Iconic American Style Reigned Supreme at the 2021 Met Gala

After a year hiatus, the fashion world’s “Oscars” have finally arrived on the Met Gala 2021 red carpet, and boy was it worth the wait.

From Lil Nas X’s transformation into a golden suit of armour to Billie Eilish’s nostalgic ode to Holiday Barbie, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour got exactly what she wished for on the Met Gala 2021 red carpet. “I’m so grateful for the effort people make and how much fun they seem to have and how fearless they are on the Met Gala carpet,” Wintour declared on the Vogue.com livestream. “It’s a beacon call for individuality.”

This year’s evening, co-chaired by Amanda Gorman, Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish and Naomi Osaka, celebrates the Costume Institute’s latest exhibition, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” The patriotic theme came through in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways. On the far end of the spectrum, Gorman worked with Vera Wang on a look inspired by the Statue of Liberty, including a handbag that read, “Give us your tired.” Congresswoman Amanda Ocasio Cortez followed suit wearing a white gown with the message “Tax the Rich” on the back by Canadian Aurora James of Brother Vellies. Other guests on the Met Gala 2021 red carpet took a less obvious approach such as JLo’s modern cowgirl couture by Ralph Lauren and Lorde’s embellished Bode ensemble.

But American fashion wasn’t all that was celebrated with plenty of Dior, Valentino and Versace in the air. And Canadian fashion got an unexpected shout out when a commentator asked Grimes, who was poured into a gown by Holland’s Iris Von Herpen, why she had left Canadian fashion behind. “I’ll always be a part of Canadian fashion because Canadian fashion is sick,” she shot back.

Scroll through the Met Gala 2021 red carpet gallery for the most memorable appearances.

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Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

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Lil Nas X in Versace