The year was 2015, and Zendaya was making her first appearance on the storied steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on that first Monday of May. Wearing a custom Fausto Puglisi sun motif dress and matching jewelled headpiece, the Challengers star simply shined (pun very much intended). When asked what her first Met Gala experience was like, the actor told People magazine, “Going to the Met Ball was a night to remember, overwhelming but in the best kind of way.” 10 years later, she is now one to watch every year when the Met Gala rolls around.
Few stars can command the red carpet like Zendaya, and this is especially true when it comes to the Met. From her transformation into heroine Joan of Arc to becoming a real-life Cinderella, the actor consistently exceeds all expectations and wows us with every look. And if she attends the 2025 Met Gala—with the year’s theme of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”—we suspect she’ll be one of the best looks of the night.
While we eagerly await for May 5th to roll around, let’s take a trip down memory lane. Below is Zendaya’s Met Gala beauty transformation throughout the years.
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2015's sun-themed headband
In her Met Gala debut in 2015, Zendaya sported a grand jewelled headpiece with sun decals to match her Fausto Puglisi gown that was adorned with sun motifs. She kept hair long and makeup minimal, with a bare lip and subtle smoky eye.
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2016's modern mushroom bob
Sleek and futuristic, Zendaya played right into the 2016 “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” theme and sported a modern take on the mushroom bob with bangs. Makeup again was kept minimal with a brown smoky eye to match her stunning one-shoulder bronze sequined Michael Kors dress.
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2017's voluminous natural coils
One of her best beauty red carpet looks, Zendaya stunned with her long natural coils for the 2017 Met Gala. To match her Dolce & Gabbana dress with delightful parrot designs, she opted for a tangerine lip and glowing highlighter for added radiance.
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2018's red blunt bob
For the 2018 Met Gala theme of “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and Catholic Imagination,” Zendaya channeled patron saint Joan of Arc. She wore a blunt bob cut with fringe bangs in a fiery red shade.
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2019's Cinderella blue shadow and updo
The 2019 Met Gala proved to be a real Cinderella moment for Zendaya—seriously! Tommy Hilfiger leaned into the night’s theme of “Camp: Notes on Fashion” and designed a playful custom ball gown with LED lights. To embody the Disney princess, Zendaya’s longtime hairstylist, Ursula Stephen, made her blonde and swept her hair in a classic updo. Zendaya’s makeup artist Sheika Daley used pale blue eyeshadow on her eyes for a pop of color.
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2024's monochromatic burgundy smokey eyes and lips
As one of the Met Gala’s co-chairs in 2024, it was only fitting that Zendaya had not one but two looks for the night. The first look brought major drama. Thin brows and a red, purple, and black smoky eye matched with a deep burgundy lip anchored the beauty look. Her blonde hair was swept into a tight knot and adorned with a veiled fascinator.
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2024's bed of roses
The second look opted for more subtle makeup, but a bigger headpiece. Gone were the deep shadow and lips and instead, Zendaya opted for soft glowing skin and neutral shades. Her hair was adorned with a grand bouquet of roses.
This story was originally published on Vogue.com.
