The Met Gala 2021: The Best Red Carpet Looks

The best of the best of "American Fashion."

met gala dresses
(Image credit: Getty Images)

No, it’s not the first Monday in May, and in fact, it’s not the first Monday in September either, but tonight, celebrities will return to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for one of the most glamorous events of the fashion season—the 2021 Met Gala. Following the cancelation of 2020’s event amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s more intimate star-studded guest list will gather in celebration of a theme that hits close to home: American Fashion.

Rather than showcasing only big name legacy brands, this year’s exhibit will put an emphasis on young, emerging, and avant-garde designers who are the future of fashion. The hosts of the evening are also a nod to a new generation of artists: Naomi Osaka, Timothée Chalamet, Amanda Gordon, and Billie Eilish will kick off the festivities, while some 400 guests will arrived dressed in the theme of American Independence. Before guests enter the Met for cocktails and dinner (where social media is strictly prohibited), take a peek at what they’re wearing to this year’s Met Ball.

Sara Holzman
Style Director

Sara Holzman is the Style Director for Marie Claire, where she's worked alongside the publication for eight years in various roles, ensuring the brand's fashion content continues to inform, inspire, and shape the conversation about fashion's ever-evolving landscape. With a degree from the Missouri School of Journalism, Sara is responsible for overseeing a diverse fashion content mix, from emerging and legacy designer profiles to reported features on the influence of social media on style and seasonal and micro trends across the world's fashion epicenters in New York, Milan, and Paris. Before joining Marie Claire, Sara held fashion roles at Conde Nast's Lucky Magazine and Self Magazine and was a style and travel contributor to Equinox's Furthermore website. Over her decade of experience in the fashion industry, Sara has helped guide each brand's style point of view, working alongside veteran photographers and stylists to bring editorial and celebrity photo shoots to fruition from start to finish. Sara currently lives in New York City. When she's not penning about fashion or travel, she’s at the farmer’s market, on a run, working to perfect her roasted chicken recipe, or spending time with her husband, dog, and cat. Follow her along at @sarajonewyork