
Mindy Kaling
The multi-hyphenate wore a beaded strapless gown by Simkhai and accessorized with jewelry from Kwiat and Fred Leighton.
Michelle Yeoh
Yeoh wore a billowing white top and long black skirt.
Nicola Peltz-Beckham
The newlywed wears a white, punctuated with a long black bow and layers of necklaces.
Pete Davidson
Davidson wore a black coat, lilac leather trousers, black belt, bucket hat, and gloves by Fendi.
Serena Williams
Another pregnancy reveal! As she hit the carpet in Gucci, Williams announced via Instagram that she and husband Alexis Ohanian are expecting.
Bella Ramsey
The Last of Us breakout star wore a pearl-encrusted skirt suit over pants by Thom Browne, along with black patent boots.
Janelle Monae
Monae did a mid-carpet outfit reveal in her Thom Browne look, first featuring a black-and-white coat and cat bag, and then showing off a super-sculptural hoop dress.
Devon Aoki
A longtime Lagerfeld muse, Aoki attended her first-ever Met Gala in a black-and-white look by Moschino by Jeremy Scott.
Aubrey Plaza
Plaza wore a one-shoulder white gown featuring major cutouts and chain detailing by Stella McCartney plus opera-length black gloves and Effy Jewelry.
Pedro Pascal
Pascal showed off his legs in a shorts look by Valentino, along with a floor-length red coat and black patent boots.
Mary J Blige
Blige skipped out on the black and white in favor of bold blue lace, courtesy of this custom Burberry look.
Allison Williams
Williams wore an apricot belted custom Patou gown inspired by a 1959 design from Lagerfeld's tenure as creative director at the house, plus elbow-length gloves and a headband. She added Mikimoto pearl jewelry to finish off the look.
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas
Chopra wore a strapless Valentino gown with a high slit and ruffled black-and-white cape, along with Bulgari jewelry.
Viola Davis
Viola didn't skip out on color, opting for a custom Valentino gown in the shade of pink we've come to associate with the design house.
Cardi B
The rapper went for a direct Karl homage, wearing a tie-adorned dress by Chenpeng Studio and silver hairstyle.
Olivia Rodrigo
Rodrigo did black and white in a whole new way in her rosette-topped custom Thom Browne dress and Audrey Hepburn-esque baby bangs.
Kylie Jenner
The youngest Jenner sister wore a baby blue and red look by Haider Ackermann for Jean-Paul Gaultier (she is the newest face of the label).
Lea Michele
The Funny Girl leading lady wore a silver sequin cutout custom Michael Kors Collection gown and Jacob & Co jewelry.
Vanessa Hudgens
Hudgens went soft in chiffon thanks to her custom Michael Kors Collection cutout gown.
Billie Eilish
A severe departure from her retro 2022 Met Gala look, the singer wore a vampy black custom Simone Rocha gown with sheer gloves and Cartier jewelry.
Anne Hathaway
Hathaway had people on the carpet asking, "Is that the — ?" "Atelier Versace tweed dress? Yeah, it is."
Maya Penn and Stuart Vevers
Maya Penn wore a custom look from Coachtopia, the storied brand's new circular fashion initiative. Penn is a beta-community member for Coachtopia and an environmental activist. Stuart Vevers, Coach's creative director, was her plus-one.
Rihanna
Last but never, ever least, Rihanna arrived fashionably late in rosette-covered Valentino along with Bulgari jewelry.