Rihanna has earned a reputation as the de facto Queen of the Met Gala red carpet with a knack for nailing the year’s theme. Though it wasn’t always that way. First attending the event back in 2007, Rihanna was no doubt well-dressed, but it took a few more go-arounds on the famed museum steps for her to emerge as a master of Met Gala dressing.

Her past Met Gala looks vary from a tailored suit in 2009 to a revealing Stella McCartney white two-piece gown in 2014. On the 2015 red carpet, however, Rihanna broke through the noise, wearing a yellow Guo Pei gown with an insanely elaborate train and a matching headpiece that made headlines as one of the most memorable Met Gala looks of all time. In 2017, she stole the show again in Comme des Garçons and has since walked the steps in everything from Valentino to Balenciaga. Unfortunately, we don’t know if the mom of three will be attending the event this year. But at least we have the comfort of her past looks to hold us over while we wait to see if she makes an appearance in 2026. Here, a look back at all of Rihanna’s jaw-dropping Met Gala looks, from 2007 until now.

2007: Poiret: King of Fashion

At 2007’s Met Gala, “Poiret: King of Fashion,” Rihanna made her debut in a white Georges Chakra gown with silver embellishments and mesh gloves. She carried a red rose as an additional accessory.

2009: The Model as Muse

Rihanna chose a Dolce & Gabbana suit and bow tie paired with black stilettos for 2009’s “The Model as Muse” Met Gala.

2011: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

Wearing a black lace Stella McCartney gown at the 2011 Met Gala, “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty,” Rihanna accessorized with a long side-braid and emerald earrings.

2012: Schiaparelli And Prada: Impossible Conversations

Rihanna wore a black Tom Ford gown with a crocodile texture to the 2012 ball. The theme was “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations.” She paired the look with a chic updo, accentuating the fact that the side of her head was shaved at the time.

2014: Charles James: Beyond Fashion

Rihanna wore a white Stella McCartney two-piece for the 2014 edition, “Charles James: Beyond Fashion.” Clearly, she was ahead of the game when it came to wearing formal crop tops.

2015: China Through The Look Glass

Rihanna began to really earn her reputation as the queen of dressing on theme in 2015. The exhibition that year was entitled “China Through The Looking Glass,” and Rihanna wore a yellow gown by Chinese designer Guo Pei, who said that “only women who have the confidence of a queen could wear it.”

2017: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between

The “avant-garde” mandate of the 2017 red carpet for the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between” exhibition tripped up many, but Rihanna knew what to do. She was one of the few to actually wear Comme des Garçons, and arguably the one to pull it off best.

The flower-inspired look may have eaten others up, but Rihanna remained the prettiest blossom in the bunch.

2019: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination

The theme in 2018 was “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” so what did Rihanna do? She dressed as the Pope. She tapped the former Maison Margiela designer John Galliano to create the look, though it was actually based on one he had designed while he was at the helm of Dior.

Stephen Jones, who made her headpiece, recently reminisced on the moment for W: “I said, ‘How do you want to look?’ She replied, ‘Funny enough, nobody has asked me that. I want to look pretty.’ I said, ‘The hat is quite heavy with all the embroidery,’ and she said, ‘Have you seen the shoes? The hat is not the problem.’”

2021: In America: A Lexicon of Fashion

Ok, so apparently Rihanna isn’t always interested in nailing the theme. For the 2021 exhibition, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” she wore a look from Demna for Balenciaga. “I’m an immigrant and that’s my take on American fashion,” she said on the red carpet.

That year was also the first time Rihanna walked the red carpet with a romantic interest, A$AP Rocky.

2023: Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty

No Met Gala red carpet officially ends without an appearance from Rihanna. In 2023, the star kept audiences waiting for all the right reasons. She slipped into an all-white Valentino confection modeled after the Chanel camellia flower and arrived fashionably late for the “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” event.

Then pregnant with her second child, Rihanna unbuttoned her flower coat to unveil a stunning white gown complete with the train of all trains.

2025: Superfine: Tailoring Black Style

Per usual, Rihanna showed up to the 2025 Met Gala very late. But she had a good reason—she announced that she’s pregnant.

The star wore a custom Marc Jacobs outfit that showcased her growing baby bump.