Met Gala 2024: The best Met Gala fashions, arrivals, and biggest surprises

Despite rumors she would be there, the Met Gala red carpet closed on Monday night with no appearance from Rihanna.

The TODAY team on-site said they asked to leave with no appearance from the singer known for her iconic Met Gala looks.

The singer's rep confirmed to E! News that she had to stay home at the last minute due to the flu.

TODAY.com has reached out to Rihanna's team for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Zendaya had people doing a double take at the 2024 Met Gala.

After walking the steps of the 2024 Met Gala in a blue and green Maison Margiela Couture gown at the beginning of the night, the "Challengers" star returned later to walk the steps in a second ensemble.

The look was Givenchy Couture from the spring/summer 1996 collection.

As the night was wrapping up, Zendaya reappeared, this time wearing a dramatic black, off-the-shoulder gown with long sleeves and a long train.

Her bold makeup from her early and edgier look was gone, replaced with a softer and rosier complexion.

The cherry on top of her second look of the night was a stunning floral bouquet headpiece.

Singer Lana Del Rey donned an unusual headdress for the biggest night in fashion.

Dressed in custom Alexander McQueen, she said that the "shape was the most important thing."

"We wanted it to look like McQueen, so I think the shape was the most important thing," she told Vogue on the carpet.

Seán McGirr, the creative director of Alexander McQueen, joined Del Rey for her interview.

"It was the idea of Mother Nature with a slightly more sinister aspects," he explained.

Del Rey also held a single red rose in her left hand to add to the look.

Del Rey was styled by Molly Dickson, who also reportedly styled actor Mindy Kaling with an elaborate headpiece this year.

Del Rey is no stranger to big headpieces — for her last met gala appearance, in 2018, she wore an ombré blue headpiece with wings. 

Cardi B is a can't-miss celebrity at the Met Gala and her 2024 look is definitely one that needs to be celebrated.

The rapper pulled out all the stops for her grand reveal towards the end of the night. Cardi arrived in a billowing and full black gown that almost took over the entrance.

Nine people gathered around the performer to help her extend her dress, as well as help carry her dress up the stairs.

She had a black headpiece and accessorized with a statement diamond and emerald necklace, earrings and rings.

“This is the way you shut down a Met Gala,” La La Anthony said on the Vogue livestream.

TODAY captured the moment that she was helped up the stairs, see below:

A Met Gala staple, last year Cardi B wore two looks at the event. She arrived in a black ball gown after first wearing a dramatic pink, over-the-top dress while leaving her hotel.

Kim Kardashian wowed on the steps of the Met Gala.

The reality star and businesswoman arrived in a custom Maison Margiela Couture gown. The top featured a heather gray soft material, while the rest of the cinched-waist look was constructed of silver metallic flowers and leaves.

"It's all metal lace," she told La La Anthony during the Vogue livestream. "I really look forward to just seeing friends and I look forward to seeing my sisters."

Kardashian is a Met Gala regular, along with her famous family. Mom Kris Jenner, sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner were also in attendance.

During the livestream interview, she said she had been texting her family ahead of their arrival.

Keke Palmer is in a whole new era. The actor told reporters at the Met Gala that her look was inspired by a reawakening in her life.

The actor said she was reshaping her life after an unraveling.

The shimmering ensemble was a body-hugging gown that appeared to be unraveling in certain places — yet held together beautifully with the material wrapped around her arms. She also rocked a sky-high ponytail.

Palmer has been candid about her recent struggles with her ex and the father of her child Darius Jackson. Despite it all, she has stayed maintained a positive attitude, which TODAY caught.

In video, the star is all smiles as she poses on the stairs before making her way to the event.

Singer Charli XCX wore a sheer white dress made from old T-shirts to the Met Gala.

She told Vogue on the red carpet that the gown was made from T-shirts specifically from the 50s, 60s and 70s.

"I just wanted to take, like, a staple piece — everybody has their favorite white T-shirt, it's either sexy, it's comfy, it's chic — and I love how over time, white T-shirts become more comfortable the more they get disheveled," she told the outlet. "So why not make a gown from them?"

She added that she was wearing a bodice with conical-shaped breasts.

"We wanted the underpinnings to be very like, visible," she laughed.

CORRECTION (May 6, 2024 at 8:50 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this spelled Charli XCX incorrectly as Charlie XCX and it has been corrected.

Doja Cat continued the sheer trend of the night, but she took it to another level.

While making her second-ever appearance at the event, the singer glided down the red carpet in a wet dress that clung to her body.

Her barely-there dress was the "Paint The Town Red" singer's second look of the evening as she exited her hotel wearing just two towels wrapped around her hair and body.

The musician's 2024 looks followed her debut at the gala last year when she shocked and amused fans by transforming into an actual cat.

Along with her feline prosthetics, she wore a custom silver and white ombré Oscar de la Renta gown. Her ensemble paid tribute to late designer Karl Lagerfeld’s cat, Choupette, in honor of the “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” theme.

While answering questions on the red carpet, Doja Cat remained in character. She simply meowed every time Vogue correspondent Emma Chamberlain asked her about her outfit, causing the interview to go viral.

"Killers of the Flower Moon" star Lily Gladstone has arrived!

Gladstone walked the red carpet in a black gown with a matching cape with silver accents. She wore her long hair in two braids.

It's been a big year for Gladstone, who made history as the first Indigenous person to win the Golden Globe award for best actress in a motion picture drama and scored an Oscar nomination for her performance as Mollie Burkhart in the Martin Scorsese film.

She is currently starring in the Hulu series "Under the Bridge."

Kendall Jenner has arrived! The model and reality star wore a sparkly tight black dress with a deep V-neck featuring gold shoulder accents and a scalloped waist cutout.

"This is Givenchy archival McQueen from 1999," she told Vogue. "I am so so incredibly honored to wear it."

She added that she is the "first human" to ever wear it, as it was only ever shown on a mannequin.

"So it's amazing... it was a miracle that it fit, it was a miracle that we found it, it feels meant to be so perfect and I'm so happy," she said.

Jenner added that when she'd first heard the theme of this year's event, she immediately thought her dress should be "something archival."

"So that's kind of when I started doing a little bit of research and in my research kind of came across this dress and the chance they had it available was really slim and the chances that it fit me were also pretty slim and I couldn't do any tailoring, I couldn't do anything and it just fit perfectly," she said. "So it feels meant to be and kind of goes with the 'Garden of Time' theme."

Jenner is known for her looks at the annual event. She made her first appearance in 2014.

Designer Christian Siriano said he "liked" the look but thought it was "a little sleepy" when asked during the E! livestream.

"I like it, it's beautiful," he said. "For this event tonight at the Met, I think it's a little sleepy."

Rita Ora nearly transformed the Met Gala red carpet into the Garden of Eden with her daring look.

The singer, who attended with her husband and director Taika Waititi by her side, wore a sheer nude bodysuit covered by a string of beads. Her hair was styled in a wet fringe. Prior to setting foot on the Met Gala steps, she had a facial treatment from LA-based esthetician Shani Darden.The "Thor: Ragnarok" director was dressed head to toe in brown leather. Both Ora and Waititi wore Marni designs and shared a smooch on the red carpet.

According to Vulture, the musician said the beads on her dress "age back to the first and second century BC."

It was date night — and a glamorous one — for actor Chase Stokes and country singer Kelsea Ballerini.

The couple were hand-in-hand as they exited the Carlyle Hotel. The "Outer Banks" star looked like a rock star in a black sequin suit and Loree Rodin jewelry. The singer, on her end, channeled spring in a pink-and-orange floral and sheer gown.

The pair was all smiles as cameras flashed and fans called out their name while they made their way to the Met Gala steps.

"Challengers" star Mike Faist decided to hone in on the garden aspect of "The Garden of Time" theme.

The actor's look stood out from the many classic suits on the red carpet because he pinned a bejeweled turnip broach to the lapel of his Loewe tuxedo jacket.

He also wore white slacks and leather dress shoes.

One fan praised his outfit on X, tweeting, "Mike faist’s use of a radish in his met gala look is innovative by interpreting the theme as a vegetable garden instead of just flowers. in this essay i will-."

Singer Tyla's 2024 Met Gala look might be the most unique interpretation of the theme so far.

The "Water" singer made her Met Gala debut in a Balmain dress that appeared to be painted onto her body. Her gown was so delicate and sculpted that she needed to be carried up the Met gala steps to take pictures.

"I'm wearing sand basically. The sands of time," she explained to Vogue. "We really wanted something out of the box this year."

She said it was "amazing" to attend fashion's biggest night and she couldn't wait to head inside.

"I just love the outfit and how everything turned out," she gushed.

Olivier Rousteing, Balmain's creative director, later told the outlet that the sand was molded to Tyla's body a couple months ago and he hoped it could be featured in the museum.

"Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker arrived at the 2024 Met Gala with Bravo star Andy Cohen. The two walked the red carpet together.

Parker wore a partially sheer, tea-length Richard Quinn gown with silver embellishments and white floral embroidery. Her gown nipped in at the waist, with the boning of the dress visible underneath.

She accessorized with a large fascinator by Philip Treacy and a silver, lantern-style bag by Benedetta Bruzziches. She also wore several jewlery pieces by Briony Raymond.

Parker told Vogue that the look was all hand-stitched and hand-embroidered.

Cohen wore a black suit with a velvet jacket.

Sabrina Carpenter rushed out of the Carlyle Hotel in New York in a Cinderella moment — but kept both her shoes!

The “Espresso” singer was a joy to witness as she grabbed her gown — which features a black, strapless bodice and baby blue full skirt — and made her way to fashion's biggest night.

A doorman running the revolving door told TODAY.com that it was "a little stressful" as the celebrities exited the hotel.

Madelyn Cline is back for her second Met Gala. The "Outer Banks" star — and previous TODAY cover star — looked sensational ahead of arriving to the steps at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

TODAY caught up with her just minutes before she stepped out, wearing a long-sleeve white full ball gown with floral decal.

Once on the steps, her blown-out hair and pastel, icy eye shadow were on full display. She kept the rest of her look to a minimum with dainty earrings, diamond rings and single-chain necklaces.

Actor and showrunner Mindy Kaling wore a billowing gown to the Met Gala.

The beige dress by designer Gaurav Gupta featured a structural headdress and sweetheart neckline.

The gown also had a long, structural train in a similar style to her headdress.

Kaling told reporters that the beige dress is called the “melting flower of time.”

E! News reports that Kaling's stylist, Molly Dickson, told the outlet that the headdress and train are removable so she will be able to sit down for the event.

Colman Domingo never fails to impress on the red carpet.

The Oscar nominee arrived at the 2024 Met Gala looking pristine in a Willy Chavarria ensemble styled by Wayman + Micah, his usual fashion collaborators.

Domingo sported a cream double-breasted blazer that featured a cape attached to the shoulder pads. He also wore oversized black pants and carried a bouquet of white flowers, reflecting "The Garden of Time" dress code.

He told Vogue on the red carpet that the event is "the Super Bowl of fashion" and said it was "the cherry on top" of an impressive year so far.

Domingo complimented Chavarria's craftsmanship and said the look pulled from many of his inspirations, like the late André Leon Talley and Chadwick Boseman.

Lea Michele looked like an ethereal dream as she walked the steps of the Met.

The actor, who is currently pregnant with her second child, wore a sky blue gown that included floral details on the straps and a lengthy tulle train.

Michele cradled her baby bump as she smiled for the photographers.

The "Glee" alum announced in March that she and her husband, Zandy Reich, are expecting baby number two. They are already parents to a 3-year-old son, Ever Leo Reich.

Call it iconic!

Arriving in a Thom Browne creation, actor Rebecca Ferguson put on a show for the photographers and reporters at the 2024 Met Gala. The "Dune" star first arrived in a billowing black cape, before showing people what was underneath.

Ferguson then opened the cape to show off a soft blue inside with black bird designs on the lining.

She took it one step further and removed the cape entirely, revealing a sequined, black and white turtleneck, body-hugging gown, complete with attached gloves.

She kept the rest of her look to a minimum with her slicked-back blonde hair and soft makeup.

See the whole reveal in our video below:

Jennifer Lopez donned a glamorous, nearly sheer look at the 2024 Met Gala. The entertainer, who is one of the co-chairs, arrived at the annual event in custom Schiaparelli Haute Couture.

The sheer gown featured intricate and structured jewels with the top resembling a coral reef and a stunning train. Lopez rocked a massive diamond necklace and matching bracelet. She opted for nude platform heels.

Lopez attended last year's Met Gala. For the Karl Lagerfeld-themed night, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” she wore a custom Ralph Lauren gown with a skin-baring black halter and blush-colored skirt.

Fashion queen Zendaya has officially arrived at the 2024 Met Gala. One of the co-chairs at this year's event, the "Challengers" star continued to prove that she is always ahead of the game when it comes to a red carpet appearance, and continuously knocks it out of the park.

Styled by Law Roach, Zendaya was dressed in a Maison Margiela Couture deep blue and green tulle gown that featured one structured sleeve, greenery detailing across the bodice and arm and a statement back.

She rocked a matching fascinator to top off the look, as well as had deep plum lips and smokey burgundy eyeshadow.

Zendaya attended her first Met Gala when she was 18. When speaking with Jennifer Hudson on her daytime talk show, she said her favorite Met Gala look she's donned was her Joan of Arc-inspired look for the 2018 celebration, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.”

Matt Damon and his wife, Luciana Damon, channeled a prince and princess at the 2024 Met Gala.

Before heading to the event, the couple took a few photos together and held hands as they left their hotel.

On the carpet, the two posed for more photos in their dapper Christian Dior looks. Luciana Damon wore a cream strapless gown while Damon complimented her in a classic black tux and bow tie.

CORRECTION (May 7, 2024 at 12:20 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this post referred to Luciana Damon as Luciana Barroso and it has been corrected.

This year, the iconic steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art are more green than usual.

In what appears to be a bid to stay on theme, the Met Gala carpet is more of a cream color with green sides. This year's dress code is "The Garden of Time."

The annual charity gala benefits the museum's Costume Institute and celebrates the opening of the new exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.”

Many of the stars who have arrived have interpreted this theme to mean botanicals and florals, and it looks like the carpeting is no different!

Alongside the carpet itself is plenty of greenery and white florals that serve as a bit of separation between the stars and press covering the event.

Chris Hemsworth has officially made his Met Gala debut. It’s shocking to know that this is the first time the “Thor” star has attended the annual fashion event. This year is an extra special one for him, as he’s a co-chair along with Zendaya, Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

Hemsworth donned a cream three-piece Tom Ford suit for his debut appearance.

The Australian actor was accompanied by his actor wife, Elsa Pataky. The Spanish actor, who is also making her Met Gala debut, looked like a goddess in a shimmering gold gown.

Her hair was in a long, hip-length ponytail and topped with a gold headpiece.

While on the red carpet, Hemsworth told TODAY it was "exciting" to be in attendance with a mix of people from the performing arts, film, television, music and more.

Co-chair Bad Bunny knows how to bring his A-game to any fashion event. After donning a backless white suit with a draping cape made of rosettes at last year's Met Gala, the "Monaco" singer's 2024 look was one for the books.

Bad Bunny, whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, stood out from the crowd in a custom Maison Margiela suit.

The singer opted for a dark pin-stripped tailored suit with red stripes on the pants. He also wore black gloves, triangle sunglasses and a statement hat. He also carried what appears to be a black bouquet of flowers.

This is the Puerto Rican superstar's third time at the Met Gala. He made his red carpet debut at the event in 2022.

Journalist Deborah Roberts had a sweet moment with TODAY's Sheinelle Jones while on the steps of the “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening"-themed Met Gala.

TODAY's Al Roker's wife was perfectly on theme in a yellow strapless gown with earthy graphics, green heels and a greenery-filled headpiece.

"Hey you with the green," Deborah told Sheinelle, who said she looked "amazing."

"You too," Deborah said, as she took out her cell phone and snapped a photo together.

Check out Deborah's full look below:

Ashley Graham helped kick off the start of the 2024 Met Gala red carpet with her stunning arrival Monday night.

The model, who is co-hosting Vogue.com's livestream of the event, donned a custom Ludovic de Saint Sernin leather and sheer gown. The dress featured a halter top, metallic flowers on the bodice and a silky wrap to complete the look.

Graham told TODAY.com on the red carpet that the dress was handmade and took over 500 hours to create. "It's insanity what (Ludovic de Saint Sernin) and his team did," she praised.

She added, "I can barely breathe. The organs have been moved together. As you can see, this is not my normal waist."

The 36-year-old will share her hosting duties throughout the evening with La La Anthony and “Wednesday” star Gwendoline Christie. Emma Chamberlain will also be on site to serve as the magazine's special red carpet correspondent.

Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour has arrived at the 2024 Met Gala Red carpet.

She is wearing a floral black custom Loewe floor-length jacket over a white dress and accessorized with a large floral brooch and diamond necklace.

She did not wear her trademark dark sunglasses to pose for photos.

The flowers on her jacket seemingly are in tribute to the 2024 theme, “The Garden of Time.”

Last year's Met Gala was a tribute to the late fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld with the theme of “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.”

Held on May 1, Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel, Roger Federer and Dua Lipa joined Vogue’s Anna Wintour as co-chairs of the celebration. It was a black-and-white heavy red carpet, with the stars channeling their inner Lagerfeld.

Cardi B rocked two looks at the event. She arrived in a black ball gown after first wearing a dramatic pink, over-the-top dress while leaving her hotel.

Anne Hathaway was a showstopper in a tweed, cut-out Versace gown.

Among the best dressed men of the night included actor Brian Tyree Henry. He arrived in a black, ruffled cape with multiple black and white pearl necklaces.

Rihanna was a sight for sore eyes in her white gown and long train designed by Valentino that included a face-covering top made of rosettes. She later opened the top and showed off the delicate single-strap dress underneath.

Relive many of the best dressed stars at the 2023 Met Gala, here.

For those looking to watch their favorite stars on the red carpet, guest arrivals begin at 5:30 p.m. ET and generally wrap up around 8 p.m.

Both Vogue and E! will host live stream coverage from the red carpet, starting at 6 p.m. ET. For more on how to watch, click here.

All eyes are on the red carpet at the Met Gala, but the majority of the fashion magic happens behind the scenes at a slew of high-end hotels across New York City.

Vogue reports A-listers are known for staying at hotels like The Beekman, The Carlyle, The Mark and The Pierre, where inside the rooms, celebs spend hours perfecting their looks and glam.

Onlookers can get a first look at celebrities' outfits for the first Monday in May as stars depart for The Met from their hotels, and TODAY.com will be on the ground at The Pierre to catch a glimpse at what is in store for the night ahead.

While the guest list for the Met Gala is always under wraps, expect to see Zendaya, Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Jennifer Lopez and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour in statement-making looks as they serve as co-chairs for this year’s Costume Institute Benefit.

Much speculation has been made if Taylor Swift will be in attendance but so far, not even Wintour could tell us when TODAY’s Jenna Bush Hager asked.

TODAY.com will update this live blog with any notable arrivals and we'll keep a running tab of the biggest names in attendance here.

Only one event has the power to unite models, designers, musicians, actors and other A-listers: The Met Gala.

The Met Gala’s dress codes complement the event’s theme, derived from the Costume Institute’s spring exhibit. As we mentioned, the 2024 event's dress code is “The Garden of Time,” paired with the new exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.”

Though the Met Gala began in 1948, the first themed year was in 1973. From then on — starting with the theme of “The World of Balenciaga” — to this year's “The Garden of Time,” take a look back at the Met Gala over the years here.

Vogue's Anna Wintour started overseeing the Met Gala in 1995 and has co-chaired every year since, with the exceptions of 1996 and 1998, according to the publication.

A group of A-listers are selected annually to work with Wintour. For the 2024 Met Gala, Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny and Chris Hemsworth were tapped to be the co-hosts for the evening. Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson and TikTok CEO Shou Chew are also honorary chairs.

The co-chairs act as a committee that helps ensure the star-studded night is a success.

While Hemsworth will make his debut at the gala on May 6, his fellow co-chairs have made multiple appearances on the famous Met steps. In her TODAY interview, Wintour gushed about her co-hosts and pointed out that it will be Lopez's 14th time attending. She also complimented Bad Bunny's stage presence and compared Hemsworth to a fairy tale prince.

"And then Zendaya, you know, a couple of years when she couldn’t come," Wintour said. "I felt gloom hung over the internet. Like, you know, a cloud of sad emojis because everyone always looks forward to what she’s gonna wear. And I know she will not disappoint."

The Met Gala is one of the most exclusive events in Hollywood — only a select group of celebrities receive the special invitation.

But the price to attend fashion’s biggest night of the year isn’t cheap. AP reported in 2023 that an individual ticket cost $50,000 and the starting price for tables was $300,000.

Wintour approves the guest list, which is kept a secret until the arrivals begin.

The gala serves as a fundraiser for the Met’s Costume Institute. The 2023 Met Gala raised nearly $22 million, setting a record for the event, according to Vogue Business.

Every year, the Met Gala theme matches the latest exhibition at the museum's Costume Institute.

The new exhibit at the museum this year is titled, "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion," and includes approximately 250 pieces from the Costume Institute's archives.

Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour explained on TODAY that the "Sleeping Beauties" refers to "taking these masterpieces from different periods" and giving the "fragile" art new life in the museum.

To coincide with the theme, the dress code for the evening will be "The Garden of Time," a reference to J. G. Ballard's 1962 short story of the same name, according to Vogue.

Wintour told TODAY co-anchor Jenna Bush Hager that she expects there will be plenty of flowers on the red carpet.

The "Sleeping Beauties" theme follows the "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" theme last year that honored the late fashion icon, who died in 2019 at the age of 85. Other past themes include "Gilded Glamour," "Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology" and "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination."

Established by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, the first Costume Institute Gala, or Met Gala, took place in 1948. As it is now, the high society event was a fundraiser for the then-newly founded Costume Institute, marking the opening of its annual exhibit.

According to Vogue, in its early days, the annual event was an exclusive dinner held at various locations across the city. It wasn't until former Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland became a consultant for the Costume Institute in 1972 that it became what it has become now. Vreeland moved the Gala to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and created the concept of co-chairs.

In 1995 current Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour took the reins as chairman of the Institute. Up until 1999, the Met Gala would take place in December or late November. However, per Vogue, it was later changed to spring because the season was less crowded with social events; thus the first Monday in May was born.

From its inception, the invitation-only Met Gala celebrates historical periods, genres, individual creators and moments in time, with celebrities, models, designers, influencers and select A-listers invited. It has also evolved to include special performances by big stars like Rihanna, Cher, Lady Gaga, Madonna and more.

Over time, the price of the ticket has jumped from under $100 to $75,000 for one ticket in 2024, according to the New York Times.