See 17 Iconic Met Gala Photos From 1973 to Now
See 17 Iconic Met Gala Photos From 1973 to Now
Francesca GarianoSun, May 3, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC
0
Iconic Met Gala Photos Throughout the YearsCredit: Karwai Tang/WireImage;Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty
For over five decades, celebrities have hit the red carpet at the Met Gala in their finest — and sometimes most outrageous — looks.
Hosted on the first Monday in May, the New York City event, more formally known as the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala, serves as a fundraiser for the museum's Costume Institute. The evening consists of a host of celebrity attendees who don glamorous ensembles that match the year's unique theme.
The 2026 Met Gala, set to take place on May 4, brings a brand-new theme for guests to follow: “Fashion is Art." The event’s co-chairs include Beyoncé, who is returning to the event after a 10-year hiatus, alongside Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour.
Ahead of the 2026 Met Gala, here’s a look back at some of the most memorable fashion moments and photos from Met Galas past.
01 of 17
Cher in 1974
Cher and Bob MackieCredit: Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Cher attended the Met Gala in 1974, where the theme was “Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design.” For the event, the singer wore a stunning sheer, bedazzled gown designed by Bob Mackie, made complete with feather fringe on the sleeves and hem.
Speaking to Interview in January 2025, Mackie reflected on the reaction to Cher’s “naked illusion” dress, sharing that “the place went crazy” when she showed up wearing the gown.
“I’ve never seen so many photographers just come out of the shadows at the Met and take her picture,” he explained. “And of course she was in every newspaper the next day, and they’ve been printing it in the last 50 years, over and over again. But it was just amazing. People were horrified, they thought, that’s not fashion, she’s just naked at the Metropolitan.”
02 of 17
Christy Turlington in 1992
Christy Turlington attends the 1992 Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala circa 1992Credit: PL Gould/IMAGES/Getty
Christy Turlington embraced her inner Audrey Hepburn for her look in 1992. The theme of the evening was “Fashion and History: A Dialogue,” with Turlington opting to wear a long, black dress styled with multiple strings of pearls for a dramatic choker look and a white fringed shawl.
03 of 17
Princess Diana in 1996
The Princess of Wales with her good friend Liz Tilberis arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York for the Costume Institute Ball on December 9, 1996 in New York, USA.Credit: Anwar Hussein/WireImage
Princess Diana attended the Met Gala in 1996. The evening’s theme was “Christian Dior,” an homage to the designer who had died in 1957. The late royal wore a navy blue silk slip dress designed by John Galliano, the creative director of Dior at the time, paired with a stunning pearl-and-sapphire necklace.
Galliano spoke about the fashion moment in the Hulu docuseries In Vogue: The 90s, including one major adjustment the princess made to the dress without the designer’s knowledge.
"Fast-forward to the event, and I just remember her getting out of the car. I couldn't believe it. She'd ripped the corset out,” he explained. “She didn't want to wear the corset. She felt so liberated. She'd torn the corset out. The dress was much more… sensuous.”
04 of 17
Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney in 1999
Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney at the 1999 'Rock Style' Gala at the Met.Credit: Mitchell Gerber/Corbis/VCG via Getty
Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney are no strangers to the rock n’ roll lifestyle as the daughters of music icons Steven Tyler and Paul McCartney. It’s no surprise then that the duo would have tongue-in-cheek ensembles for the 1999 theme “Rock Style,” both donning off-the-shoulder homemade T-shirts that read “Rock Royalty.” To complete their looks, Tyler wore a black Comme des Garçons skirt while McCartney chose a pair of pants from Chloé that she’d designed herself.
They looked back on this fashion moment during a May 2020 interview with Vogue, with McCartney explaining, “I didn’t come at it intentionally to be rebellious at all. I didn’t know what people wore.”
“It wasn’t really appropriate that we wore those shirts. Officially, we weren’t following the honors of the dress code,” Tyler added. It was an amazing thing, in a way. We were just being ourselves.”
05 of 17
Amber Valletta in 2004
Model Amber Valletta attends the "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century" Costume Institute benefit gala on April 26, 2004 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City.Credit: Evan Agostini/Getty
Supermodel Amber Valletta embraced her inner Marie Antoinette at the 2004 Met Gala, where the theme was “Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century.” For the event, Valletta wore a nude-toned corset designed by Maggie Norris Couture paired with a patterned, voluminous skirt by John Galliano, per WWD.
06 of 17
Sarah Jessica Parker in 2006
Actress Sarah Jessica Parker with designer Alexander McQueen attend the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit GalaCredit: Evan Agostini/Getty
Sarah Jessica Parker showed up for the 2006 theme “AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion,” arm-in-arm with her designer for the evening, the late Alexander McQueen. Parker wore a tan taffeta tea-length dress with black embroidery around the bodice, overlaid with a red-and-black tartan fabric that matched McQueen’s kilt.
In April 2022, Parker looked back at this dress with Vogue and reflected on the evening with McQueen, explaining, "It wasn't a fun night. It was, but it wasn't. Because I was so nervous. I just wanted him to be okay.”
"He knew how I felt about him, and there was so much affection and such a deep admiration and everybody loved him because he was such a touching person,” she added.
07 of 17
Advertisement
Kate Moss in 2009
Kate Moss attends THE COSTUME INSTITUTE GALA: "The Model As Muse" with Honorary Chair MARC JACOBS - INSIDE at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2009 in New York City.Credit: BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty
Who better to embrace the theme of “The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion” than Kate Moss? The legendary model, who co-hosted the event in 2009 alongside Anna Wintour, Marc Jacobs and Justin Timberlake, per W Magazine, wore a one-shouldered metallic mini dress by Jacobs paired with matching platform pumps.
08 of 17
Marc Jacobs in 2012
Marc Jacobs attends the "Schiaparelli And Prada: Impossible Conversations" Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2012Credit: Rabbani and Solimene Photography/Getty
While designer Marc Jacobs has dressed countless celebrities for the Met Gala over the years, he made headlines with his own look at the 2012 Met Gala. The theme of the evening was “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations,” though Jacobs opted to wear a sheer black lace ensemble by Commes des Garcons to the event with only a pair of white boxers underneath.
09 of 17
Rihanna in 2015
Rihanna attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York CityCredit: Mike Coppola/Getty
It’s fair to say that every look Rihanna has worn to the Met Gala over the years has been iconic in its own way. The singer is known for a late arrival worth waiting for, donning numerous extravagant outfits that perfectly match the theme. While she debuted her baby bump for her third child at the Met Gala in 2025, Rihanna’s look in 2015 was one to remember.
In 2015, the singer repped Chinese designer Guo Pei on the red carpet, donning a stunning yellow gown with a dramatic, circular train. The dress ranks as one of Rihanna’s most iconic looks, and possibly one of her most meme’d looks, with fans turning the train into pizzas and omelettes.
10 of 17
Solange Knowles in 2015
Solange attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York City.Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Much like her sister Beyoncé, Solange Knowles knows how to show up and show out at the Met Gala. She attended the event in 2015 for the theme “China: Through the Looking Glass,” wearing a unique Giles Deacon frock to celebrate the occasion. The sculptural dress featured a black, white and blue pattern distorted by the micro-pleating of the fabric.
11 of 17
Taylor Swift in 2016
Taylor Swift attends the "Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology" Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City.Credit: Venturelli/FilmMagic
Taylor Swift has attended the Met Gala several times, though her look at the 2016 event was a standout for the singer. The theme of the evening was “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology,” with Swift (in her bleach-blonde era!) wearing a silver Louis Vuitton mini dress with cutouts around the bodice paired with black heels that laced up to her knees.
12 of 17
Blake Lively in 2018
Blake Lively attends "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & the Catholic ImaginationCredit: Taylor Hill/Getty
Blake Lively embraced the theme at the Met Gala in 2018 for “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” The actress wore a burgundy Versace gown with a gold embellished bodice and all-over embroidery.
13 of 17
Lady Gaga in 2019
This combination of pictures created on May 06, 2019 shows Singer/actress Lady Gaga arriving for the 2019 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2019, in New York.Credit: NGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty
Lady Gaga gave fans a four-for-one look at the 2019 Met Gala, taking the theme “Camp: Notes on Fashion” to the next level.
The singer’s ensemble was designed by Brandon Maxwell and featured four distinct phases. Lady Gaga started the red carpet wearing a hot pink voluminous gown, but as she started to peel the layers of her outfit off, she revealed a black gown underneath, followed by a bright pink column dress. She finished the evening off in a matching black bedazzled lingerie set.
14 of 17
Janelle Monáe in 2019
Janelle Monae attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City.Credit: Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic
The 2019 Met Gala was an evening of stellar looks, including Janelle Monáe’s animatronic Christina Siriano ensemble. Monáe sported a pop art-esque gown featuring black, white and bold pink details. The pièce de résistance of the gown was the eyes adorning the dress, which included a motorized blinking eye over one breast.
15 of 17
Kacey Musgraves in 2019
Kacey Musgraves attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City.Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
Kacey Musgraves was four years early to the Barbiecore trend that took over the summer of 2023. The country singer wore a hot pink Moschino number to the 2019 Met Gala, which included a leather jacket gown, fur stole and blow dryer purse. She even rolled up to the event in a pink convertible for a full camp moment.
16 of 17
Kim Kardashian in 2022
: Kim Kardashian attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City.Credit: Gotham/Getty
In recent years, Kim Kardashian has made headlines for her red carpet looks at the Met Gala, from her 2013 debut wearing a long-sleeved floral custom Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci dress with her baby bump on full display to her dramatic corseted custom Mugler look in 2019.
Kardashian attended the event in 2022, where the theme was “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.” The SKIMS founder was the talk of the night thanks to her controversial ensemble for the evening: Marilyn Monroe’s "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" dress.
17 of 17
Tyla in 2024
Tyla attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York CityCredit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty
Singer Tyla stunned fans at the Met Gala in 2024, where the theme was “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." Tyla’s gown was inspired by “the sands of time,” wearing a Balmain dress that featured a sand-like texture.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
