The Met Gala 2018: How Celebs Interpreted ‘Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’

Monday night’s 2018 Met Gala in New York City was an incredible opportunity for deeply spiritual fashion moments. The theme? “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” But while the theme was ripe with possibility, some of our faves fell—dare we say it?—a bit short on delivery.

The big winners of the night? Cardi B, reinterpreting the Black Madonna with help from designer Jeremy Scott; gala co-host Rihanna, lording over the festivities in jewel-encrusted papal fashion by John Galliano; and Janelle Monáe, who gave us young pope realness in an incredible ensemble by Chanel.

But perhaps our favorite look of the night was the fashion and social statement made by Lena Waithe, who had the gay-pride flag refashioned into a cloak for her first Met Gala appearance. It was the perfect unspoken clapback to the often restrictive moral codes of religion—and she looked absolutely fabulous, to boot.

What was most impressive? The amount of black and brown on the Met Gala’s beige carpet, continuing an upswing of diversity we’ve seen in recent years. And while recent newsmakers Kanye West and Beyoncé were absent from this year’s festivities, there were still plenty of lewks to get into (Zendaya as Joan of Arc, anyone?).

With religious and fashionable fervor, we’ve compiled an extensive array of the good, the bad and the fugly from the 2018 Met Gala for your judgment. Who wore the most heavenly look Monday night—and who earned your “Hell, no”? Let us know in the comments!

(Correction: An earlier version of this article credited Margiela as Rihanna’s Met Gala designer. The designer of her outfit was John Galliano; the article has been updated.)