It’s a truth universally acknowledged that Rihanna is the Met Gala Sovereign. No one else comes close to her on the First Monday in May or the Second Monday in September. Not even Zendaya. So Rihanna was the one we’ve all been waiting for. Especially since last year the Met Gala was cancelled and she didn’t show up the year before for the Camp theme.

 

We waited, and waited, and waited, and waited. 

At 7pm Rihanna showed up at the hotel. Arrivals had already started at the Met and Rihanna hadn’t even started prepping yet. On Twitter people began to panic. After two hours, they were despondent, thinking that it was done, that she wasn’t actually planning to attend. That she’d host the after-party but that’s it. Three hours go by, she still was there. And then, finally, just after 10pm, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky emerged from the hotel to save the party. 

The thing about Rihanna? If she’s making you wait that long, it’s going to be worth it. 

Of course it was worth it. 

For the beanie alone, it’s worth it. 

 

A beanie AND a jewelled headpiece, in combination. This is theme and creativity and personal style. And the voluminous coat, in all black, the simplicity of all black, especially when so many others were so ornate and bright and metallic. It’s not often that black is a standout colour, but somehow Rihanna made it pop. Even next to Rocky’s quilt. 

The quilt has been confusing to some people – but it’s right there in the exhibit description for In America: 

“A signature quilt begun in 1856 from The Met's American Wing collection opens the show, and serves as a metaphor for the United States and its varied cultural identities.

Approximately 100 men's and women's ensembles by a diverse range of designers from the 1940s to the present are featured. Enclosed in scrimmed cases that represent three-dimensional "patches" of a quilt, they are organized into 12 sections that explore defining emotional qualities: Nostalgia, Belonging, Delight, Joy, Wonder, Affinity, Confidence, Strength, Desire, Assurance, Comfort, and Consciousness.”

 

So they kinda matched their looks, wrapped in comfort and, as corny as this sounds, in each other. Rihanna always serves it, no matter what, but the added element to her Met Gala takeover last night was love. 

Not sure we’ve ever seen her this… in love and relaxed. So we’ve got almost all the feelings here – belonging, delight, joy, wonder, affinity, confidence, desire, and comfort. Theme, on theme, on theme. And supreme. 

The reign of Rihanna continues.