'Vampire Diaries' star Nina Dobrev at the Met Costume Gala 2012: Liquid gold from Donna Karan

When "Vampire Diaries" star Nina Dobrev joins forces with Donna Karan, it's always a show-stopping moment -- hello, 2012 Emmys, anyone? -- but at Monday night's Met Costume Gala in New York, she cemented her place as a newly minted fashion icon for the new generation.

Invited by Donna Karan, Dobrev dazzled in an asymmetrical gold and black gown with a to-die-for train that pooled behind her like molten metal.

When she's looking like that, it's hard to reconcile her with her jeans-and-a-t-shirt "Vampire Diaries" heroine, isn't it?