Photo: Getty
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 honor of the “About Time” show was canceled due to the COVID-19 crisis, but fashion’s biggest night returned last year with a fete in honor of ‘America: A Lexicon of Fashion’. In 2022 the party continues with a celebration for the exhibition’s part two, ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’. Get a front row seat to all of this year’s red carpet action by tuning into the 2022 Met Gala livestream on Monday, May 2nd at 6 p.m. E.T.
Though the gilded glamour theme this year promises to yield one of the greatest red carpets to date, the bar has been set high, and a look back at the Met’s best and boldest outfits represents fashion at its most inspiring. Here, 90 of the most memorable, daring, and over-the-top outfits ever.
Kate Moss in Calvin Klein, 1995. Photo: Getty
Sienna Miller in Burberry, 2006. Photo: Getty
Sarah Jessica Parker in Alexander McQueen, 2006. Photo: Getty
Charlize Theron in Christian Dior, 2006. Photo: Getty
Elle Macpherson in Calvin Klein, 2005. Photo: Getty
Karolina Kurkova in Viktor and Rolf, 2005. Photo: Getty
Scarlett Johansson in Calvin-Klein, 2004. Photo: Getty
Linda Evangelista in Jean Paul Gaultier Couture, 2004. Photo: Getty
Amber Valleta in a Maggie Norris Couture Corset, John Galliano Skirt, 2004. Photo: Getty
Nicole Kidman in Tom Ford, 2003. Photo: Getty
David Bowie and Iman in Calvin Klein, 2003. Photo: Getty
Carmen Kass in Gucci, 2003. Photo: Getty
Selma Blair, 2003. Photo: Getty
Hillary Clinton in Oscar de la Renta, 2000. Photo: Getty
Demi Moore in Donna Karan, 2000.
Photo: Getty
Gwyneth Paltrow in Gucci, 1999. Photo: Getty
Sean Combs and Jennifer Lopez, 1999. Photo: Getty
Elizabeth Hurley in Versace, 1997. Photo: Getty
Madonna in Versace, 1997. Photo: Getty
Naomi Campbell in Versace, 1995. Photo: Getty
Cameron Diaz in Christian Dior, 2007. Photo: Getty
Kate Hudson in Michael Kors, 2015. Photo: Getty
Alexa Chung in Erdem, 2015. Photo: Getty
Rihanna in Guo Pei, 2015. Photo: Getty
Monica Belluci in Dolce and Gabbana, 2014. Photo: Getty
Lupita Nyongo in Prada, 2014. Photo: Getty
Erykah Badu in Givenchy, 2014. Photo: Getty
David Beckham in Ralph Lauren Black Label and Victoria Beckham in Victoria Beckham, 2014. Photo: Getty
Dita von Tesse in Zac Posen, 2014. Photo: Getty
Sarah Jessica Parker in Phillip Treacy and Giles Deacon, 2013. Photo: Getty
Kim Kardashian in Givenchy, 2013. Photo: Getty
Ashley Olsen in Dior, 2013. Photo: Getty
Stella Tennant in Christopher Kane, 2013. Photo: Getty
Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana, 2012. Photo: Getty
Rooney Mara in Givenchy, 2012. Photo: Getty
Carey Mulligan in Prada, 2012. Photo: Getty
Naomi Campbell in Alexander McQueen, 2011. Photo: Getty
Michelle Williams in Miu Miu, 2011. Photo: Getty
Madonna in Stella McCartney, 2011. Photo: Getty
Liv Tyler in Givenchy, 2011. Photo: Getty
Gwyneth Paltrow in Stella McCartney, 2011. Photo: Getty
Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen, 2011. Photo: Getty
Beyonce in Emilio Pucci, 2011. Photo: Getty
Kirsten Dunst in Rodarte, 2010. Photo: Getty
Oprah in Oscar de la Renta, 2010. Photo: Getty
Marion Cotillard in Dior, 2010. Photo: Getty
Gwen Stefani, 2010. Photo: Getty
Madonna in Louis Vuitton, 2009. Photo: Getty
Tilda Swinton in Prada, 2009. Photo: Getty
Kate Moss in Marc Jacobs, 2009. Photo: Getty
Julia Roberts in Armani, 2008. Photo: Getty
Gisele Bundchen in Versace, 2008. Photo: Getty
Christina Ricci in Givenchy, 2008. Photo: Getty
Renee Zellweger in Carolina Herrera, 2007. Photo: Getty
Cate Blanchett in Balenciaga, 2007. Photo: Getty
Anne Hathaway in Ralph Lauren, 2015. Photo: Getty
Rihanna in Maison Margiela Artisanal designed by John Galliano, 2018. Photo: Getty
Kim Kardashian in Versace, 2018. Photo: Getty
Frances McDormand in Valentino, 2018. Photo: Getty
Amal Clooney in Richard Quinn, 2018. Photo: Getty
Gigi Hadid in Tommy Hilfiger, 2016. Photo: Getty
Zendaya in Dolce & Gabbana, 2017. Photo: Getty
Rihanna in Comme des Garçons, 2017. Photo: Getty
Halle Berry in Atelier Versace, 2017. Photo: Getty
Kylie Jenner in Versace, 2017. Photo: Getty
Katy Perry in Maison Margiela Artisanal designed by John Galliano, 2017. Photo: Getty
Jennifer Lopez in Valentino, 2017. Photo: Getty
Bella Hadid in Alexander Wang, 2017. Photo: Getty
Taylor Swift in Louis Vuitton, 2016. Photo: Getty
Selena Gomez in Louis Vuitton, 2016. Photo: Getty
Lupita Nyongo in Calvin Klein, 2016. Photo: Getty
Karlie Kloss in Brandon Maxwell, 2016. Photo: Getty
Emma Watson in Jean Paul Gaultier , 2016. Photo: Getty
Brie Larson in Proenza Schouler, 2016. Photo: Getty
Beyonce in Givenchy, 2016. Photo: Getty
Blake Lively in Burberry, 2016. Photo: Getty
Florence Welch in Gucci, 2016. Photo: Getty
Solange in Giles Deacon, 2015. Photo: Getty
Miley Cyrus in Alexander Wang, 2015. Photo: Getty
FKA Twigs in Christopher Kane, 2015. Photo: Getty
Lady Gaga in Alexander Wang, 2015. Photo: Getty
Fan Bingbing in Christopher Bu, 2015. Photo: Getty
Cher in Marc Jacobs, 2015. Photo: Getty
Zendaya in Jean Paul Gaultier, 2018. Photo: Getty
Iman in Harris Reed. Photo: Getty
Kim Kardashian in Balenciaga, 2021. Photo: Getty
Cardi B in Thom Browne, 2019. Photo: Getty
Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell, 2019. Photo: Getty
Katy Perry in Moschino, 2019. Photo: Getty
Kristen Stewart in Gucci, 2019. Photo: Getty
Originally published in Vogue.com
