Met Gala 2023 best dressed: See Rihanna, Dua Lipa in bridal-esque gowns, more stars

Fashion’s biggest night produced plenty of memorable looks.

The 2023 Met Gala, co-chaired by Michaela Coel, Dua Lipa, Penelope Cruz and Roger Federer, is themed “In honor of Karl,” celebrating the creations of late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who worked for decades as creative director of top fashion houses including Chanel, Fendi and Chloé in addition to helming his eponymous international fashion label. Monday night on the steps of the Met, stars showed up in tweed, sheer black and Old Hollywood-inspired looks.

Though some Met Gala favorites including Blake Lively and Zendaya didn’t show this year, stars including Rihanna, Bad Bunny and Dua Lipa brought their A-games and delivered fashion moments we won’t soon forget.

In no particular order, these were the eight best dressed stars at the 2023 Met Gala.

Met Gala 2023: How to watch, everything to know as stars dress to honor Karl Lagerfeld

Rihanna was fashionably late − but, more importantly, fashionable

Rihanna

Rihanna was fashionably late but always worth the wait. The music superstar arrived more than an hour and 15 minutes after the Met Gala carpet was scheduled to conclude, hand in hand with partner A$AP Rocky. Rihanna, who revealed the couple is expecting their second child onstage at the Super Bowl earlier this year, looked decidedly bridal in a floor-length white Valentino gown with oversized white floral appliques that formed a hood over her head. She later removed the hood to reveal layered necklaces and a thin-strap gown underneath. The Fenty Beauty founder completed the look with fingerless white gloves and white sunglasses that appeared to have false eyelashes attached to the lenses.

Dua Lipa’s tweed bridal gown (and ‘Ocean’s Eight’-esque necklace)

Dua Lipa

Pop star Dua Lipa, a co-chair for the 2023 gala, became an early best dressed contender with a white tweed Chanel fall/winter 1992 bride couture gown designed by Lagerfeld. She paired the look with an enormous rock of a diamond Tiffany necklace that has the cast of “Ocean’s Eight” salivating − per the jewelry brand, the diamond, set in platinum, is more than 200 carats. And if that isn’t enough, THE DRESS HAS POCKETS.

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Michaela Coel gives sheer gold goddess

“I May Destroy You” creator, writer and star Michaela Coel, also a co-chair, made Lagerfeld’s sheer and over-accessorizing themes current with a beaded and bejeweled Schiaparelli gown. The custom look features over 130,000 crystals.

More: Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson both attend the 2023 Met Gala… just not together

Brian Tyree Henry brings androgyny with maximalist lace

Brian Tyree Henry

“Bullet Train” actor Brian Tyree Henry worked with Lagerfeld’s team on a look from the designer’s 2016/2017 bridal collection, featuring a suit, layered black lace overcoat and layered beaded necklaces. He told Variety he loves “the androgyny of” the design: “It’s a part of who we are. We’re all flavors and we can be all things. I feel like that’s the way fashion should lean: Be who you are, show who you are, show all the flavors you’ve got.”

Doja Cat is … an actual cat

Doja Cat

We were hoping someone would pay tribute to Lagerfeld’s famous cat, Choupette. Of course, it was Doja Cat herself. The Grammy-winning singer is known for her cutting-edge makeup looks, so naturally she had to one-up herself for her first Met appearance. Doja Cat stepped out on the carpet with a prosthetic cat face, rounding out the feline fashion moment with a glittering and feathered silver gown by Oscar de la Renta topped with a cat-ear hood.

Anok Yai dazzled with mixed metals

Supermodel Anok Yai, who appears on the May 2023 cover of Vogue, dazzled in a sparkling strapless Prabal Gurung mini dress that blended from a gold sequined bodice into a silver fringed skirt. She told Vogue it was inspired by Lagerfeld’s 1993 Chanel show, specifically a look modeled by Cindy Crawford.

Anok Yai

Pedro Pascal gives his TikTok fanbase new material

Actor Pedro Pascal has amassed a collection of fans on TikTok who love a video edit of his greatest moments − see his viral “Saturday Night Live” skit. By the morning, we’re sure his Met Gala look will be all over your For You Page. The “Last of Us” star wore a red trench coat atop a red button-down, black tie, and opened the coat to reveal black shorts with black shoes and dress socks underneath.

Janelle Monáe brought a mid-staircase quick-change

Janelle Monae

Janelle Monáe has become a Met Gala favorite and this year was no different. The singer and actress delivered two knockout looks: the first, a black and white oversized tweed custom Thom Browne coat with black and white platform boots and an all-white Choupette-shaped handbag. After a mid-staircase quick-change, she revealed a full sheer hoop dress with a black bikini underneath. While this year’s gala carpet at times felt quieter than past years, Monáe brought some much-needed drama.

Bad Bunny was business in the front, party in the back

Bad Bunny

Our worries that Bad Bunny had fallen to the “men wearing boring tuxes” side were for naught. The reggaetón superstar showed off what seemed to be a simple all-white tweed suit from the front, but turned to reveal an open back with a floral, floor-length shawl.

Contributing: Morgan Hines and Elise Brisco

Last year’s best dressed: See Kim Kardashian as Marilyn Monroe, Blake Lively’s NYC nod, more stars

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rihanna, Doja Cat, Pedro Pascal, more: Met Gala 2023 best dressed