John Galliano created Rihanna’s papal-inspired Maison Margiela Artisanal look for the 2018 Met Gala.
Rihanna wore the elaborate ensemble at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2018 Costume Institute Gala. The event’s theme was “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” and her outfit referenced Catholic ceremonial dress through a crystal-covered mitre, a beaded dress, and a decorated coat.
John Galliano designed the look for Maison Margiela Artisanal. Galliano had become the house’s creative director in 2014, after earlier leadership roles at Givenchy, Dior, and his own label. The outfit is sometimes credited only to Maison Margiela, but Galliano is the designer behind the specific appearance.
The gala exhibition examined the relationship between Catholic imagery and fashion history. Rihanna’s look was especially memorable because it transformed religious visual codes into a theatrical red-carpet presentation while directly matching the exhibition’s theme.