The Best Gowns and Dresses from the 2021 Met Gala Red Carpet

After a two year hiatus due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, "fashion's biggest night out" returns tonight. The annual event, which is normally held in May, is resuming once more at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to benefit the museum's Art's Costume Institute—but as can only be expected in these times, there will be some notable changes. Tonight's event is one of two interconnected evenings focused on American Fashion, which suffered so greatly as a result of the global pandemic. The first show, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” is set to focus on American contemporary designers. Guests will, of course, be masked, and this year's hosts include a smattering of Gen-Z favorites, from actor Timothee Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Naomi Osaka, and Amanda Gorman, while Tom Ford, Adam Mosseri, and Anna Wintour are serving as honorary chairs.

The last 18 months have had a scarcity of red carpets, but tonight's fashion bonanza promises the highest echelon of contemporary designer confections, from structured gowns and bedazzled backless dresses and gorgeous brocade and beaded embellishment in between. Here, the best looks from the 2021 Met Gala—In America: a Lexicon of Fashion.