Drum roll please!
The 2021 Met Gala has officially kicked off on Monday, Sept. 13 in the most American way possible: by celebrating what makes the stars and stripes so amazing.
The community-based Brooklyn United youth marching band, donning red, white and blue track suits, played down the NYC avenue before starting a drum solo on the famed Met steps. Musicians under the age of 21 performed on the red carpet, literally setting the stage for the more youth-centric return of the Met Gala.
Former University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) All-American gymnast Nia Dennis also landed a perfect floor routine during the opening performance. Dennis looked red carpet-ready in a cobalt blue leotard and sequined socks. Fans can even spot Dennis alongside Olympic GOAT Simone Biles during the Athleta Presents Gold Over America Tour this fall.
The themed intro to the evening reflected the Metropolitan Museum of Art's latest exhibit, "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" at the Anna Wintour Costume Center.
Per a press release, the display will spotlight "designs by pioneers of American sportswear alongside works by a diverse group of contemporary designers to illustrate a shifting emphasis in American fashion defined by feelings of fear, delight, comfort, anxiety, well-being, loneliness, happiness, belonging, self-reflection, and self-representation among other qualities."
Oscar nominee and Internet boyfriend Timothée Chalamet will act as Met Gala co-chair, along with Grammy winner Billie Eilish, tennis pro Naomi Osaka and poet Amanda Gorman.
See the jaw-dropping opening to the 2021 Met Gala above!