The Met Gala 2023 – who did it best?

After counting down the days, last night finally saw the 2023 Met Gala take place at the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. And all of us here at FROW have been obsessed with the looks. All of our favourite celebs and pop culture icons hit the red carpet to debut their headline-worthy looks, so let’s break them down!

The theme? “Karl Lagerfield: A Line of Beauty”, a tribute to the late iconic designer. This Met Gala has seen the stars in attendance adorn coveted, high-fashion looks that are sure to go down in Met history.

Coming in strong on the best-dressed list was Supermodel Anok Yai. She hit the carpet in a figure-hugging, strapless Prabal Gurung dress complete with gold and silver sequins and streams of glittering silver. singer Billie Eilish executed goth-chic effortlessly in a Simone Rocha sheer black bustier gown, intricate lace and sequin detailing with statement Cartier jewellery.

Co-chair of this year’s Gala, British actor Michaela Coel oozed glamour from head to toe. Her glam was done by the mother of make-up, Pat McGrath and she wore a custom Schiaparelli dress; covered in over 100,000 crystals, celestial embellishments, jewels and gold broaches. The sheer mesh silhouette couldn’t be more eye-catching.

Co-host of the Gala, singer Dua Lipa ditched her contemporary concert looks for a vintage cream corset-style Chanel gown originally worn in 1992 fashion week. Elevating the look even further, the singer made sure all eyes were on her with a 225-carat Tiffany & Co. diamond necklace – all we can say is WOW!

A regular show-stopper on the Met Gala carpet, Anne Hathaway didn’t disappoint in a stunning Versace dress. Comprising of a white tweed – a material that was the signature of Lagerfield – the figure-hugging gown features a leg slit, pearl and slash details to create a powerful and totally feminine look.

“Wednesday” star Jenna Ortega made sure to turn heads in an Addams-family style black and white Thom Browne look. Embracing the goth-chic aesthetic with Eilish, Ortega sported a ruffled corset gown dressed up with a white shirt, finished off with statement gold chains, pearl detailing and preppy platform boots.

Of course, we have to talk about singer-turned-trailblazing businesswoman Rihanna. Fashionably late to the event, the star was accompanied by partner A$AP Rocky and made sure her look was worth the wait. Making an entrance in a stunning Valentino white gown showing her baby bump, adorned with timeless Camellia flower design -with each one taking 30 hours to make! A$AP wore a unique custom Gucci look: a tartan skirt, embroidered jeans paired with belts and Gucci Eyewear.

Talking about baby bumps, we need to mention the not one, but TWO pregnancy announcements that the Metropolitan Museum saw this year. Tennis star Serena Williams adorned a black and white Gucci gown with pearl accessories while debuting her second pregnancy. Supermodel Karlie Kloss announced her expectancy in a figure-hugging, dramatic black Loewe dress, also accessorised with pearl detailing.

The Kardashian-Jenners are always ones to watch at the Met Gala, and this year was no different. For Kim, it was all about pearls. The SKIMS founder stepped out in a Schiaparelli dress made entirely of 50,000 freshwater pearls and a nude corset. Kendall proved her supermodel status in a custom Marc Jacobs sequin black bodysuit, complete with monochrome winged sleeves and sky-high platform boots. Jean Paul Gaultier was the designer of choice for businesswoman Kylie Jenner, who stunned in a red figure-hugging gown. The dress was complete with a leg slit, shoulder cut out and a dramatic train that doubled as a blue cape. Kardashian bestie and actress La La Anthony made a statement in an all-white Sergio Hudson gown and gold chain detailing that featured vintage influences with 60’s style vintage cat eye sunglasses and a white headband.

Actor Jeremy Pope proved there’s more to a menswear look than wearing a black suit at the Met Gala with a Balmain piece that featured a dramatic 30-foot cape. Paying a homage to the designer, featuring a print of Karl himself across the stunning train, the look – of course – went viral. Safe to say, we’re obsessed.

Glitter, crystals and pearls made up Lil Nas X’s stand-out look. Dazzling the carpet in an all-silver look, the singer who went viral for his “Old Town Road” track in 2019 is continuing to capture all attention. Designed by Donatella Versace, Lil Nas X – known for breaking boundaries in both his music and fashion – sported a bejewelled silver thong, silver body paint, a beaded mask and crystal appliques across his body. This look is nothing short of iconic.

Fearless and feminine was the motto for model Ashley Graham’s Harris Reed ballgown look. Drawing inspiration from 80s Chanel Haute Couture, the pink velvet and satin gown adopted a dramatic emphasised silhouette that commanded all attention. As an icon in the industry, it’s no wonder that she served such incredible looks at this year’s Met Gala.

Singer Rita Ora makes our best-dressed list with a Prabal Gurung black gown that featured a dramatic cape and train that draped across the carpet and caught all eyes. With cut-out detailing, lace embellishments and ruching, this look is truly powerful and sultry. Filmmaker husband Taika Waititi ditched the classic black suit look – that we are so tired of seeing on red carpets - and opted for a floor-length grey blazer, white trousers and pearl detailing.

Multi-talented Teyana Taylor donned a Thom Browne tweed blazer and skirt with cut out detailing, complete with statement aviator sunglasses. Never one to walk a red carpet quietly, this look proves Teyana goes big or goes home with her fashion choices as always and we love to see it.

It was all about Burberry and the colour blue for the celebs Mary J Blige, Jodie Comer, Barry Keoghan and Burna Boy. The British fashion brand made their mark the red carpet last night.

Doja Cat donned a look reminiscent of her namesake in a homage to Lagerfeld’s beloved Choupette cat. Wearing a custom Oscar de la Renta dress, featuring a hood complete with sparkling cat ears and a feathered train, the look was totally animalistic. The singer even embraced the tribute with feline-inspired makeup – it’s clear to see why this look has gone viral.

Another feline-style look that turned heads was Jared Leto. A tribute to Choupette was unmistakably evident with Leto dressed in a life-size cat costume that blew up on the Internet. Beneath the crazy cat outfit, however, the actor wore a more toned-down bedazzled black cape that spoke true to Lagerfeld’s style. While this slightly scary cat costume wasn’t the favourite on many people’s lists, we can say that it’s already proving to be one of the most memorable!

From the best-dressed to the most controversial and talked-about looks, the 2023 Met Gala will certainly be a memorable one. Now, it’s time to mark our calendars and start getting ready for next year!