The 2021 Met Gala is here! On Monday, September 13, Hollywood’s biggest stars took over New York City to walk the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

After a year without the star-studded event due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the celebs brought their best looks this time around while adhering to the theme: “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” Keke Palmer and Emma Chamberlain, among others slayed the red carpet.

Keke opted for a black and gold long-sleeved gown and an epic smokey eye. Emma, for her part, showed some skin in a ’70s-inspired gold mini-dress and a green makeup look.

“Over the past year, because of the pandemic, the connections to our homes have become more emotional, as have those to our clothes,” curator of the museum’s Costume Institute, Andrew Bolton, said of the theme in a statement. “For American fashion, this has meant an increased emphasis on sentiment over practicality.”

Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Amanda Gorman and Naomi Osaka arrived early as cochairs of the event and all looked their best. Timothée went for a white suit while Amanda took inspiration from the Statue of Liberty.

Unfortunately, Zendaya was unable to attend this year’s event, much to the dismay of fashion lovers. Each year, the former Disney Channel star turns heads in some seriously epic looks, but her filming schedule didn’t allow for a trip to New York City.

“I will be on Euphoria,” she said during an interview with Extra earlier this month while sitting alongside Dune costar Timothée. ”My fans are very upset with me. I will, unfortunately, not be able to attend because I’ll be working for Euphoria. I wish I could, especially since this fashion icon is going to be hosting.”

Zendaya continued, “I got my time off to come here and do this Venice [Film Festival] experience, which has been really, really special,” noting that the Cinderella look at her 2019 Met Gala appearance was “very stressful” and “almost took me out.”

While the fashion icon wasn’t present at the prestigious event, so many other A-listers did make an appearance! Scroll through our gallery to see all the 2021 Met Gala arrival photos. 

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