We present a sartorial retrospective of everyone’s favourite Met attendee.
In recent years, we’ve come to expect a few things from the Met Gala: a blurry bathroom mirror selfie, a controversial Kim Kardashian moment and a late but totally worth-it Rihanna entrance.
After all, what is fashion’s biggest night sans Rih in attendance? It’s a tauntingly existential question that one should never have to face. The star has become a treasured fixture of the Met steps, reliably serving an abundance of outré ensembles indicative of her distinct eras.
Though she has skipped the event a few times since first attending in 2007, Rihanna is reportedly set to appear at the 2024 Met Gala — with her sharing plans for a “simple” (?) outfit this year. Nothing is confirmed, though, and in true Rihanna fashion, we’ll likely wait until the eleventh hour to see if she shows up.
In the meantime, as the first Monday or May approaches, it’s only right to engage in a necessary pre-red carpet ritual: looking at every Rihanna Met Gala appearance. Find them all below.
2007: “Poiret: King of Fashion”
There is so much to say. The severe side part. The fishnet gloves. The rhinestone embellishments that could have come straight from a 2000s prom catalogue. (Respectfully.) Here, a 19-year-old Rihanna is pictured in a gauzy Georges Chakra gown which she accessorized with a single red rose. This was the star’s first Met, and for that, we must honour it.
2009: “The Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion”
Kris Jenner is shaking! Donning a Dolce & Gabbana suit and teased pixie cut, Rihanna pulled up to this year’s Met in a playful menswear moment evocative of the Kar-Jenner matriarch.
With exaggerated proportions and deliciously of-its-time chunky stilettos, the look made for a memorable sophomore Met appearance. Honourable mention for the beauty — comprising blue eyeliner and subtle grey streaks — which brings a punk mood to the forefront.
2011: “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty”
Life was simpler during Rihanna’s red hair era. The singer’s famous fiery locks are synonymous with her Loud album in 2010, which is widely considered to be a culture-shaping body of work.
For her third time stepping onto the Met red carpet, she fashioned her tresses in a long side braid and an edgy black lace Stella McCartney gown.
2012: “Schiaparelli And Prada: Impossible Conversations”
Now a familiar face at fashion’s biggest night, Rihanna proved that black doesn’t have to be boring with this form-fitting ‘fit. For the 2012 Met Gala, she went moody in a charcoal crocodile-textured Tom Ford dress and long dark talons to match. Her asymmetrical messy buns and half-shaved head marked another era in her musical evolution.
2014: “Charles James: Beyond Fashion”
At the 2014 Met Gala, Rihanna upped the Anti (get it?) on her red carpet style with a silk two-piece set by Stella McCartney. Wearing a structured crop top and body-hugging skirt, the star finished the look with bedazzled stacked rings and perfectly-placed flyaways framing her face.
She recently told British Vogue this was one of her favourite Met looks, and it’s not hard to see why.
2015: “China Through The Looking Glass”
Omelettes will never be the same. This may be Rihanna’s most meme’d Met Gala look yet, and it is also arguably her most iconic. Dreamed up by designer Guo Pei, the gown’s opulent yellow hue and imposing train immediately went viral. It also functioned as prime meme fodder for pan-fried egg comparisons.
As one of the only guests to follow the theme by wearing a Chinese designer, Rihanna hit this look out of the park. Plus, in its unbridled buzziness, the get-up cemented her as the Met Gala guest to watch.
2017: “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between”
What do you wear when the dress code demands “avant-garde” costuming? A floral confection that fuses confetti visuals with stitched-together appliqués. Here, Rihanna honed in on the Comme des Garçons theme as one of the few celebs to actually wear the honoured label to the Met. Not to mention her ethereal glam, which warrants its own dissertation.
2018: “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination”
Much has been made of the Pope’s presence in the fashion zeitgeist. (Look no further than 2023’s puffer jacket kerfuffle.) At this Met Gala, Rihanna brought the discourse to new heights by dressing as the Catholic figurehead in Maison Margiela.
From the cross-shaped motifs to her pearl-embellished mitre, the regal get-up raised the bar on contentious cosplay. But when it comes to serving looks, she blessed us all that evening.
2021: “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”
Who wouldn’t want to wear a bed duvet out into the world? In 2021, Rihanna shut down the Met Gala red carpet in one of the evening’s most talked-about looks. Donning a big hooded gown by Balenciaga, she graced the steps alongside partner A$AP Rocky, who also channeled couch-ready chicness in a wholesome quilted cloak. Comfort for all!
2023: “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”
Here, Rihanna was again the last to arrive — and for good reason. Wearing a frothy Valentino gown covered in sculpted flowers, she channelled a Chanel bride with a contemporary twist.
Then pregnant with her second child, the beauty mogul removed her rosette-covered coat to reveal her baby bump. As she posed with A$AP Rocky, she let her ivory train trail down the Met steps. Side by side, the couple made for the perfect final image to a night that celebrates the connection of clothing. 10/10!