Met Gala 2021: Emma Raducanu completes A-list transformation as J-Lo, Iman and Kim Kardashian pull out all the stops

Fashion’s biggest night celebrated American glamour (Picture: Getty)

After a year and a half of living room photo shoots, cancelled events and questionable morale-boost attempts set to John Lennon songs, celebrities are back doing what they do best – giving us fashion to judge at the Met Gala.

Following a year off due to the ongoing pandemic, the most exclusive fashion event in the calendar took place last night in New York, with stars in some cases adhering to, in some cases completely ignoring, the theme of In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.

Emma Raducanu completed her transformation from A-levels student to A-list athlete as the 18-year-old made her Met Gala debut in black and white Chanel, days after winning the US Open.

The British teenager rubbed shoulders with some of the most famous names in showbiz and fashion, with Met Gala royalty and newbies pulling out all the stops.

Queen of the Gala Rihanna was fashionably late, with both she and boyfriend A$AP Rocky looking very cosy in comforters on the famous steps, while Kim Kardashian opted to cover up entirely in a full-face balaclava and a black gown.

Lil Nas X made a serious statement on his debut with three outfits – a giant Versace cape, followed by a gold suit of armour, followed by a bedazzled catsuit – while Jennifer Lopez clearly understood the assignment in Ralph Lauren.

Meanwhile, supermodel Iman blew everyone out of the water with an extravagant Harris Reed headpiece.

Here are all the best pictures from the biggest night in fashion.

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky in Balenciaga and ERL

Rihanna and A$AP were fashionably late (Picture: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Jennifer Lopez in Ralph Lauren

JLo understood the assignment (Picture: Anthony Behar/Sipa USA)

Kim Kardashian in Balenciaga

Kim wore her wildest look yet (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Emma Raducanu in Chanel

Emma won the US Open on Saturday (Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue )

Iman in Harris Reed

Iman showed the kids how it’s done (Picture: John Shearer/WireImage)

Billie Eilish in Oscar de la Renta

Billie only wore the gown because Oscar de la Renta agreed to stop using fur (Picture: John Shearer/WireImage)

Lil Nas X in Versace

The look began with a regal cape (Picture: Getty Images for The Met Museum)

Then came the suit of armour (Picture: REUTERS)

And finally, that catsuit (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Zoe Kravitz in Saint Laurent

Zoe sparkled in Saint Laurent (Picture: Matt Baron/REX)

Megan Fox in Dundas

It was Megan’s first time at the Met Gala (Picture: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Dan Levy in Loewe

Dan highlighted the work of a queer artist (Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue )

Kendall Jenner in Givenchy

Kendall’s dress was inspired by Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady (Picture: Anthony Behar/Sipa USA)

Gigi Hadid in Prada

Gigi rocked a new red hairdo (Picture: Anthony Behar/Sipa USA)
Photographer: Anthony Behar
Provider: SIPA USA/PA Images
Source: SIPA USA

… And Kendall and Gigi together

Supermodel besties forever (Picture: JosiahW / BACKGRID)

Kim Petras in Collina Strada

Kim Petras went full horse girl (Picture: John Shearer/WireImage)

BLACKPINK’s Rosé in Saint Laurent

Rose is an international ambassador for Saint Laurent (Picture: Taylor Hill/WireImage)

Elliot Page in Balenciaga

Elliot made his Met Gala debut (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Lupita Nyong’o in Versace

Whoever said double denim wasn’t chic? (Credits: WireImage)

Rose Leslie and Kit Harington in Oscar de la Renta and Saint Laurent

The Game of Thrones couple were picture perfect (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Frank Ocean in Prada

Frank’s accessory for the night was a quite frankly terrifying robot baby (Picture: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

Hailee Steinfeld in Iris Van Herpen

Hailee was unrecognisable with her ice blonde do (Picture: Taylor Hill/WireImage)

Keke Palmer in Sergio Hudson

Keke was Vogue’s host for the night (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Cara Delevingne in Dior

Cara said her look was all about female empowerment (Picture: Taylor Hill/WireImage)

Serena Williams in Gucci

Serena wore an eye-catching cape over her bodysuit (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Simone Biles in AREA x Athleta

Simone’s gown weighed 88lbs (Picture: Taylor Hill/WireImage)

Rita Ora and Taika Waititi in Prada

Rita and Taika packed on the PDA (Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue )

Yara Shahidi in Dior

Yara’s dazzling dress was from Christian Dior (Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue )

Grimes in Iris Van Herpen

Grimes’ Dune-inspired look was completed with a sword (Picture: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Timothée Chalamet in Haider Ackermann

Timothee was the evening’s co-chair (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

MJ Rodriguez in Thom Brown

Category is? Fabulous (Picture: Cindy Ord/MG21/Getty Images)

Lourdes Leon

Madonna’s eldest daughter Lourdes made her Met Gala debut (Picture: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

NikkieTutorials

Nikkie’s look included a nod to Marsha P Johnson (Picture: John Shearer/WireImage)

Addison Rae in Tom Ford

Addison made her Met Gala debut in red (Picture: Matt Baron/REX)

Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello in Michael Kors

The couple were both dressed by Michael Kors (Picture: REUTERS)

Anna Wintour in Oscar de la Renta

What would a Met Gala be without Anna? (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Amanda Gorman in Vera Wang

Amanda’s dress was inspired by the Statue of Liberty (Picture: John Angelillo/UPI/REX/Shutterstock )

Naomi Osaka in Louis Vuitton

Naomi was one of the night’s co-chairs (Picture: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Normani in Valentino

Normani brought the sunshine (Picture: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Justin Bieber and Hailey Bieber in Drew House and Saint Laurent

The Biebers kept things simple (Picture: Arturo Holmes/MG21/Getty Images)

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in Brother Vellies

AOC’s dress received mixed reviews (Picture: Kevin Mazur/MG21/Getty Images For The Met Museum/Vogue)

Maluma in Versace

Maluma walked the steps with Donatella Versace (Picture: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

Jennifer Hudson in AZ Factory

Jennifer looked like a queen (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Tracee Ellis Ross in Balenciaga

This colour is blowing our minds (Picture: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

Allyson Felix in Fendi

Olympian Allyson’s dress was adorned with 240,000 ostrich feathers (Picture: John Shearer/WireImage)

Emily Blunt in Miu Miu

Emily’s dress was inspired by Hedy Lamarr, the iconic actress and the star of the classic fashion film, Ziegfeld Girl (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Sienna Miller, Vogue’s Hamish Bowles and Emily Blunt

What a stylish trio (Picture: Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

Whoopi Goldberg and Carey Mulligan in Valentino

Whoopi Goldberg, creative director for Valentino Pierpaolo Piccioli and Carey Mulligan posed at the gala (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

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