20 Met Gala Outfits From Over The Years That You’ll Still Love Today

When it comes to historic red carpet moments in fashion, there isn’t a bigger event than the Met Gala. Since the first celebration of the Costume Exhibit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1948, the soirée has been a place for celebrities, tastemakers, and designers to have fun with their personal styles. Over the years, all the Met Gala outfits have made waves throughout the fashion industry. Take Rihanna’s Guo Pei ensemble from 2015 or Cher’s regal look from the event in 1985, or Zendaya’s Cinderella moment circa 2019 — they were all unforgettable.

The preparation for these looks takes months of planning and close collaborations between celebrities, designers, and stylists. Together, they have to build an outfit around the theme and ensure that every detail is considered before the photo op. For this year’s event, which is themed “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty,” the dress code will pay homage to the designer’s legacy — he has created collections for Balmain, Patou, Chloé, Fendi, and Chanel — so celebs have plenty of fashion history to reference for their looks. From the hairstyles to the jewels to even their undergarments, no detail can be overlooked. The result of all their hard work? An outfit that lives on long after the night ends.

Before May 1 rolls around, take a look at the most memorable Met Gala outfits from years past, ahead.

Lupita Nyong’o

For the “Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology” Met Gala in 2016, Nyong’o rocked a sparkly mint green Calvin Klein Collection dress. The actor’s towering, sculptural updo was just as memorable.

Princess Diana

Princess Diana’s one and only Met Gala apperance was, unsurprisingly, unforgettable. For the 1996 “Christian Dior” theme, the royal donned a navy blue haute couture collection number from John Galliano.

Lucy Liu

The actor donned a punchy purple gown by Zac Posen for the Met Gala in 2007, which was themed “Poiret: King of Fashion.” Accessorizing with a gilded gold crown and sparkly jewels, Liu looked like a real-life princess.

Jennifer Lopez

In 2019, Lopez dazzled in a custom crystal-drenched Versace ensemble for the “Camp: Notes on Fashion” Met Gala. She completed the hand-beaded gown with a coordinating headpiece.

Gigi Hadid

For the 2021 Met Gala, themed “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” Hadid stepped on the red carpet, unveiling her new red hair for the first time. The model’s regal strapless gown from Prada was equally as buzz-worthy as her hair.

Kim Kardashian

For the 2019 Met Gala, Kardashian stunned in a latex beaded gown designed by Thierry Mugler. The dress featured glass water droplets and an extra cinched corset waist.

Cher

In 1985, the theme of the Met Gala was “Costumes of Royal India” and Cher attended the event in a bedazzled unitard and low cut skirt designed by Bob Mackie. She completed the look with elaborate ear ornaments.

Naomi Campbell

‘90s bombshell Campbell attended the 1995 Met Gala in a strapless sparkly Versace Haute Couture gown. She styled it with matching flats and a black shoulder bag.

Rihanna

The singer wore a magnificent yellow ensemble to the 2015 Met Gala when the theme was “China: Through The Looking Glass.” She wore a Guo Pei creation.

Cardi B

Cardi B made an entrance at the 2018 Met Gala alongside Moschino designer Jeremy Scott. This beaded gown weighed 30 pounds and was styled with a matching headpiece.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Typically, the Met Gala is characterized by lavish floor-length gowns, but in 2012, Paltrow broke the unspoken rule in this mini dress designed by Prada.

Olivia Rodrigo

For her Met Gala debut in 2021, Rodrigo went bold in this sheer black lace jumpsuit designed by Saint Laurent.

Lady Gaga

For the 2019 Met Gala, Lady Gaga went all out for “Camp: Notes on Fashion” in a transforming dress by Brandon Maxwell. As she walked up the steps, the dress evolved from a lavish pink gown with a 25-foot train to a sparkly bra, high-waisted underwear, and pantyhose.

Cindy Crawford

Crawford recreated her red carpet moment from the 63rd Academy Awards for the 2018 Met Gala — she sported a red plunging gown designed by Versace.

Zendaya

For “Camp: Notes on Fashion” in 2019, Zendaya lived out her Disney princess dreams in this blue gown by Tommy Hilfiger.

Emily Ratajkowski

Ratajkowski wore a blue and green sequin gown by Marc Jacobs to the 2017 Met Gala. Her floor-length dress for ‘‘Art of In-Between” was inspired by Van Gogh’s “Starry Night.”

Zoë Kravitz

In 2021, Kravitz wore a mesh dress by Saint Laurent that left little to the imagination. Underneath the garment, she wore a pair of shimmery underwear.

Cara Delevingne

Delevingne stunned in a metallic Chanel pantsuit at the 2017 Met Gala. The final touch? A freshly shaved head painted silver.

Beyoncé

Beyoncé made an entrance at the 2015 Met Gala in this sheer gown by Givenchy. The gown featured pink, green, and yellow sequins and a short train.

Iman

The supermodel’s outfit resembled that of the sun for her appearance at the 2021 Met Gala. Her memorable look was from Harris Reed.