Sherri Shepherd Recreates Iconic Met Gala Looks from Cardi, Kim, Rihanna and Tyla for Halloween Show (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Sherri Shepherd.Photo:Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI (4)

Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI (4)

Sherri Shepherdis serving lewksthis spooky season.

For the Oct. 31-episode ofSherri, the comedian is throwing her own Halloween Fashion Gala, where she rocks a whopping four fashion-forward outfits.

Shepherd got the idea to honor these icons of the industry afterlast season’s epic Halloween show, in which she dressed in six ofBeyoncé’s outfits from theRenaissance Tour.

“Now how do you top that?” she asks PEOPLE, when reflecting on how the theme was chosen. “You top it with the Met Gala.”

Sherri Shepherd recreating Cardi B’s 2019 Met Gala look.Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI

Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI

“We wanted to make sure that we did something that was show-stopping, but still worked for daytime.” Sinclair explains. “It couldn’t betoocrazy, but it still had to give viewers that Met Gala essence; that opulence and glamour.”

“It had to elevate everything, and also be fun,” adds Shepherd. “You know, I grew up watching talk shows and I always loved the Halloween shows and seeing what people were wearing. So I knew when I had my own show, I’d want to continue it and make it big. I want people to say, ‘What is Sherri going to be doing?’ I wanted it to be big so they’d never forget.”

Sherri Shepherd as Kim Kardashian.Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI

Narrowing down the list was one thing; creating the costumes proved to be its own challenge. “Oh my gosh, it was a lot,” Sinclair recalls. “We kind of started with the most complicated, which were the looks from Cardi B and Tyla, and then worked backwards from there. And we didn’t have a lot of time, either. I think overall, we probably made all the looks in three and a half weeks; much shorter than last year.”

Sherri Shepherd recreates Rihanna’s 2023 Met Gala look.Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI

Makeup artist Rodney Jon and hairstylist Theo Barrett next came in to complete the looks, putting their own stamp on these starry styles.

“Drawing inspiration from the most unforgettable fashion moments at the Met Gala, I created makeup looks for Sherri that highlighted her beauty and worth," Jon says, noting it was all about “making her feel confident and empowered.”

“It was important to capture a similar look with aSherritwist,” adds Barrett. “For Kim Kardashian’s look, I gave Sherri a sleek ponytail with 40 inches of hair weighing close to 5 lbs. and transformed her into Tyla with a cute and sexy lace front wave.”

Sherri Shepherd and her audience at the 2024 Halloween episode of ‘Sherri,’ the comedian’s self-titled daytime talk show.Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI

Elevating the experience further was a studio audience all dressed in formal wear. For one photo, they stood on the raised risers — doubling for the Met Gala steps — alongside two faux hedges, added for definition.

There were evenAndré Leon TalleyandAnna Wintourlookalikes, whom Shepherd posed with.

Sherri Shepherd as Cardi B poses with André Leon Talley and Anna Wintour lookalikes on the Halloween episode of the ‘Sherri’ show, airing Oct. 31, 2024.Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI

The biggest challenge for the glam squad was getting Shepherd through those costume changes.

“We didn’t have much time between those commercial breaks, so that was really, really difficult,” says Sinclair. “But we worked through it. We were able to create a new area backstage, so we didn’t have to go as far, and we tried to make everything really easy to get out of with industrial zippers and inner padding built into it she didn’t have to wear much shapewear.”

“Oh, they gave me hips, which was such a tear. They gave me an hourglass figure!” Shepherd jokes. “And that’s what I love about Willie, Chanel and everyone who worked on these dresses: they didn’t do cheap knockoffs. Everything looked … I think I could literally wear all these out again. And I just might!”

Here’s more to know about the making of each costume:

01of 04Jawn Murray and Sherri Shepherd as A$AP Rocky and RihannaJawn Murray and Sherri Shepherd; A$AP Rocky and Rihanna.Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI; ANGELA WEISS/AFP via GettyTo kick things off, Shepherd recreatedthe all-white Valentino dress Rihanna wore to the 2023 Met Gala, complete with its flowing A-line skirt and hooded floral top. The accessorizes — from the fingerless white silk gloves, bold red lip and those wild cat-eyed sunglasses with false eyelashes — matched perfectly.“That was one of the easier ones to do,” says Sinclair of the total recreation. “That whole dress was made using over 25 yards fabric and we handcrafted 46 different petals for the flowers. It really turned out great.“Choosing Rihanna’s Met Gala memory also gaveSherriexecutive producer Jawn Murray a role in the action. He transformed into Rihanna’s partner,A$AP Rocky, and like the rapper, made a show-stopping statement in a red plaid high-low kilt which he wore over bedazzled wide-leg jeans. Murray added a white shirt, dark blazer, dark tie, sunglasses and black shoes, too.

01of 04

Jawn Murray and Sherri Shepherd as A$AP Rocky and Rihanna

Jawn Murray and Sherri Shepherd; A$AP Rocky and Rihanna.Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI; ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty

Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI; ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty

To kick things off, Shepherd recreatedthe all-white Valentino dress Rihanna wore to the 2023 Met Gala, complete with its flowing A-line skirt and hooded floral top. The accessorizes — from the fingerless white silk gloves, bold red lip and those wild cat-eyed sunglasses with false eyelashes — matched perfectly.

“That was one of the easier ones to do,” says Sinclair of the total recreation. “That whole dress was made using over 25 yards fabric and we handcrafted 46 different petals for the flowers. It really turned out great.”

Choosing Rihanna’s Met Gala memory also gaveSherriexecutive producer Jawn Murray a role in the action. He transformed into Rihanna’s partner,A$AP Rocky, and like the rapper, made a show-stopping statement in a red plaid high-low kilt which he wore over bedazzled wide-leg jeans. Murray added a white shirt, dark blazer, dark tie, sunglasses and black shoes, too.

02of 04Sherri Shepherd as Kim KardashianSherri Shepherd and Kim Kardashian.Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI; Dimitrios Kambouris/GettyKardashian’s head-to-toe black Balenciaga ensemble from the 2021 Met Gala was up next.WhenThe Kardashiansstar showed up on the carpet, her custom outfit featured a long-sleeve turtleneck bodysuit worn under an oversized T-shirt dress with a long pleated train. She completed the look with jersey boots, jersey gloves and a mask that covered her face and head (though she still wore a full face of makeup beneath it!).Shepherd appeared to have grabbed the garb directly from Kardashian’s closet. “That was the easiest to do, just because of the fabric,” remembers Sinclair. “We got the black boots for her, and basically built everything up from there.“It also came in handy, being one of the few clothing items from the day Shepherd could actually sit in. “We knew she had to have her interview look, and Kim’s was the easiest to do that,” says Sinclair.“That was Kim Kardashian’s, you can’t tell me otherwise,” Shepherd says.

02of 04

Sherri Shepherd as Kim Kardashian

Sherri Shepherd and Kim Kardashian.Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Kardashian’s head-to-toe black Balenciaga ensemble from the 2021 Met Gala was up next.

WhenThe Kardashiansstar showed up on the carpet, her custom outfit featured a long-sleeve turtleneck bodysuit worn under an oversized T-shirt dress with a long pleated train. She completed the look with jersey boots, jersey gloves and a mask that covered her face and head (though she still wore a full face of makeup beneath it!).

Shepherd appeared to have grabbed the garb directly from Kardashian’s closet. “That was the easiest to do, just because of the fabric,” remembers Sinclair. “We got the black boots for her, and basically built everything up from there.”

It also came in handy, being one of the few clothing items from the day Shepherd could actually sit in. “We knew she had to have her interview look, and Kim’s was the easiest to do that,” says Sinclair.

“That was Kim Kardashian’s, you can’t tell me otherwise,” Shepherd says.

03of 04

Sherri Shepherd as Tyla

Sherri Shepherd and Tyla.Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI; Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI; Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Tyla made her Met Gala debut in 2024, leaving an impression as she was lifted up the steps of the famed Metropolitan Museum of Art in a form-fitting strapless Balmain gown which featured a plaster body mold and organza trainfully covered in three shades of sand mixed with micro crystal studs.The South African singer — decked out for the Gala’s theme of “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” — even carried an hourglass clutch, and later had a viral moment when Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing chopped offa bulk of the skirt off her sculptural dressinside the event.

The final effect left Shepherd gagged. “How they came up with a dress that they plastered on my body and put sand on it? And the sand stayed? I’ll never know,” she says. “But when we commit to it, we do it.”

04of 04

Sherri Shepherd as Cardi B

Sherri Shepherd and Cardi B.Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI; Neilson Barnard/Getty

Jocelyn Prescod/SHERRI; Neilson Barnard/Getty

A version of Cardi B’s epic gown from the 2019 Met Gala capped offSherri’s 2024 Halloween show.

Fans will remember Cardi brought the red carpet with her to the Met, covered head to toe in a custom oxblood Thom Browne gown made from tulle and silk organza that was embellished with 30,000 feathers and featured a train which extended outward in concentric circles for about 10 feet. She topped the look off with a beaded headpiece that Browne made in collaboration with Stephen Jones.

They went a little more simpler too, Sinclair points out. “They wanted to make it cruelty-free, which is why we didn’t do the feathers and went with ruffles instead. But it makes a similar impact.”

It certainly did to Shepherd. “I think the grandeur of Cardi B was, it was a perfect ender,” she says. “With all of the flow in red, you couldn’t beat it.”

“I’m happy with how it all came out,” she says, looking back on the whole show. “Now we just got to figure out how we’re going to top the Met theme next year…”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Sherriairs weekdays in syndication (check local listings).

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Sherriairs weekdays in syndication (check local listings).

source: people.com