The Met Gala is where celebrities ascend to style icon status. On the first Monday in May, stars don’t just walk the red carpet, they climb the steps of the Metropolitan Museum in statement couture presenting their interpretation of the exhibition’s theme to the entire world. Unlike an awards show or a premiere, the goal isn’t to shine for a moment, it’s to create a look that resonates for decades. Despite the wealth of designer gowns and bespoke suits, few accomplish that feat, but those who do earn themselves a place in fashion history. The greatest hits—Rihanna’s papal chic, Kate Moss’s golden turban, Sarah Jessica Parker’s tartan Alexander McQueen, Erykah Badu’s glittering top hat, Madonna in a hippie caftan—rank among the best outfits ever to be worn. And their charms wouldn’t have been as compelling on another night.
The gala encourages the kind of innovation rarely seen elsewhere. The Costume Institute’s trove of landmark runway creations serves as an inspiration for guests, allowing them to take on fashion at its most avant-garde. Where else will you see Cardi B. and a small army of assistants move a mountainous red Thom Browne train across a pink carpet? Or watch awestruck as Lady Gaga and Brandon Maxwell take their magenta nesting doll ballgown to the streets, much to the delight of New Yorkers. A standout Met look can be performative (Amber Valletta going full baroque in 2004), subversive (Daphne Guinness in a plume of McQueen feathers in 2011), witty (Karolina Kurkova’s playful Viktor and Rolf in 2015, or referential (the Olsen twins and their yearly vintage surprise), it just can’t be boring.
The celebration in honour of the “About Time” show was cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis, but fashion’s biggest night returns this year with a fete in honour of America: A Lexicon of Fashion. A look back on the event’s best and boldest outfits represents fashion at its most inspiring. Here, see the most memorable, daring, and over the top outfits ever.
1 / 117
Kate Moss in Calvin Klein, 1995
2 / 117
Naomi Campbell in Versace, 1995
3 / 117
Madonna in Versace, 1997
4 / 117
Elizabeth Hurley in Versace, 1997
5 / 117
Sean Combs and Jennifer Lopez, 1999
6 / 117
Amber Valetta in Versace, 1999
7 / 117
Liv Tyler in Stella McCartney, 1999
8 / 117
Gwyneth Paltrow in Gucci, 1999
9 / 117
Lil' Kim in Versace, 1999
10 / 117
Whitney Houston, 1999
11 / 117
Demi Moore in Donna Karan, 2000
12 / 117
Hillary Clinton in Oscar de la Renta, 2000
13 / 117
Lee Radziwill in Armani, 2000
14 / 117
Christy Turlington in Saint Laurent, 2001
15 / 117
Stephanie Seymour in Alaia, 2001
16 / 117
Marie-Chantal Miller in Valentino Couture, 2001
17 / 117
Carmen Kass in Gucci, 2003
18 / 117
Davie Bowie and Iman in Calvin Klein, 2003
19 / 117
Diana Ross in Tom Ford, 2003
20 / 117
Nicole Kidman in Tom Ford, 2003
21 / 117
Amber Valleta in a Maggie Norris Couture Corset, John Galliano Skirt, 2004
22 / 117
Linda Evangelista in Jean Paul Gaultier Couture, 2004
23 / 117
Scarlett Johansson in Calvin-Klein, 2004
24 / 117
Karolina Kurkova in Viktor and Rolf, 2005
25 / 117
Vanessa Paradis in Chanel, 2005
26 / 117
Charlize Theron in Christian Dior, 2006
27 / 117
Charlotte Gainsbourg in Balenciaga, 2006
28 / 117
Sarah Jessica Parker in Alexander McQueen, 2006
29 / 117
Sienna Miller in Burberry, 2006
30 / 117
Cameron Diaz in Christian Dior, 2007
31 / 117
Cate Blanchett in Balenciaga, 2007
32 / 117
Charlotte Gainsbourg in Balenciaga, 2007
33 / 117
Daria Werbowy in Azzedine Alaia, 2007
34 / 117
Jennifer Connelly in Balenciaga, 2007
35 / 117
Renee Zellweger in Carolina Herrera, 2007
36 / 117
Shalom Harlow in Viktor and Rolf, 2007
37 / 117
Christina Ricci in Givenchy, 2008
38 / 117
Gisele Bundchen in Versace, 2008
39 / 117
Julia Roberts in Armani, 2008
40 / 117
Kate Moss in Marc Jacobs, 2009
41 / 117
Madonna in Louis Vuitton, 2009
42 / 117
Miranda Kerr in Jil Sander, 2009
43 / 117
Gwen Stefani, 2010
44 / 117
Doutzen Kroes in Zac Posen, 2010
45 / 117
Oprah in Oscar de la Renta, 2010
46 / 117
Beyonce in Emilio Pucci, 2011
47 / 117
Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen, 2011
48 / 117
Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen, 2011
49 / 117
Liv Tyler in Givenchy, 2011
50 / 117
Madonna in Stella McCartney, 2011
51 / 117
Michelle Williams in Miu Miu, 2011
52 / 117
Naomi Campbell in Alexander McQueen, 2011
53 / 117
Anja Rubik in Antony Vaccarello, 2012
54 / 117
Carey Mulligan in Prada, 2012
55 / 117
Rooney Mara in Givenchy, 2012
56 / 117
Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana, 2012
57 / 117
Stella Tennant in Christopher Kane, 2013
58 / 117
Ashley Olsen in Dior, 2013
59 / 117
Kim Kardashian in Givenchy, 2013
60 / 117
Sarah Jessica Parker in Phillip Treacy and Giles Deacon, 2013
61 / 117
Dita von Tesse in Zac Posen, 2014
62 / 117
David Beckham in Ralph Lauren Black Label and Victoria Beckham in Victoria Beckham, 2014
63 / 117
Erykah Badu in Givenchy, 2014
64 / 117
Lupita Nyongo in Prada, 2014
65 / 117
Monica Belluci in Dolce and Gabbana, 2014
66 / 117
Rihanna in Guo Pei, 2015
67 / 117
Alexa Chung in Erdem, 2015
68 / 117
Anne Hathaway in Ralph Lauren, 2015
69 / 117
Chloe Sevigny in J.W. Anderson, 2015
70 / 117
Grace Coddington in Michael Kors, 2015
71 / 117
FKA Twigs in Christopher Kane, 2015
72 / 117
Sienna Miller in Thakoon, 2015
73 / 117
Lady Gaga in Alexander Wang, 2015
74 / 117
Miley Cyrus in Alexander Wang, 2015
75 / 117
Solange in Giles Deacon, 2015
76 / 117
Blake Lively in Burberry, 2016
77 / 117
Florence Welch in Gucci, 2016
78 / 117
Beyonce in Givenchy, 2016
79 / 117
Brie Larson in Proenza Schouler, 2016
80 / 117
Emma Watson in Jean Paul Gaultier, 2016
81 / 117
Gigi Hadid in Tommy Hilfiger, 2016
82 / 117
Lena Dunham, Jenni Konner, and Jenna Lyons in Creatures of the Wind, 2016
83 / 117
Lupita Nyongo in Calvin Klein, 2016
84 / 117
Poppy Delevingne in Marchesa, 2016
85 / 117
Selena Gomez in Louis Vuitton, 2016
86 / 117
Taylor Swift in Louis Vuitton, 2016
87 / 117
Bella Hadid in Alexander Wang, 2017
88 / 117
Caroline Kennedy in Comme des Garçons, 2017
89 / 117
Jennifer Lopez in Valentino, 2017
90 / 117
Julie Macklowe in Comme des Garçons, 2017
91 / 117
Katy Perry in Maison Margiela Artisanal designed by John Galliano, 2017
92 / 117
Kendall Jenner in La Perla, 2017
93 / 117
Kylie Jenner in Versace, 2017
94 / 117
Lily Rose Depp in Chanel, 2017
95 / 117
Michelle Lamy in Comme des Garçons, 2017
96 / 117
Rihanna in Comme des Garçons, 2017
97 / 117
Zendaya in Dolce & Gabbana, 2017
98 / 117
Amal Clooney in Richard Quinn, 2018
99 / 117
Frances McDormand in Valentino, 2018
100 / 117
Karen Elson in Dolce and Gabbana, 2018
101 / 117
Kim Kardashian in Versace, 2018
102 / 117
Lena Waithe in Carolina Herrera, 2018
103 / 117
Rihanna in Maison Margiela Artisanal designed by John Galliano, 2018
104 / 117
Zendaya in Jean Paul Gaultier, 2018
105 / 117
Katy Perry in Moschino, 2019
106 / 117
Katy Perry in Moschino, 2019
107 / 117
Jared Leto in Gucci
108 / 117
Cardi B in Thom Browne, 2019
109 / 117
Billy Porter in The Blondes, 2019
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
110 / 117
Kristen Stewart in Chanel, 2021
111 / 117
Lorde in Bode, 2021
112 / 117
Grimes in Iris van Herpen, 2021
113 / 117
Isabelle Huppert in Balenciaga, 2021
114 / 117
Iman in Dolce&Gabbana x Harris Reed, 2021
115 / 117
Timothée Chalamet in Haider Ackermann, 2021
116 / 117
Kendall Jenner in Givenchy, 2021
117 / 117
