Rihanna Sparks a New Trend at Her Met Gala After-Party

After shutting down the Met Gala 2021 red carpet in an enrobing inky black Balenciaga gown, Rihanna pivoted from hyper-volume to an altogether slinkier silhouette for her after-party. Remember this is a woman who comes alive in the nighttime (she prefers to take sleep “pockets”, in line with her creative rhythms, rather than a good old eight hours); her post-Met look was always going to pack a punch.

At Davide, the world’s best bad gal served up a lesson in the sexy-cosy glamour she does so well. Wearing a luxed-up take on a black tee with a sheer black skirt weighed down by delicate beads, Rihanna’s after-hours finery was one part demure, two parts seductive. Frosted with crystals – the theme of the night – and glittering tassels, it was all about texture, in comparison to her structured Balenciaga silhouette.

Exposed underwear – shout out to naked dress aficionados Zoë Kravitz and Kendall Jenner – was one of the most outré red-carpet headlines at this year’s Met Gala, but eagle-eyed Rih fans will know the Fenty fashion plate was doing whale tails et al way before the Gen-Z crowd. At the 2014 after-party, she wore a liquid gold Stella McCartney slip that was pure business-at-the-front, party-at-the-back, revealing an eye-wateringly low bum chain; and a year later she swapped her gargantuan Guo Pei couture for a Maison Margiela lingerie-inspired look, featuring a transparent babydoll top. 

This year’s intimate after-party ensemble is hardly surprising; Rih has got a Savage X Fenty show to prep for. But just watch the ultimate influencer’s high-low tee and diamonds become the chicest way to do nonchalant party wear this season. 

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