Rihanna Was Forced to Pull Out of the Met Gala Because She Had the Flu
She and A$AP Rocky are typically mainstays at fashion's biggest night.
![Rihanna Met Gala 2023](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HjxraDy6o9F6VQuBAjs43Y-415-80.jpg)
Rihanna typically makes a fashionably late entrance to the Met Gala, but not this year: Per People, the singer and partner A$AP Rocky had to pull out of the event after Rihanna came down with the flu.
RiRi had hinted at her Met Gala fashion plans in an interview with Extra, mentioning that her outfit would be "very simple-ish" when "compared to everything I have done."
The pop star last attended the Met Gala last year, when the event honored late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld. That night, Rihanna managed to pull off four striking looks.
While leaving the Carlyle Hotel on her way to the event, she cloaked herself in an opulent fur coat from Fendi's Fall 1997 collection, designed by Lagerfeld himself. Upon arriving at the Met, Rihanna transitioned into a breathtaking white Maison Valentino gown that featured a floor-sweeping train and a gargantuan cape plastered in camellia blossoms. The floral appliqués paid homage to Chanel's signature flower (which Lagerfeld used in many of his designs while he served as the French fashion house's creative director).
To accessorize her symbolic outfit, Rihanna chose white gloves and whimsical sunglasses adorned with faux eyelashes.
At last year's Met Gala, Rihanna wowed onlookers in an eye-catching Maison Valentino gown.
And in true Rihanna fashion, she didn’t end the spectacle there. While ascending the Met Gala stairs, she unfastened her cape and revealed the top half of her Valentino gown. Pregnant with her second child at the time, her dress fit snugly around her baby bump.
As she made her way up the Met Gala steps, Rihanna removed her cape to showcase the top of her gown.
For her final look that night, Rihanna slipped into a festive set for the Met Gala after-party, wearing a cropped white blazer and a coordinating skirt. Masterful looks like these are why Met Gala watchers eagerly anticipate her arrival each year—but there's always 2025!
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Lauren is the Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, where she writes trend reports, shopping pieces, and celebrity news stories. Prior to Marie Claire, Lauren worked for Harper’s Bazaar and ELLE as a freelance editor with a specific focus on seasonal styles and coveted products. She also worked for Town & Country, where she developed a robust portfolio of fashion roundups and designer profiles.
Lauren graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in journalism. While attending Penn, Lauren contributed to the university's fashion magazine, The Walk, while also interning for Philadelphia Style Magazine and EveryStylishGirl.
When she’s not exploring the world of fashion, you can find Lauren sharpening her skills as DJ, discovering new restaurants in New York City (she’s a foodie), and spending quality time with friends and family. Follow her along at @laurenktappan.
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