Wearing a peekaboo custom Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci Beyonce steals the limelight from Rihanna and Kim Kardashian at the 2015 Met Gala

She was a latecomer, but Beyonce was even later, wearing a peekaboo custom Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci adorned with multicolored crystals and stones. Her high ponytail and barely there ensemble were playful counterpoints to Rihanna’s swirls of royal gold and matching headpiece. (Note: No Bey-Jay-Solange elevator smackdowns like last year, as far as we know.)

Dressed lavishly by Chinese designer Guo Pei, Rihanna clutched her fur-trim frock closed and dragged a mammoth train up the grand staircase Monday during one of fashion’s biggest nights of the year.

The evening, aimed at raising millions for the museum’s Anna Wintour Costume Center, was inspired by the Met’s new exhibit, “China: Through the Looking Glass.” While some in the parade of celebrity guests embraced the East-leaning theme, others looked more ready for the Waldorf than the highly anticipated Met Gala.