Met Gala 2018: Blake Lively Wore a Regal Red Gown That Took 600 Hours to Make

Make way for Queen Blake Lively. While there was many an eye-catching dress at the 2018 Met Gala, few looked more regal than Lively, who donned a rich crimson Versace gown complete with detailed embroidery, jewel-encrusted bodice, and sumptuous train.

The actress finished the look with a pair of eye-catching emerald earrings, and opted to pile her signature blonde hair in wispy braided up do atop her head, which was finished of with a halo-esque headpiece. (For the record, the actress’s husband Ryan Reynolds, was nowhere in sight.)

Lively managed to keep her dress under wraps until the moment she stepped onto the Met Gala carpet with a little help from an ornate bathrobe. She was spotted on her way to the gala, Christian Louboutin by her side, in nothing but the robe, a pair of chic sunglasses, and some stunning bejeweled heels (Louboutin was carrying a second pair), so the only surprise that was only mildly spoiled was her hairstyle. Thankfully, Lively also shared a few sneak peeks of the scene inside her limo on Instagram Stories, with one video showing her gown sprawled out before her and another of a helper putting on her shoes.

This show-stopping look absolutely didn’t come together overnight; in fact, 600 hours went into making the gorgeous gown. “This year’s may be my favorite dress ever,” Blake said of her look to Vogue in March. “They’ve already worked on it for 600 hours, and it’s not done.” While not much was known about the dress before its Met Gala debut, she did reveal at the time that it would involve beading detail and that the intricate work might inspire a custom piece of jewelry by Lorraine Schwartz. Blake said of the jewelry maker, “She’s looking at the beading of my dress and designing a piece based on that.”

The actress has always been one to watch at the annual gala. Last year she wore a gold dress with a sizeable blue feathered train (accessorized with Lorraine Schwartz jewelry), and back in 2016 she nailed high-fashion maternity style, wearing a pale pink Burberry strapless gown with a flower-printed train soon after announcing she was pregnant with her second child. “Designing her dress was great fun,” explained Christopher Bailey, Burberry’s chief creative and chief executive officer. “She gets involved in the creation and design process, and that’s very inspiring. We loved the idea of blending intricate handcrafted techniques with highly technical fabrics. The result is truly one of a kind—a gem, just like Blake!”

With more than 600 hours of hard work poured into her latest gown, it seems safe to say that her 2018 pick didn’t disappoint. See more of the look, below:

Related: We Now Know Why Blake Lively Doesn’t Work With a Stylist