The Best of Rihanna’s Met Gala Looks Through the Years

With her husband, A$AP Rocky, serving as co-chair, it’s basically a sure thing that Rihanna will return to the Met Gala red carpet. And we couldn’t be more excited. After missing last year due to the flu (even mega-stars get ill), we’re beyond ready to see what she has in store for 2025.

Met Gala 2025

This year’s Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute exhibition “presents a cultural and historical examination of Black style over three hundred years through the concept of dandyism” in a collection entitled “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” An examination of Black style and identity, this year’s exhibition is the first time since 2003 that menswear has been the main focus.

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Dress Code: “Tailored for You”

Every Rihanna Met Gala Look

In preparation for the Met Gala 2025, we’re taking a look back at the best of Rihanna walking the red carpet. From her first 2007 appearance, to the Met Gala royalty she is now!

1 / 9

2007

Arriving at her first Met Gala in a white Georges Chakra gown, Rihanna’s (at the time) signature asymmetrical bob draws the eye towards crystal embellishments and a single red rose accessory. Can you believe she was just 19 years old?

2 / 9

2011

Remember Rihanna’s red hair era? This black lace dress was designed by Stella McCartney, and that long, fiery side braid creates a sexy, but elegant overall impression.

 

THEME

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

3 / 9

2012

This year celebrated master Italian designers, Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada, who both pushed the boundaries of fashion in their respective eras. Rihanna’s look for this year feels oh-so-Italian-chic, in a textured Tom Ford gown.

THEME

Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations

4 / 9

2014

Simple, but incredibly striking, this Stella McCartney masterpiece features a white silk two-piece and an entirely backless crop top.

 

THEME

Charles James: Beyond Fashion

5 / 9

2015

This iconic yellow look by Guo Pei cemented Rihanna as true Met Gala royalty. Opulent, elegant and eye-catching, this look has been featured in its own exhibitions!

THEME

China: Through the Looking Glass

6 / 9

2017

Inspired by the nonsensical, the in-between and pushing boundaries, 2017’s theme was very avant-garde. And Rihanna did not disappoint, hitting the runway in a Comme des Garçons look straight from the runway.

THEME

Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between

7 / 9

2018

Rihanna served as co-chair in 2018, so all eyes were sure to be trained on her red carpet look. And if you’ve seen it once, you surely remember it. This Papal-inspired, fully custom gown by John Galliano is an unforgettable entry into Met Gala history.

THEME

Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination

8 / 9

2021

Going in a dark, moody direction, Rihanna paired a black lipstick with a larger-than-life Balenciaga overcoat and a Stephen Jones Millinery beanie, glimpses of crystal glamour drawing the eye in towards her face.

 

 

THEME

In America: A Lexicon of Fashion

9 / 9

2023

Though she was certainly fashionably late, for anyone anxious to see what she would bring to the carpet, it was well worth the wait. The gorgeous Valentino gown featured a white floral shawl that perfectly framed Rihanna’s face, showcasing vintage glasses and an iconic red lip.

THEMES

Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty