Balenciaga Reigned at the 2021 Met Gala

Balenciaga reigned supreme at the 2021 Met Gala, dressing some of the night’s biggest celebrities in standout red carpet looks.

The European design house, which is run by Georgian fashion designer Demna Gvasalia, was responsible for creating looks for Rihanna, Kim Kardashian West, Tracee Ellis Ross, Michaela Coel, Isabelle Huppert and Elliot Page.

More from WWD

• Getting Ready for the Met With SNL's Chloe Fineman

• Allyson Felix Gets Ready for Her First Met Gala

• All the Red Looks at the 2021 Met Gala: Photos

Perhaps the night’s most anticipated attendee was Rihanna, who was one of the last celebrities to walk the Met Gala’s red carpet. Rihanna arrived with boyfriend A$AP Rocky wearing a Balenciaga oversize black coat and matching hat with jewel embellishments from the design house’s recent fall 2021 couture collection. This was Balenciaga’s first couture collection presented in 53 years. A$AP Rocky attended wearing a multicolored, quilted throw by ERL, which he later threw off to reveal a black suit.

“I’m an immigrant, and that’s my take on America fashion,” Rihanna said when asked by reporters about the Met Gala’s theme, which was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.”

Ross also looked to Balenciaga’s fall 2021 couture collection for the Met Gala. The actress wore a cobalt blue, collared satin coat from the collection paired with Tiffany & Co. jewelry. On the carpet, Ross stated her look was an homage to her mother Diana Ross in the 1975 film, “Mahogany.”

Lexie Moreland for WWD

Kardashian West also had a late arrival to the Met Gala red carpet, where she wore a head-to-toe, all-black, custom Balenciaga look complete with a face covering. While it was initially speculated that Kardashian West was accompanied by soon-to-be-ex-husband Kanye West on the red carpet, it was later reported that she attended with Gvasalia.

Lexie Moreland for WWD

Other celebrities who looked to Balenciaga include French actress Huppert, who wore a red mermaid gown in crushed velvet from the spring 2022 ready-to-wear collection; “I May Destroy You” actress Coel, who wore a blue sequined matching set, and actor Page, who wore a black tuxedo paired with a green rose, which was popularized by Oscar Wilde in the late 1800s as a symbol for the LGBTQ community.

Lexie Moreland/WWD and AP

Although the 2021 Met Gala’s theme focused on American fashion, many attendees looked to European fashion houses for their red carpet looks. Other than Balenciaga, many stars donned Versace, Valentino, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and others for the event.

READ MORE HERE:

Amanda Gorman Looks to the Statue of Liberty for the 2021 Met Gala

Billie Eilish Goes Old Hollywood Glam at the 2021 Met Gala

A Look at Timothée Chalamet’s Style Evolution

Best of WWD

• The Eight Must-See Moments From the 2020 Grammy Awards

• American Dream: What to Know About New Jersey's Supersized Shopping Mall

• The Biggest Spring 2020 Fashion Trends From the Runways

Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.