Met Gala 2018 - Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination

This week, we're taking a glance back at the 2018 Met Gala and its 'Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination' theme. Whilst the 2018 gala was not without controversy, some arguing the theme was 'blasphemous' and 'sacrilegious cosplay', the stunning gowns and the support from the Catholic Church (including the lending of different papal regalia) meant that the evening was an unequivocal success.

The 2018 Met Gala is one of our favourites, with lavish, highly decorative gowns mixed in with more classic and sleek garments. Below we take a look back at some of our favourite outfits from the many wonderful designs on show that evening.

Hailey Bieber (Tommy Hilfiger)

Hailey Bieber (or Baldwin as she was at the time of the 2018 Met Gala) wore an elegant grey-blue off the shoulder Tommy Hilfiger gown. The elegance of Bieber's outfit lay in its simplicity, the long flowing train and grey-blue almost silvery tone blending into that theme of 'heavenly'. What truly elevated the gown to red-carpet ready was the combination of the looping off the shoulder straps and thigh-high split giving a glimpse at Bieber's silver-pearl Jimmy Choo's. Paired with silvery Tiffany and Co jewellery, Bieber looked a vision in silver.

Priyanka Chopra (Ralph Lauren)

Priyanka Chopra was amongst some of the more extravagantly dressed guests at the 2018 Met Gala, her simple velvet burgundy gown paired with a gold beaded hood that added that sense of glamour and splendour to the outfit. The velvet gown with long elegant cape and beaded hood was designed by Ralph Lauren, taking over 250 hours to hand-make. The rich tones of burgundy and gold are widely popular within the Catholic church and the hood, made of gold beading and red Swarovski crystals, added that sense of extravagance to the final ensemble.

Amal Clooney (Richard Quinn)

One of the 2018 Met Gala hosts, Amal Clooney wowed in her first outfit of the night, a rose covered metallic corset dress created by British designer Richard Quinn. The two-piece look was both elegant and empowering, the cascading floral train and strapless metallic top paired with a pair of black trousers.

Miley Cyrus (Stella McCartney)

Miley Cyrus, who is famed for her slightly more 'out there' fashion sense, opted for one of the evenings more toned-down but incredibly elegant looks. The singer effortlessly pulled off a backless, low cut black halter dress designed by Stella McCartney. The mermaid style train that pooled at her feet added that extra sense of glamour and sophistication to the outfit, whilst Cyrus's cross earrings offered a nod to the 2018 theme.

Jourdan Dunn (Diane von Furstenberg)

Jourdan Dunn certainly embraced the 'heavenly' aspect of the dress code as she opted for an angelic look in all white. Her two-piece ensemble, made predominantly of silk and satin, consisted of a wrap dress with a cathedral train and an open-back cape. The creation by designer Diane von Furstenberg was crisp and luxurious, the pure white ensemble paired with pearl and diamanté jewellery creating a white/silver combo that mirrored the classic representation of angels. The glittering ruff collar with pear beads and diamanté crystals gave that extra bit of glitz to Dunn's look.

Rosie Huntington-Whitely (Ralph Lauren)

Once again Rosie Huntington-Whiteley features amongst our favourite Met Gala outfits, looking in equal parts glamorous and elegant. Wearing a plunging custom-made caped Ralph Lauren gown, Huntington-Whiteley hit the 'heavenly' brief with the detailed gold gown and matching halo head-piece. The cape was without a doubt the star of the show, the sheer material combined with over 300,000 Swarovski crystals making the outfit sparkle even more.

Kendall Jenner (Off-White)

Kendall Jenner's cream off the shoulder jumpsuit was reminiscent of sister Kim's 2017 Met Gala look, both sisters looking elegant in their sleek and airy looks. Jenner was one of the few ball attendees to opt for a jumpsuit rather than a long flowing gown, however that didn't stop the model's outfit from replicating some of the key trends seen on the Met Gala red carpet. Jenner's trouser legs, with their individual trains, were one way in which Off-White added that red carpet glitz to the ensemble, whilst the ruched sheer sleeves and connected gloves added that extra pop to the outfit.

Zoë Kravitz (Saint Laurent)

Zoë Kravitz's sultry black lace Saint Laurent gown was another hit on the 2018 Met Gala red carpet. The asymmetrical design, wrap style dress with a tie-closure was almost a dress of two halves: on one-side the full sleeve and floor-grazing hem offering a classically elegant look and on the other a risque, more sultry cut. Kravitz's ensemble was completed with a pair of strappy black heels and diamond earrings.

Blake Lively (Versace)

Perhaps our favourite Met Gala outfit of all time, Blake Lively's custom Versace gown was absolutely jaw-dropping. Every inch of the gown, from the stunningly embroidered jewel-encrusted golden bodice to the deep ruby red train with golden embroidery, was a work of art. The detail and work that went into the gown is paramount, with over 600 hours of work all done by hand. The long train and rich colours captured everyone's attention on the red carpet, paired with an extravagant headpiece to complete the look. The sheer size of the dress can be exemplified through the fact that the star had to arrive via bus, due to the fact the stunning ruby red train wouldn't fit in a car. Lively's outfit was the epitome of class, elegance and decadence all rolled into one.

Jennifer Lopez (Balmain)

Jennifer Lopez is always one of the best dressed attendees on any red carpet and has had an array of gorgeous Met Gala gowns over the years. Lopez's 2018 dress was every inch the glitz and glamour we've come to expect of the Met Gala, the custom-made Balmain gown consisting of a train made of black ostrich feathers and encrusted in gems, which too featured on the feathered train. The thigh-high split added to the drama and statement of the ensemble which was a homage to a 1988 Vogue cover.

Deepika Padukone (Prabal Gurung)

2018 was quite the year for Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone who was named amongst the 100 most influential people in the world and started her own production company. Padukone went all out in a red Prabal Gurung gown, complete with thigh-high slit and statement one-shoulder strap. The Bollywood superstar looked the epitome of glamour and effortless elegant.

Rihanna (Maison Margiela)

There is always anticipation around who and what everyone will be wearing at the Mer Gala, however one of the attendees who garners the most attention is, undoubtedly, Rihanna. The musician is always amongst the best and most elaborately dressed members of the Met Gala red carpet and 2018, where she was also host, was no exception. Rihanna's outfit most adhered to the dress code for the evening - Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination - as she strutted out in a stunning pearl and jewel encrusted robe with matching mini dress and papal mitre. The star's outfit, inspired by papal attire, took over 750 hours to make, which is unsurprising considering the immense and stunning detail of the outfit. Paired with Louboutin heels and jewellery by Cartier, Rihanna was undoubtedly one of the best dressed attendees of the evening.

Jasmine Sanders (H&M)

In her Met Gala debut Jasmine Sanders looked every inch a Disney princess her in her custom-made H&M gold gown. The actress and model, whose outfit was compared to that of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, looked incredibly elegant in her off the shoulder gown with thigh-high split. Another notable aspect of Sanders appearance was her hair which had been plaited and intertwined with real roses and ribbons to create the stunning effect.

Irina Shayk (Versace)

Irina Shayk once again features amongst our favourite Met Gala looks, this time wearing a bedazzled gold Versace gown. The crystal studded bodice with plunging neck-line , which was complimented with a matching choker, lead into a stunning pleated train which created a feather effect trailing after her as she walked the red carpet. A vision in gold, Shayk's golden bracelets and gold satin heels completed the star's colour coordinated look.

Gabrielle Union (Prabal Gurung)

Gabrielle Union's outfit was one of the more vibrant colours on display at the 2018 Met Gala and she looked stunning as she took to the red carpet in a bright yellow satin gown. The dress, which featured a thigh-high split and Cathedral train, was designed to reflect the one of the colours of the Vatican City flag, the yellow/gold strip being one of the key inspirations behind many of the 2018 outfits. Union's silver lace-like pendant and matching jewellery completed the look to make her a vision on the 2018 red carpet.