Who had the better Balenciaga look at the Met Gala, Kim Kardashian or Rihanna?

Rihanna and Asap Rocky at the Met Gala

Rihanna arrived LATE to last night’s Met Gala. By the time she arrived, I think people were expecting some huge, important look. And did she deliver? Eh. For what it’s worth, Rihanna takes fashion seriously and she takes the Met Gala seriously, she always has. But I do think she phoned it in a bit this year. She wore this very big, puffy Balenciaga coat which looks like a repurposed goth comforter. Her boyfriend, A$AP Rocky, also appeared to be wearing bedding in an ESL quilt-looking cape?? They’re a hot couple, but this is… not what most people were expecting.

Rihanna and Asap Rocky at the Met Gala

Rihanna and ASAP Rocky attend the 2021 Met Gala

Rihanna and Asap Rocky at the Met Gala

Also in Balenciaga? Kim Kardashian. She wore this Balenciaga… I don’t even know how to describe it. A catsuit with a train and a full face mask, which she later removed and just wore wrap-around sunglasses. Reportedly, that’s Kanye West in the face mask beside her on the carpet, although Kim did leave her hotel alone and she partied last night without Kanye too.

Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner attend the Met Gala

Kim Kardashian and Kendall Jenner attend the Met Gala

Kim Kardashian returns to her hotel, changes, and heads to a Met Gala after-party!

Two more Balenciaga ladies: Michaela Coel and Tracee Ellis Ross. So many catsuits and so many giant coats and capes.

Embed from Getty Images

Celebrity Departures for the Met Costume Gala from The Mark Hotel

Photos courtesy of Getty, Avalon Red and Backgrid.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

79 Responses to “Who had the better Balenciaga look at the Met Gala, Kim Kardashian or Rihanna?”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Laalaa says:

    I LOVED RIHANNA’S, it’s so unexpected, and she DELIVERED as far as I’m concerned, and Asap as well. How they manage to look so sexy in those clothes I will never know.
    Also, she looks happy, they both do.

    • EnormousCoat says:

      I also love Rihanna’s – I think she looks breathtaking.
      And I have read the theme 40 times now and don’t get it. Is it overly broad? But most attendees do what they want each year. Rihanna always slays it, so I trust her interpretations.

      • Wiglet Watcher says:

        Rihanna is gorgeous as her default. The outfit enhanced nothing imo. It nearly swallowed her.
        It’s a cool look though.

    • August Rain says:

      Love their look. Quilts are an important contribution to crafts and interiors from women all around the world, but also in indigenous cultures in the US> I don’t know if this was the point but it made ma smile to see the quilt.

    • LovesitinNM says:

      I love their looks. Hers looks like high fashion streetwear. Like NYC streetwear as an artistic statement/representation. Super LOVE. Agree with the quilt reference on her boyfriend.

    • Market Street Minifig says:

      I LOVED this so much. Especially after the parade last night of boring naked dresses worn by women you’d expect to see wearing naked dresses. I especially love that I could see right away how Rihanna and ASAP’s looks connect to the theme without being tropey.

  2. Fuzzy Crocodile says:

    Rihanna’s looks so comfy.

    • Chaine says:

      She and her guy look like when you’re camping and you have to get up for breakfast but it’s cold so you huddle around the remains of last night bonfire with your big lumpy sleeping bags around your shoulders.

  3. Sally says:

    He’s wearing a fashion take on a quilt and I actually love the idea.

  4. Tom says:

    Why even bother to have a theme.

    • Mumzy says:

      I’m with you Tom. It looked as though not everyone received the same invitation.

    • rainbowkitty says:

      Yes, the theme this year was “themeless”. I don’t get what these looks have to do with this year’s theme….Kim’s, Rihanna’s, and many others.

    • Wiglet Watcher says:

      I was thinking the same…

    • L4frimaire says:

      I felt this theme was a bit pointless and random, especially since they’ll be doing part 2 of the same theme in May’22. It would have resonated more if they focused it more on a specific aspect or era of American style. People interpreted it in their own way. Some great, some not so great. Was quite the show but it seemed a bit out of sync for right now.

  5. Ariel says:

    ASAP Rocky- showing my age here, but it looks like he’s dressed in a cape of Holly Hobby doll heads.

  6. Keri says:

    I actually prefer Kim’s look here. Rihanna is bigger than Kim sure but I still think she’s overrated nowadays.

    • Char says:

      I completely agree, Rihanna’s style is a mess and people go for it because she was stylish one day. Kim looks as much as an attention wh0re as she has always been. Both Michaela and Tracee looks a hundred times better than Kim and Riri.

      • MJO says:

        Ms. Kardashian is drawing attention to the desperate condition of women in Afghanistan by making a subtle protest about the burka hijab. Not.

    • Eleonor says:

      I agree, and call me crazy but I really love Kim looks.

  7. Millennial says:

    Kim kinda spoiled this look by appearing in full face mask the day before. It was shocking before, but this was just, “oh this again?”

    • Tammy says:

      That’s what I thought too. Plus the first one was more of a statement. This was the same dress basically that she wore to a restaurant last week also. I also heard it wasn’t Kanye but whoever the designer was. No clue if that’s true.

    • Wiglet Watcher says:

      It’s not spoiled if you don’t pay attention to her. I didn’t know about this previously and kinda like it. Off theme, but not a bad look.

  8. grabbyhands says:

    I’m gonna go with none of them.

    Kim in particular looked like dementor cosplay and it looks like Kanye is dressing her again and no matter how foolish she looks, it got her the attention she wanted. I wonder what it is supposed to be distracting us from? Still healing plastic surgery from her newest face?

    • Ainsley7 says:

      Why is Kanye still dressing her? Like, she came out and said she was dressing for him when they were together and she was being made fun of. You would think she would stop dressing for him at some point. I guess there could be some kind of weird contractual obligations due to his album release or something. Like she had to come to the Met Gala this year with him and wear whatever he chose or something?

      • MF1 says:

        I get that Kanye turned her into more of a fashion star. (Her style was very basic when they got together.) But she’s enough of a regular on big red carpets these days that she can get more important designers to dress her. She doesn’t need him any more for her brand.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      I agree, neither of these looks are winners.

      Rhianna looked like she barely tried. Her make-up is more impressive than her fashion. Volume alone doesn’t make something special.

      Kim’s look would have been more interesting if they did more with the shape of the clothes.

      Overall, these look like boring stunts to me. There were so many other amazing looks last night.

    • Rice says:

      LOL! Someone tweeted “Expecto Patronum!” last night and I cackled for a good 15 minutes.

  9. Aidevee says:

    Michaela looks amazing. I think that onesie with rihanna’s coat on top would be my favourite outfit ever. Covers all bases. You’d never need anything else 😍

    • BeanieBean says:

      She was my favorite, although whenever I see anyone in a catsuit, I think but what if you have to go to the bathroom? I guess you don’t/

    • Carmen says:

      I have no idea who Michaela Coel is but damn, I love that catsuit and she was wearing the hell out of it.

  10. Becks1 says:

    I don’t like any of them.

  11. August Rain says:

    Oh come on. It’s refreshing not to see Kim K’s face. My theory is that Balenciaga did this for when women’s plastic surgery / botox / fillers is setting and they still want to partayyyyy

  12. LightPurple says:

    I was dying to see what was under Rihanna’s coat. He took off the blanket before they went up the stairs but she kept the coat on. Her whole ensemble had a very roaring 20s vibe

  13. Alexandria says:

    Rihanna.

    But I’m low-key impressed Kim didn’t show her face. Maybe she’s a game character that has not been unlocked and you gotta pay, as a commentary on corporate America. Or I’m talking nonsense lol.

  14. Coco says:

    A$AP Rocky is “How to Make an American Quilt”

    Tracer Ellis Ross is “Purple mountains majesty” because she’s a freaking queen.

  15. cabooklover says:

    I don’t like either Rihanna or Kim’s look. Kim always looks trashy. But Rihanna looks like she’s wearing her comforter.

  16. AnnaC says:

    Rihanna’s dress looks like the sleeping bag down coat I wear to the gym and walking the dog in very cold New England winters. And we jokingly call it that because it’s huge, long, cozy and I’ve actually worn it to take a nap, just envelopes you. I’m sure her dress cost a fortune and all, but I don’t think anyone will remember it a year from now, unlike the papal couture she wore a couple years ago.

    Kim K, whatever.

  17. Misbehavin says:

    Maybe Rihanna’s and rocky’s looks are about America during the pandemic? Quarantine but make it fashion.

  18. Monica says:

    LOL! A$AP Rocky’s wearing a good ol’ biscuit quilt. I love it!

  19. TQ says:

    Love Michaela and Tracee’s looks! Stunning.

    But really disappointed with Rihanna’s look, although I love the diamonds. The dress/coat needed more something…glam? tailoring? better fabric?

    Kim is often off at the Met, so not so surprised with this look (am thinking about that horrible floral Tisci for Givenchy she wore in 2013).

  20. one of the Marys says:

    I would love to see more of the headpiece under Rihanna’s toque
    Kim blacked out like that makes the bizarre proportions of her figure all the more apparent, painful to look at

  21. jferber says:

    I hated every single look. ASAP Rocky seems like a gold digger to me. What does Rihanna see in him? Is he crazy good in bed?

    • ME says:

      ASAP Rocky is a millionaire. He’s doing just fine. He’s a cutie and talented. He’s also from Barbados (just like Rihanna). They have a lot in common and make a great couple. I hope they last.

  22. Jess says:

    Kim looks ridiculous. Her blacks don’t even match.

    I bet Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were the most comfortable people there. Just snuggled up in their custom Snuggies lol

  23. Rapunzel says:

    I think her dress is a nod to Urban American streetwear…it’s reminiscent of black puffer coats you see on the street with beanies.

  24. Sleah says:

    I loved Kim’s look. Loved it. As art, I thought it was such a beautiful, sad, iconic representation in so many ways. Who she is, what she’s going through, the color, mark in history, the silhouette, how to be seen but not seen… That’s what I felt when I saw it. I could be totally off but, fashion is art and it’s subjective. Shadows are kind of magical and it looked like a beautiful mysterious shadow moving through the crowds.

    • Emma says:

      I completely despise the vapid commercialism of the Kardashians but I have to admit this look was genius next to all the netting and skin. AND Covid-conscious as few on the red carpet were. Solid black was a real statement.

      Well… I mean if we hadn’t already seen her in this a couple times before, most notably at her and Kanye’s little celebration of rapists / torturers and gay-bashers, it would be genius.

  25. Renee says:

    I love Tracee but the hair & look were a no-go from me.

  26. MoP says:

    I’m old. My first thought was “how do you go to the bathroom in those things?”

  27. Velvet Elvis says:

    Rihanna and Rocky look like they just rolled up out of the bed, grabbed their covers and off they went. Because it’s Rihanna everyone claps and no one points out how truly ridiculous it looks. I mean, she’s so stunning that she could wear a Hefty bag and look beautiful but it still wouldn’t make the Hefty bag good fashion.
    Kim…I actually like her look. Very provocative.

  28. psl says:

    Kim cracks me up. She always picks a “look” and wears it for WEEKS. And now she is even doing it with the face covering! LOL
    This is the THIRD time she has worn a face covering, I wonder how many more times we’ll see it……botched fillers, maybe? They need to settle? Or maybe she changed her face again, it’s time for her quarterly tune up!

    • ME says:

      She does this with EVERY trend. She’ll wear it to death so it seems as if she’s the one who created the look.

      There is a pic of Kendall and Kim standing next to each other at the MET. It looks like Kim is Kendall’s shadow lol ! I mean what was she thinking? I can see Kim reading all the tweets making fun of her and screaming “these losers don’t know fashionnnnn !!!!”.

  29. Bettyrose says:

    Kim went with something obvious and unoriginal. Remind me why she gets invited to these things?

  30. L4frimaire says:

    I don’t like any of these looks big it’s the Met, and you gotta go big or go home. Honestly these clothes would have been great for the Camp theme, more than this years theme, which was so broad, everyone just did whatever. Rihanna’s coat made everyone think she is pregnant.

  31. Cacec04 says:

    I think they Rihanna and ASAP were making political statements. ASAP looks like he’s wearing “small pox blanket” and I’m not quite sure what Rihanna is other than maybe a take on the early gangsta rap look of the 90s/LA Riots era. I think they look awesome of my hunch is right.

  32. mellie says:

    Kim’s look was very boring…she needs to quit listening to Kanye. She just looks like an old widow.

  33. MsIam says:

    Wth? I like Michael’s catsuit but the rest of that ish? Naw.

  34. Naomi says:

    I mean, wrapping yourself in a blanket? Covering up your beautiful body in a parka? Rihanna and her boyfriend reminded me of popular kids in high school, mocking an event that the rest of us dressed up for because we thought we were supposed to. Joke’s on us!

    Her head looked great, as always, and she looks happy.

  35. Mcali02 says:

    OMG I can’t believe I am saying this, but I loved Kim K’s look. It’s so well done.

  36. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    Ridiculous and hysterical. Keep it up, we’re starving for laughter.

  37. Reece says:

    I could be wrong but I think that is the point of Rihanna’s gown. It’s a giant puffy coat made into a gown. Then she’s wearing a beanie and oversized jewelry. It’s 90’s East Coast hip-hop chic to the extreme. A$AP Rocky I really don’t know. It’s either a quilt or cereal in quilt form??? *shrug*
    My first thought for Kim was Kanye dressed her. Kim looks like Catwoman cosplay with the mask.
    Tracie ER Is cosplaying 80’svPatti LaBelle.

    • NA says:

      I think you are right about Rihanna’s gown and 90s East coast hip hop. Rocky’s look (I did some digging) seems to be inspired by memory quilts, which I think is very interesting

  38. Ihatestupidpeople says:

    No one thinks Kim look was in bad taste with what’s going on right now? Only me?

    • dj says:

      Thank you! My first thought exactly.

      • Ihatestupidpeople says:

        Glad it’s not only me. I’m gutted for these women in Afghanistan and this fool looks like she’s mocking and milking the situation for attention. Sickening!

  39. KC says:

    I came here confused how Rihanna was okay her new beau was siring another baby with a jenner but I just realized this is a different black male entertainer/Jenner.

  40. NA says:

    Sigh, I am by no means an avid art aficionado but I do know that Rihanna NEVER phones it in for the Met Gala, and never goes the easy, pretty route. So, before we dismiss the look as lazy or not pretty, maybe we should try to think of what she might have been going for, what part of the theme she might have been representing. To the commenters above who mentioned east coast 90s rap, I TOTALLY agree with you that it seems to be what she was going for – the amazing and so culturally alive and crystallized part of American music history, that was probably so influential to her as a young person. The big puffer jackets, the beanies, the Tims, the larger than life brash NYC attitudes. That’s what I’m feeling. Take all that energy, turn it into a gown.

    As for A$AP, it honestly took me a bit, but it obviously looks like a quilt, and given that he is a guy that LOVES fashion, the question of “why a quilt” is interesting. And it seems that the artist who came up with the look was inspired by memory quilts, and the history and prominence of these quilts during the Depression era and the celebration of life events and marking the loss of loved ones. Not sure if he was aiming for all of that, but it seems very very fitting for these times.