There’s a certain electricity that hits New York the first Monday of May every year, one that has nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with a gala that’s somehow managed to make charity chic, high art, and absolute chaos coexist for three quarters of a century.
The Gala That Turned Fashion Into a Philanthropy Powerhouse
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala—yeah, you know it as the Met Gala—is touching down in New York again May 4, leaning hard into a theme that’s equal parts obvious and audacious: “Fashion is Art”. That little phrase? It’s not some newfangled PR spin. Tailoring’s been stealing tricks from painting and sculpture for centuries, the three disciplines tangling up together to shove creative boundaries further than anyone thought possible. Ever wonder why a single night of faffing about in fancy clothes holds so much sway over global culture? Seventy-six years. That’s how long this thing’s been walking the tightrope between raising cold hard cash for the Costume Institute and serving as the ultimate global style barometer, red carpet flashes and all.
Back when it launched in ‘48, it was nothing more than a hushed charity dinner, barely a blip on anyone’s social radar. Nothing like the star-stuffed, flashbulb-popped spectacle we know now. Then 1974 hit, and Diana Vreeland—legendary editor, absolute force of nature—took the reins. She tightened guest lists til they squeaked, dragged A-listers in to preview the museum’s annual costume exhibition, and suddenly, the gala wasn’t just a fundraiser anymore. It was an event. Then Anna Wintour stepped in as chair in ‘95, and that was that. The most anticipated night on the fashion calendar, no contest.
Looks That Transcended the Red Carpet
1974: Cher in Bob Mackie
The ‘Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design’ theme that year? It was the gala’s first real taste of global pop culture mania. Cher showed up in a Bob Mackie number so sheer it barely counted as clothes, draped in ostrich feathers and crystals that caught every single camera flash, blinding photographers left and right. She set a boundary-pushing template that’s still going strong today. I mean, who else could rock a “naked” gown forty years before that trend even hit the mainstream? Cher, obviously. No one else comes close.
1974: Bianca and Mick Jagger in Halston
Same year, Bianca Jagger solidified her spot as the ultimate style muse in a crimson Halston gown, hanging off Mick Jagger’s arm like she owned the place. Anna Wintour once said Bianca was always Halston’s muse, and you only need to glance at that iconic photo to get why. The whole look bottled up that fleeting, over-the-top 70s rock excess, freezing it in time. Perfect.
1979: Jacqueline Onassis in Valentino
The “Habsburg Fashion” exhibition opening that year saw Jackie O in a strapless black silk Valentino gown, matching cape trailing behind her. It was a quiet nod to her decades-long friendship with Valentino Garavani, one that started back in ‘64 when she ordered six of his looks right after moving to New York following JFK’s assassination. Understated, elegant, exactly her.
1995: Naomi Campbell in Versace
1995’s haute couture theme had Naomi Campbell gliding up the steps in a shimmering floor-length Versace bustier gown, sheer side panels showing just enough skin. Gianni Versace himself said that design was the perfect distillation of his ideal feminine form—high praise, coming from him. Naomi’s always said wearing Versace’s work was a privilege she never took for granted. You can tell, watching her move in that gown.
1996: Princess Diana in Christian Dior
The 1996 Dior tribute gala saw Princess Diana step out in a John Galliano-designed Dior gown, her signature seven-strand pearl and sapphire necklace glinting, matching Dior bag in hand. It was her last public appearance before she died six months later. Bittersweet, that. A snapshot of a woman who never let royal duty stop her from taking sartorial risks, even when the world was watching every move.
1997: Salma Hayek in Versace
1997 was a posthumous tribute to Gianni Versace, murdered just months before. Salma Hayek showed up in a form-fitting black Versace gown, plunging neckline, open-toe sandals, silk wrap draped loose. It wasn’t loud, it wasn’t flashy. Just a quiet, elegant ode to the man who’d turned red carpet dressing on its head. Classy, through and through.
2003: Scarlett Johansson in Calvin Klein
2003’s “Goddess: The Classical Ideal” theme had a fresh-faced Scarlett Johansson in a lemon-yellow silk Calvin Klein slip dress, hair swept back, open-toe sandals. No sequins, no trains, no feathers. Just simplicity. And it stood out more than half the over-ornamented gowns on the carpet that night. Proof that minimalism can stop your breath just as easily as full-blown, over-the-top opulence. Who needs 20 layers of tulle when a slip dress does the job better?
2006: Alexander McQueen and Sarah Jessica Parker in Alexander McQueen
2006’s “Anglomania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion” theme was basically made for Alexander McQueen, who was knee-deep in exploring his Scottish heritage that year. He showed up with Sarah Jessica Parker, both in looks from his collection that dug into Scotland’s darkest historical chapters. Typical McQueen—unflinching, unapologetic, brilliant.
2008: Anna Wintour in Karl Lagerfeld
2008’s superhero theme framed fashion as a tool for transformation and empowerment, and Anna Wintour showed up in a futuristic silver Karl Lagerfeld gown. For the woman who’s chaired this thing since ‘95, it was a tiny, perfect nod to the forward-thinking creativity she’s spent decades pushing. She doesn’t do subtlety often, but when she does, it lands.
2011: Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady in Alexander McQueen
2011 was a tribute to Alexander McQueen, who’d taken his own life the year before. Gisele Bundchen and then-husband Tom Brady stepped out, Gisele in a vivid red McQueen gown with a train that went on for miles. Fitting honour for a designer whose work never stayed on this side of wearable art. It blurred every line, every time.
2012: Marc Jacobs in Schiaparelli
Marc Jacobs made headlines in 2012 wearing a sheer lace body-con Schiaparelli dress for the “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations” theme. When people asked about the daring choice, he just quipped that a lace dress wasn’t exactly scandalous, and he’d take it over a boring standard tux any day. Typical Marc—always dodging the expected.
2015: Rihanna in Guo Pei
Rihanna’s 2015 canary yellow Guo Pei gown—trailing train, fur-trimmed cape, the works—broke the internet before “breaking the internet” was even a cliché. Hand-embroidered, took 20 months to make, weighed 25 kilos. Guo Pei said only women with “queenly poise” could pull it off. Rihanna, obviously, is that queen. Ever seen a single gown grind the entire internet to a halt? That 2015 look did exactly that. No one’s forgotten it since.
2015: Beyonce in Givenchy
Beyonce rolled up last to that same 2015 gala, as is her wont, in a sheer crystal-encrusted Givenchy gown that turned every camera flash into a rainbow. “Last but not least” doesn’t even begin to cover it—photographers were climbing over each other to get a shot of every shimmering inch. She knows how to make an entrance, that’s for sure.
2016: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in Balmain
2016’s “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” theme had everyone leaning futuristic. Claire Danes had a glow-in-the-dark Zac Posen gown, Emma Watson’s outfit was made from recycled plastic. Kim and Kanye? Matching Balmain, Kim in silver, Kanye in a jacket and jeans. Simple, but it worked for them. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but when do they care about that?
2018: Alessandro Michele, Lana Del Rey and Jared Leto in Gucci
2018’s “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” theme delivered a holy trinity of Gucci-clad guests: Alessandro Michele himself, Lana Del Rey, Jared Leto. Leto had gold brooches all over his suit lapels, gold tiara perched on his head. Lana’s white lace gown had intricate embroidery along the hem, halo in her hair, bird wing accessory peeking out. Michele wore a white suit with blue lapels, gold embroidery scrolling up the front. Over the top? Maybe. Iconic? Absolutely.
2019: Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell
2019’s “Camp: Notes on Fashion” theme, riffing on Susan Sontag’s legendary essay, had everyone pushing boundaries. Jared Leto carried a replica of his own head, Ezra Miller had seven eyes painted on his face. But Lady Gaga? She stole the entire show with her Brandon Maxwell transformable look. Massive fuchsia cape first, then she shed it for a black bustier gown, then a pink mini dress, then crystal-encrusted lingerie. Pure theatre. A masterclass, no doubt about it.
2021: Billie Eilish in Oscar de la Renta
2021’s “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” theme had Billie Eilish going full Old Hollywood glam in a voluminous Oscar de la Renta gown, nod to Marilyn Monroe’s iconic style. She famously made the brand stop using real fur as a condition of her wearing the design—small act of activism, but it made as much noise as the look itself. Good for her, honestly.
2022: Kim Kardashian in archival Jean Louis
2022’s “Gilded Glamour” theme, celebrating the late 19th century American economic boom, had Kim Kardashian in the exact Jean Louis gown Marilyn Monroe wore when she sang “Happy Birthday” to JFK in ‘62. People argued for weeks about whether you should wear archival pieces or preserve them, but you can’t deny the cultural weight of that look. Love her or hate her, she knows how to pick a headline.
2023: Dua Lipa in Chanel
2023 was a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld, who’d died in 2019, and Dua Lipa showed up in a 1995 Chanel archival couture gown from his S/S 95 collection. She’s been a fan of his for years, so it was a quiet, respectful nod to a man who shaped fashion for decades. Understated, but impactful.
2024: Zendaya in Maison Margiela
2024’s “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” theme delivered one of the year’s most talked-about looks: Zendaya in a John Galliano-designed Maison Margiela gown, styled by Law Roach as always. Rumour has it she’s partnering with Burberry for this year’s “Fashion is Art” gala, leaning into their British aesthetic for the May 4 event. Wouldn’t be surprised—she never misses.
2025: Lana Del Rey in Valentino
2025 saw Lana Del Rey in a look from Alessandro Michele’s debut couture collection for Valentino, S/S 2025. Michele was her date, wearing a matching vibe, and Lana’s black velvet and satin gown had a gold crocodile hair accessory—playful nod to her then-new relationship with Louisiana alligator hunter Jeremy Dufrene. High fashion meets personal life, exactly what Lana does best. It’s her trademark, really.
As May rolls around again, all eyes are on the Met. The fashion world holds its breath, waiting to see which look will join this canon of unforgettable moments. The “Fashion is Art” theme all but promises looks that blur the line between clothes and pure creative expression—the exact kind of risk-taking that’s kept this gala relevant for nearly eighty years. Will we get another Rihanna moment? Another Gaga transformation? Who knows. But one thing’s for sure: it’ll be a night to remember. It always is.
