Celebrities show off lavish outfits in New York Meta Gala 2021

Pop star Billie Eilish

This year's costume theme is "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion".

The Met Gala, sometimes called the Met ball, is an event where lots of celebrities show off fabulous and flamboyant fashion with outrageous outfits and sometimes unusual designs.

It's basically the fashion world version of the Oscars, as designers, models, musicians and Hollywood actors all come together on the red carpet.

The event is to promote the Metropolitan Museum of Art's (Met's) Costume Institute and is held at the museum in New York City.

Met Gala - one of fashion's biggest and starriest events - has rolled out its red carpet in New York for some of the planet's best-known celebrities.

Held to raise funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, the Gala returns after being cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

And although its famous guests must follow Covid-19 rules, including wearing masks indoors, that hasn't stopped many going for all-out glamour.

This year's costume theme is "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" - and the looks were inspired by everything from the Matrix film franchise to the Statue of Liberty.

The ball was co-hosted by pop star Billie Eilish, tennis player Naomi Osaka, actor Timothée Chalamet and poet Amanda Gorman.

One of the most talked-about looks of the night came from the publicity machine that is Kim Kardashian - who covered her face and body in an all-enveloping black outfit.

The custom design was devised by Demna Gvasalia, the creative director of fashion house Balenciaga.

Photos: Meta Gala 2021 Celebrities Outfits

The 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams made a statement of a more colourful kind, wearing a star-spangled bodysuit beneath a feather-laden pink cape.

Other attendees, meanwhile, brought along props to accompany their outfits.

Without apparent explanation, singer Frank Ocean carried a green robotic baby, while musician Grimes brandished a sword.