It’s the first Monday in May, so you know that means the Met Gala is upon us. It’s the time of year when celebrities serve as muses for major fashion lines in support of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The fundraising event has become a fixture in popular culture, with some of everyone itching to see who will attend and of course, what they’re wearing.
One of, if not the most popular attendee is the Bad Gal herself, Rihanna. She first showed face at the prestigious event in 2007, which proved to be a turning point in her career—and her style. The singer traded in her long brown hair for a daring, jet black, asymmetrical cut, helping her separate herself from the more routine beauty trends of the time.
NEW YORK CITY, NY – MAY 4: Rihanna attends THE COSTUME INSTITUTE GALA: “The Model As Muse” with Honorary Chair MARC JACOBS – INSIDE at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Article continues after video.
Since her first Met Gala, Rihanna has turned heads again and again, with a nude cutout, a luxe train we never wanted to end, and draped blush that gave a hint about her then-pending makeup empire, Fenty Beauty. The mogul doesn’t always pop out, but when she does, it’s something to behold.
It’s unclear if the megastar will be present this year, since she’s in the final stretch of her pregnancy. We can say that she was spotted at an A$AP Rocky concert over the weekend, so maybe she’ll grant our wish and make an appearance.
While we wait, we ranked all 9 of Rihanna’s Met Gala looks from over the past 15 years. Keep scrolling to check out our list.
01
2017
Rihanna wow-ed in this floral Comme des Garçons dress paired with strappy, DSquared2 heels. The eye makeup being connected with her blush also revived a 1980s beauty trend called “draping.”
02
2015
Guo Pei designed this 55-pound dress in 2010 and Rihanna was the first to wear it off the runway. The headpiece, her burgundy flipped style and that glamorous train has become the stuff of legends.
03
2018
Call her ‘Your Holiness.’ For the ‘Heavenly Bodies’ theme, Rihanna wore a meticulously beaded Maison Margiela minidress and matching coat. The look was literally topped off with a Bishop’s hat and cemented the fact that she won the Met Gala—and our hearts.
04
2009
Puffed shoulders could contribute to an intimidating silhouette, but not if you’re a fashion killa. In a black, silk tuxedo by Marc Jacobs, she pushed this look in a fresh, timely direction with electric blue eye makeup, biker gloves, and blonde streaks in her haircut.
05
2014
Stepping out in what was to become the signature brow for her ‘Anti’ album rollout, Rih wore this white, cropped, long-sleeve top by Stella McCartney with a fitted wrap skirt complete with a pleated train. Her wavy updo is still on our mood boards, too.
06
2021
Rihanna’s latest Met Gala moment was a take on 1920’s flapper fashion. It was also a statement about the treatment of Black Americans. “Well, I wanted a look that seemed very powerful yet feminine, yet a black hoodie which is the thing that we’re usually incriminated by as Black people,” she said to ESSENCE. “I wanted to empower that and take that and make it mine and make it fashion.”
07
2011
This beaded, lace gown was the work of Stella McCartney and was complimented by the singer’s long, bright red braid.
08
2012
Muted makeup and long, black acrylics helped this Tom Ford crocodile dress shine.
09
2007
For Rihanna’s first-ever Met Gala, she opted to wear a white Georges Chakra gown with a rectangular neckline. With a single red rose and a lace glove, the singer’s attention to detail was immediately evident.
