On the first Monday of May, fashion’s most anticipated events of the year summons the stars to the red (white and blue) carpet outside New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This year’s benefit, famously orchestrated by Vogue’s Anna Wintour, welcomed high profile celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Serena Williams and Lizzo. Rihanna and A$AP Rocky arrived after the red carpet was empty for about an hour.

Following 2022’s dress code of ‘gilded glamour’ this year the theme “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” honours the iconic (and controversial) late designer, who worked as the director of Chanel between for 35 years, from 1983 to 2019.

Guests had no shortage of references to pull from to dress “In honour of Karl”. Throughout his influential career Lagerfeld designed for many fashion houses including his eponymous label, Chanel, Chloé, Balmain and Fendi.

As expected there was plenty of monochrome, vintage throwbacks, hair bows and pearls to be seen. Less expected: Doja Cat, Jared Leto and Lil Nas X came as actual cats, an ode to Lagerfeld’s beloved Choupette.

These were the looks that turned our heads (AKA stopped us scrolling on our phones):

Rihanna in Valentino

Well, she arrived. Finally! RiRi left her hotel for the ball wearing a fur (yuck) Fendi coat from 1997, and arrived on the red carpet - about an hour after it had closed - having changed into this white rosette detailed cape (a reference to the iconic Chanel camellia motif), white gown and wearing eye-lash adorned sunglasses. The look is a clear Chanel tribute, but is by Valentino (the white gloves are another Karl Lagerfeld reference). - Zoe Walker Ahwa, Stuff style editor.

Dua Lipa in vintage Chanel

I squealed when I saw Dua arrive in this dress, which was on my wish list of vintage Chanel looks that I hoped someone would pull out from the archives.

It is a simple but gorgeous dress, with incredible corseting and hemline, but the history makes it even better: it was worn by Karl Lagerfeld muse Claudia Schiffer as part of Chanel's Fall 1992 couture show. She wore it with a little hat, which Dua chose not to replicate (I like that she made it her own). She told Vogue that the look had been on her mood board "forever”, and that it was a dream come true to wear.

That big stonking necklace is by Tiffany & Co., and has never been seen before. - ZWA

Taika Waititi in Prabal Gurung

Men at the Met Gala are usually a bit of a snooze-fest (see the endless black suits that have walked this year’s, and every year’s, carpet), but Taika’s look is a suave dream come true.

His casual style often reminds me of an uncle you’d find on the marae, so seeing him embrace these ‘feminine’ details (the pearls, peaking leg, etc) as a Māori man is incredibly heartening, and hopefully inspires others to follow his lead. - Lyric Waiwiri-Smith, Stuff culture reporter

Viola Davis in Valentino

There was so much elegant black, cream and white on display tonight that my eyes were desperate for a glimpse of anything else on the colour wheel. Enter the queen of wearing brights: Viola Davis again saves the day.

She and her stylist Elizabeth Stewart chose to ignore the Karlism “Think pink, but don’t wear it” when picking out this feathered Maison Valentino number, and I for one am exceptionally grateful. – Tyson Beckett, Ensemble and Stuff style reporter‍

Anne Hathaway in custom Versace

I just love how Anne Hathaway is leaning into full femmebot glam lately - her fashion icon status is peaking! She left the Mark Hotel with Donatella by her side, in this custom Atelier Versace gown full of tweed, pearls and pins. Huge 90s supermodel vibes, right down to the dangerously high heels and close-to God hair. Stunning. - Lara Daly

Lizzo in Chanel

Watching the red carpet Vogue live feed, my eyes were rolling so hard at all the thin, conventionally beautiful celebrities sharing stories of how wonderful and kind Karl Lagerfeld was. Maybe it’s because I slept in this morning, but the live feed made me extra grumpy about this theme.

Usually I find Karl’s ‘gaffes’ which include being incredibly rude about anyone who didn’t fit his notion of beauty relatively entertaining in a ‘look how far we’ve come’ kind of way. But the erasure of these controversies in an industry that’s supposedly progressed made me increasingly cross.

Which is why when the iconic Lizzo walked in wearing a Chanel look recreated from the 1991 couture collection it felt like both a breath of fresh air and something that would make the Kaiser kurl over in his grave. She also looked very expensive, in a way that many others in their pearls did not. – Rebecca Wadey, Ensemble co-founder

Nicole Kidman in Chanel

Everyone else can go home! On a red carpet with mullets, soft toys, and whatever J.Lo was wearing, trust one of our Final Movie Stars to turn out a show-stopper.

Re-wearing the dress from her Baz Luhrmann-directed Chanel No. 5 ad, Kidman’s couture gown spoke to a love of all things Lagerfeld. In an evening with some hollow mimicry of the past, she delivered what many could not - a look rubber stamped by the maestro himself. – Jonny Mahon-Heap, Stuff culture reporter

Micheala Coel in Schiaperelli

This Met Gala red carpet was extremely tasteful, with plenty of Karl Lagerfeld friendly black and white, pearls and rosette detailing. Which was lovely, but a tad... boring? So this intricate, incredible surrealist look worn by co-chair Michaela really stood out for me. It features 130,000 crystals and 26,000 mixed stones, and I think embodies what you want in a Met Gala look - craft, a story and glamour. - ZWA

Erykah Badu in Marni

I’m obsessed with this look. So many people took the Chanel theme so far they turned into low-rent Madonna’s (cough, Rita Ora) or cat caricatures (typical Leto), but Erykah and the creative director of Marni, Francesco Risso (who was her date for the second year in a row), absolutely nailed this look.

It’s giving couture, it’s giving feline, it’s giving Chanel monochrome/pearls/excessive accessories and, quite frankly, it’s giving me life. - RW

Maya Hawke in Prada

One monochrome look I did enjoy: Maya Hawke in this Prada ‘bridal’ look. I joked that the giant embellished ivory cape reminded me of Big Bird, but once that was shed to reveal the minidress adorned with floral applique of varying sizes I was sold.

Also, really enjoyed her stylist Harry Lambert revealing that the bag she wore was “inspired by when Uma Thurman went to the Oscars with Prada in 1995 and she had a bag exactly the same as Maya’s.” - TB

Phoebe Bridgers in Tory Burch

Pharbs, rise up - it seems Phoebe Bridgers is entering a new era of chic style with her Met Gala look: a black Tory Burch gown with beautiful faux pearl detailing.

If you know, you know, and while skeleton imagery may be Phoebe’s signature look, seeing her step away from this and into a more delicate and feminine style is exciting, and she looks absolutely gorgeous doing it. It will be very interesting to see what she brings to her red carpet looks in the future. - LWS

Paloma Elsesser

Thank you Paloma for serving body in this purple gown and amazing headpiece. Her hair and makeup artists always elevate her looks, and this slicked fringe and silver diamanté eye moment is no exception. Massive slay. – LD

Lil Nas X in Dior

Lil Nas X did Lil Nas X. This was a nod to the fairytale origins of his own story, and the faerie child scarpered away with the look of the evening. Shimmying across the red carpet, it was one of the few, purely surreal looks delivered.

A seamless update to Lagerfeld’s legacy, a heightened look by Pat McGrath, and a surreal blend with Lil Nas X’s own storied glamour. Lil Nas X leaves his sparkling touch on the history books, guaranteed to live happily ever after. – JMH