The Best Met Gala Entrances, from Lady Gaga to Rihanna

Lady Gaga’s striptease! Rihanna’s meme-worthy cape! We’re rounding up the most show-stopping Met Gala red carpet moments

Karwai Tang/Getty; Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

A night to remember.

Held each year at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Met Gala is a fundraising effort for the museum’s Costume Institute — as well as a chance for the world’s most stylish stars to show off their most creative looks.

The all-important theme of the Met Gala not only informs the evening’s dress code but ties into the museum’s exhibits, which is ultimately the entire point of the gala. The celebrities that get the most inventive with the theme — Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Blake Lively to name a few — tend to make the most show-stopping arrivals, which in turn create unforgettable moments that go down in Met Gala history.

Take a look back at some of the most memorable red carpet entrances from the annual Met Gala.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Neilson Barnard/Getty; Jamie McCarthy/Getty Lady Gaga at the Met Gala in 2019.

Lady Gaga’s “Camp” Performance in 2019

When the 2019 Met Gala’s theme of “Camp: Notes on Fashion” was announced, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that Lady Gaga’s look would be spot on. What could never have been expected, however, was the singer’s full-on performance and Russian doll-like outfit changes as she graced the iconic Met stairs.

After a two-year hiatus from the event, Gaga returned wearing a voluminous hot pink caped gown with an extra-long train. That was shocking enough, but the star then undressed to reveal a second black couture gown underneath. As she continued to remove layers, Gaga was left wearing a pink column gown and finally, black lingerie.

The show-stopping looks were designed by Brandon Maxwell, who was one of the original stylists at Haus of Gaga before he left to start his own eponymous line.

Axelle / Bauer-Griffin / FilmMagic Rihanna at the Met Gala in 2015.

Rihanna’s Massive Yellow Cape in 2015

The Met Gala outfit that spawned a thousand memes, Rihanna’s massive yellow fur-lined gown at the 2015 event definitely made history. The 55 lb. creation — designed by Chinese couturier Guo Pei — seemed to take up the entire staircase as the star made her entrance.

Years later, the Fenty founder admitted that she was nervous about the crowd’s reaction and that she had her driver circle the Metropolitan Museum of Art three times before she arrived.

“I remember being so scared to get out of that car because I felt like, ‘I’m doing too much.’ I was driving past the red carpet and I was just seeing gowns,” she said in a 2020 interview with Access.

She continued, “I was like, ‘Oh my god, I’m a clown, people are gonna laugh at me. This is too much. I thought that. I circled like three times, I’m not even joking. Finally it was like, whatever let’s just go.”

Getty Images Blake Lively at the Met Gala in 2022.

Blake Lively’s Reversible Versace Dress in 2022

Blake Lively is a Met Gala mainstay for a reason.

The Gossip Girl alum knows how to shut down the red carpet, and her 2022 appearance took her fashion legacy to the next level.

Embracing the “Gilded Glamour” theme head-on, Lively arrived for her 10th Met Gala in a glamorous Atelier Versace gown, which featured a reversible train. Halfway up the Met stairs, the actress underwent a transformation, during which the skirt of her gown unfurled to reveal a turquoise side. She also switched up her opera gloves to match.

Lively later revealed that the color change payed homage to the Statue of Liberty by signifying the way copper develops patina overtime.

“I thought instead of looking to fashion to influence the dress, I looked to New York City architecture and the classic buildings,” she also told reporters on the red carpet.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Zendaya at the Met Gala in 2019.

Zendaya as Cinderella in 2019

Zendaya brought magic to the 2019 Met Gala.

The star embraced the “Camp” theme by cosplaying as Cinderella in a blue corseted Tommy Hilfiger ballgown with voluminous sleeves. The actress’ hair was styled into a blonde French twist and she accessorize with a headband and black choker, replicating the Disney princess’ iconic ensemble to a T. A pumpkin-carriage Judith Leiber clutch and “glass slippers” completed the look.

On the red carpet, Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach — who was dressed as her fairy godmother — waved a magic wand, causing smoke to pour out and the star’s dress to light up, mimicking the transformation that occurs in the classic 1950 Disney animated film.

Mike Coppola/Getty Kim Kardashian at the Met Gala in 2021.

Kim Kardashian Concealing Her Face in 2021

Leave it to Kim Kardashian to make a controversial Met Gala entrance.

In 2021, the star flipped the script by concealing her face in a black full-body stocking by Balenciaga.

The custom ensemble featured a long-sleeve turtleneck bodysuit worn under an oversize T-shirt dress with long pleated train. Kardashian also wore jersey boots, jersey gloves and a mask that covered her face and head. (And yes — she still wore a full face of makeup.)

At the time, a source told PEOPLE that the star’s ex-husband Kanye West was “instrumental” in her relationship with Balenciaga.

“This look on Kim is like a new subculture and fashion statement,” the source said. “No logo, no face, but everyone knows it’s her. Kanye gave her the courage to push creativity and people’s imagination through art. It’s the ultimate confidence.”

Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty; Kevin Mazur/MG19/Getty Katy Perry at the Met Gala in 2019.

Katy Perry as a Chandelier and Cheeseburger in 2019

For the 2019 “Camp” theme, Katy Perry appeared in not one but two over-the-top ensembles. The singer walked the carpet dressed as a giant chandelier with working lights. Underneath a chandelier corset around her waist, Petty wore a custom Swarovski crystal-covered mini dress. Her look also featured a matching smaller chandelier as a headpiece.

At the after party, Perry switched things up by dressing up as a realistic-looking hamburger. Her arms covered, the singer wore a detailed costume complete with a beef patty, lettuce, tomato, pickles and cheese. To top things off, she wore toothpick hat and sparkly shoes.

Lars Niki/Corbis via Getty; Jamie McCarthy/FilmMagic; Neilson Barnard/Getty; Kevin Mazur/MG22/Getty Sarah Jessica Parker’s headpieces at the Met Gala.

Sarah Jessica Parker’s Iconic Headpieces

A fashion icon for decades, Sarah Jessica Parker never fails to leave her mark at the Met Gala. Headpieces have become her signature accessory at the affair, adding an extra dose of drama to her glamorous looks.

For 2013’s theme of “Punk: Chaos to Couture” the Sex and the City star wore a Giles Deacon dress with gold foil details and a Philip Treacy headpiece.

In 2015, the star donned another Philip Treacy headpiece for her interpretation of the theme of “China: Through the Looking Glass.” The massive red accessory got held up in customs and was released at the last moment thanks to Parker’s friend and the COO of her brand, Alyssa Arminio.

Parker leaned into extravagance in 2018 for the theme of “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” The intricate gold ensemble, designed by Dolce & Gabbana, included a headpiece that featured an entire nativity scene.

The star put a decidedly Carrie Bradshaw spin on the 2022 theme of “Gilded Glamour,” sporting a black and white Christopher John Rogers gown and massive feathered fascinator by Philip Treacy

Read the original article on People.