This was a down-right royal look for Rihanna—from the flicked red bob to the straight eyebrows, she looked utterly regal from head to toe.

A favourite to watch for at the Met Gala in recent years, Gigi Hadid pulls out meticulous looks that are a masterclass in marrying hair, make-up and outfit seamlessly. To complement this exquisite Versace creation, Hadid opted for make-up that was glowing yet simple; alluring yet heavenly. Perfection.

This Barbie-gone-vamp make-up and extra big hair fit the brief to celebrate camp at the 2019 Met Gala flawlessly.

Maisie Williams’s architectural hairdo, bleached eyebrows and darkly dangerous make-up look that would make even Morticia Addams proud elevated her ensemble, and was modern yet elegant.

Undisputed icon of the LGBTQ+ community who are the masters of camp, Lady Gaga took notes from looks she popularised early on in her career—bleach blonde bow hair and exaggerated eye make-up—and pumped it up several hundred notches for the Met Gala red carpet. To top it off, she turned her entrance into a performance that was more than 15 minutes long. So camp.

Gemma Chan paid tribute to American Chinese actress Anna May Wong, with her striking eyeliner and a modern interpretation of a severe up do with a blunt fringe, for the 2021 Met Gala. This sleek and elegant look was more than just stunning, it reminded everyone that Asian Americans have, and have always had, a place in American culture.

While most remember Zendaya’s Joan of Arc look in 2018 or her Cinderella look in 2019, we look to her 2016 futuristic bob that perfectly framed her gorgeous bronze make-up for a reminder of how flawless this multi-talented artist is on every red carpet she graces.

Quannah Chasinghorse celebrated her Indigenous American heritage at the second instalment of the In America: An Anthology of Fashion theme, wearing intricate braids and feathers in her hair to remind us that beauty isn’t limited to the looks most often seen on the pages of fashion magazines or runways.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas personified heavenly with her wavy, romantic up do, and paired it with a glamorous bronze and wine-toned make-up look that married the shades of her headpiece and gown.

Singer Conan Gray made his Met Gala debut last year and faced the cameras with a soft pink make-up look that was strong but ethereal. It was a simple look but it allowed his sheer silver and curly locks to shine.

The artfully sculpted afro—by her master hairstylist, Vernon François—that Lupita Nyong’o sported to the 2021 Met Gala not only accentuated the asymmetry of her gown, but also drew the eye to her bold and playful navy and gold make-up look.

Billy Porter is known for his style and theatrics, but he literally shone on the 2019 Met Gala red carpet with his bedazzled gold make-up look, complete with gold brushed lips and a solid gold manicure, which made it seem like his ensemble and make-up flowed seamlessly into each other.

Billie Eilish, best known for her oversized streetwear style and often brightly coloured hair, surprised us all with her take on Old Hollywood glamour á la Marilyn Monroe as co-host of the event. She looked angelic yet mysterious with her bleached blonde bob, winged liner and rose petal lips.

In 2017, model Lily Alridge demonstrated how to do a minimalistic beauty look effortlessly: her glowy skin and bold brows were all that was needed under the whisper of hot pink mesh across her face.

CL paid homage to her Korean heritage with an intricately pleated updo and heavy eyeliner that accentuated her features, and echoed the silhouette of her denim gown that was inspired by a traditional Korean hanbok.

Model Cara Delevingne countered a black headdress that obscured most of her face with plenty of gold shimmer, a bold lip and strong rouge in her make-up look, and topped it all with pink hair that was as fun and irreverent as Delevingne herself.

Queer and Asian American advocate, YouTube personality and one-fou... one-third of the Try Guys, Eugene Lee Yang wore a semi-draped eyeshadow and blush look in an aggressively bold shade to match his red leather heels, and added a twist with a unique half-lined lip to balance out his asymmetrical quiff.

JLo’s ode to Cher in this extravagant crystal “hair” head piece literally glittered on the red carpet, and its pale hue allowed her strong 70s-meets-00s make-up look, with its bold, dark eye and extra-nude lip, to shine just as much as the rest of her ensemble does.

Swedish fashion influencer Fredrik Robertson continued the alien and ethereal elements of his Iris van Herpen ensemble in his make-up with a black and white ombre look framed with pearls.

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