The Met Gala attracts some of the most attention-grabbing celebrities in the world every year. And while its main purpose is to benefit The Costume Institute’s efforts to preserve costumes, everyone knows that the real reason celebrities are flocking to the event is for them to be able to wear the ugliest and most over-the-top outfits possible. These lavishly absurd costumes have completed the look of the Met Gala for years and have always garnered the attention of the media. Here are some of the most memorable moments from the Met Gala.
Kim Kardashian in All Black
The theme for 2021’s Met Gala was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” which centered around young American designers and the question, “Who gets to be American?” Kim Kardashian showed up to the event in an all-black getup that confused a lot of spectators as to the meaning behind it and left people wondering how on earth she was able to see all night. However, she later offered a clue in an Instagram post caption that read, “What’s more American than a T-shirt head to toe?!”
Lady Gaga Dons a Four-Part Costume
Lady Gaga is a walking piece of performance art, so you can be pretty certain that if she makes an appearance at an event like the Met Gala, she’s going to go BIG. That’s exactly what happened at the 2019 Met Gala, where she arrived in a fuchsia gown with a 25-foot train, gradually taking off layers in four installments until she was writhing around on the ground wearing very little. You can’t say it isn’t classic Gaga!
The theme of the 2019 Met Gala was “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” where excessive performance, bad taste, and art nouveau took center stage.
Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney Show up Under-Dressed
Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney showed up to the 1999 Met Gala (of which the theme was “Rock Style”) wearing seemingly DIY tank tops with the words “rock royalty” emblazoned on them. But when you’re the daughters of Steven Tyler and Paul McCartney, respectively, you can pretty much just show up and already embody the spirit of “Rock Style” without having to do much at all. Stella McCartney had no idea what the Met Gala was in 1999, which is ironic, given that today she’s a fashion designer!
Jaden Smith Walks His Dreads Down the Red Carpet
The theme of the 2017 Met Gala was “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between,” which celebrated renowned Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo’s iconic 40-year-long career as a designer. Kawakubo is known for bringing abstract ideas to life with her designs. Jaden Smith walked the red carpet that year carrying his dreadlocks, which he had cut off not long before for a movie role. His explanation? “I couldn’t bring my sister [Willow Smith] as a date, so I brought my hair,” he said.
Solange Attacks Jay-Z in an Elevator
When you get a whole bunch of extremely wealthy famous people in small a space together, there’s bound to be some drama. That’s exactly what happened at the 2014 Met Gala when Solange Knowles was caught in elevator surveillance footage physically accosting Jay-Z while Beyoncé looked on from the sidelines, doing absolutely nothing to intervene. After the video was leaked to the public, people began to speculate what the fight was about, and while the three released an official public statement saying that they were remaining a “united family,” the publicity damage had already been done.
2 Chainz Proposes
At the 2018 Met Gala, rapper 2 Chainz surprised onlookers when he dropped down on one knee to propose to partner Kesha Ward as they were walking up the steps. She said yes, which led to a whole lot of cheers and camera clicks, but in the end, it turns out that the “engagement” was just a publicity stunt, and that the two were already married. They later held an official wedding at the Versace mansion in Miami, which makes sense when you consider that it was Donatella Versace who invited 2 Chainz to the Met Gala.
Jared Leto Accessories With His Head
Jared Leto decided that “campy” meant carrying his head on the red carpet in 2019. The decision was inspired by a Gucci fashion show during Milan fashion week in 2018, during which models carried their severed heads down the runway. Leto’s extra head looks eerily realistic, so perhaps he was trying to go the campy-horror-film route. Paired with the severed head was this beautiful red, high-neck Gucci gown with jewel embellishments.
Vitalii Sediuk Streaks
Anyone who pays close attention to award shows will recognize the infamous name “Vitalii Sediuk.” For those blissfully unaware, Sediuk is a Ukrainian self-described prankster and former reporter who has gotten into trouble for performing various little “stunts” at award ceremonies and shows in the past. At the 2014 Met Gala, Sediuk got caught trespassing and streaking, and while he was (fortunately) arrested before he made it to the stairs, you can be pretty certain his little stunt made a mark on event-goers, whether they wanted it or not. For obvious reasons, we cannot show you a photo of the streaking incident (but you get the picture).
Nicki Minaj and Cardi B Imitate a Work of Art
At the 2018 Met Gala, a photographer snapped a photo of Nicki Minaj chatting with a pregnant Cardi B while designer Jeremy Scott looks on behind them. The photo quickly went viral when Twitter users pointed out the uncanny similarities between the photo and the Renaissance painting entitled “Visitation,” in which Saint Elizabeth visits a pregnant Virgin Mary. The theme of the 2018 Met Gala was “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” which just makes it that much more fitting!
Katy Perry Morphs Into a Cheeseburger
Katy Perry is known for always sporting the most extravagant looks, so her costumes at the 2019 Met Gala seemed fitting (no pun intended). She arrived at the event dressed as a sparkly human chandelier (how much do you think that outfit weighs?), and then later changed into a cheeseburger. She said, “dress me like a hamburger, but make it fashion.” Whether you loved it or hated it, you can’t say it doesn’t fit the “camp” theme!
Celine Dion’s Extravagant Headpiece
We’re big fans of Canadian singer Celine Dion’s iconic headpiece and fringe-laden dress from the 2019 Met Gala, and apparently, she was an even bigger fan of the ensemble. “I was ready to camp and sleep all night,” she told E!. “I don’t want to take it off. I want to go to bed in it tonight.” The 22-pound dress, designed by Oscar de la Renta, reportedly took 3,000 hours to make and was handmade by 52 expert embroiderers.
Frank Ocean Carries a Freaky Green Baby
Singer-songwriter Frank Ocean showed up to the 2021 Met Gala carrying a neon-green alien-looking baby while sporting similarly neon-green hair. But that’s not all: The animatronic alien baby was able to move and raise its limbs. That part was meant to be the main attraction but aside from that, Ocean also sported a three-piece Prada suit and a white T-shirt. So what was the meaning behind this bizarre getup? Honestly, your guess is as good as ours!
Zendaya Dresses up as Joan of Arc
Does Zendaya ever NOT look flawless? The answer is no, and at the 2018 Met Gala, she perfectly embodied the spirit of the “Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” theme by dressing up like Saint Joan of Arc, complete with shiny armor and everything. Her dress was a Versace creation, complete with a custom metallic shoulder piece and sparkling chainmail. This ensemble was without a doubt a triumph, and she even sported the famed short hairstyle that Joan of Arc was known for!
Jackie O. Makes an Appearance
Given that Jackie Kennedy Onassis was known for her keen sense of fashion while she served as the First Lady of the United States during John F. Kennedy’s presidency, it seems fitting that she would be invited to the Met Gala. Here she is at the 1979 Met, of which the theme was “Fashions of the Hapsburg Era: Austria-Hungary.” Little did she or anyone know that the theme of the 2001 Met Gala would be “Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years.”
Billy Porter Makes a Grand Entrance
Talented Broadway singer and actor, Billy Porter, was known for his extravagant looks, but he took his 2019 Met Gala ensemble to new heights. He arrived being carried overhead by six gold-clad, shirtless men – but that wasn’t all: His outfit, created by NYC designers The Blonds, featured a catsuit with 10-foot wings, a 24-karat gold headpiece, and custom gold-leaf shoes created by Italian designer Giuseppe Zanotti. It doesn’t get much more lavishly campy than that!
Cardi B in Ruby-Red
Cardi B is downright stunned in a full-bodied ruby-red gown at the 2019 camp-themed Met Gala. The look was a Thom Browne creation and the dress had a 10-foot-long train that required five people to carry it up the Met staircase. The look was a stark contrast from the revealing outfits that Cardi usually wears, but it was breathtaking nonetheless, and one of the biggest fashion moments in Met Gala history, if we do say!
Rihanna Celebrates Chinese Culture
The theme of the 2015 Met Gala was “China: Through the Looking Glass,” which celebrated China’s influence on Western fashion. Rihanna’s yellow dress was without a doubt one of the most spectacular looks of the night, but she was also one of the only celebs at the event to wear a piece that was created by a Chinese designer. The dress, which took a full two years to make, was designed by the legendary Guo Pei.
Lil Nas X Sheds Layers
Rapper Lil Nas X exploded onto the pop culture scene in 2019 and has since established himself as a fashion icon. He attended his first Met Gala in 2021 and was dressed in one of the best outfits of the night which involved three installments: The first was a massive, elegant cape designed by Donatella Versace, which he shed to reveal a gold suit of armor. Lastly, he removed the armor to reveal a sparkling bodysuit covered in crystals. Not at all bad for his first-ever Met Gala!
Katy Perry Grows Wings
Katy Perry’s 2018 Met look was so grand that she couldn’t fit in a normal car and needed an open-top vehicle instead in order to get to the venue. Imagine walking down the street in Manhattan, minding your own business, and seeing Katy Perry in giant angel wings cruising around just trying to get from her hotel to the venue. But as extra as those Versace-designed angel wings were, they were certainly quite fitting for the “Heavenly Bodies” theme, don’t you think?
Sarah Jessica Parker’s Hat Gets Meme’d
Sarah Jessica Parker showed up to the 2015 Met Gala in a red-and-silver headpiece designed by Philip Treacy for the “China: Through the Looking Glass” theme. The SATC star has a reputation of always nailing the Met Gala themes, but many felt that this particular look went too far and bordered on the appropriation of Chinese culture. Whether or not you agree with this sentiment, you have to admit that it was certainly worthy of all the memes it inspired that year!
Kim K Gets Compared to a Couch
Spectators didn’t particularly love Kim Kardashian’s look at the 2013 Met Gala. She sported a floor-length, body-hugging floral dress while eight months pregnant with baby North that inspired a lot of memes and comparisons to both your grandma’s old vintage couch and Mrs. Doubtfire (Robin Williams himself even tweeted out that he had worn the look better). But come on people, give her a break! It can’t be an easy task to look chic while you’re that pregnant!
Beyoncé Changes Her Hairstyle at the Last Minute
Beyoncé apparently wasn’t a big fan of the hairstyle planned out for her for the 2015 Met Gala. Her hairstylist Neal Farinah gave her an “Asian-inspired chignon,” but after she expressed that she felt it was “too costume-y,” they decided to change it to a high ponytail at the last minute. And by “last minute,” we mean she showed up to the event a full hour after the last celebrity had left the red carpet. But when you’re Beyoncé, you can do anything you want.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky Show up Late
Everyone wanted to know what Rihanna was going to show up wearing to the 2021 Met Gala, but she threw a bit of a curveball when, like Beyoncé before her, she and beau A$AP Rocky showed up an hour late to the event. Furthermore, people were a little confused by their outfits: Rocky wore what appeared to be a finely stitched quilt, while Rihanna had on a baggy black ensemble designed by Balenciaga, topped with a beanie. She later explained in an interview that the look was meant to resemble a black hoodie. “That’s the thing we’re usually incriminated by as Black people,” she said. “I wanted to empower that. I wanted to take it and make it mine and make it fashion.”
Kacey Musgraves is a Barbie Girl, in a Barbie World
At the 2019 Met Gala, country singer-songwriter Kasey Musgraves transformed herself into a real-life Barbie doll, and we have to say, she nailed it! From the platinum blonde locks to the all-pink outfit, she really committed to the look. But that’s not all…she also pulled up to the event in a hot-pink convertible and carried a purse shaped like a blow dryer. As you can see from this photo, she literally looks plastic – but we mean that in the best way possible.
Zendaya Becomes a Princess
Zendaya’s take on the “camp” theme in 2019 was to show up to the event in a full Cinderella ball gown. But that’s certainly not all: Her stylist, Law Roach, walked by her side carrying a magic wand as her fairy godmother, and when he waved the magic wand, her dress lit up. Zendaya really committed to the Cinderella theme, and went so far as to leave a glass slipper behind on the steps of the Met Gala!
Rihanna Channels the Pope
Rihanna attended the 2018 Met Gala adorned in this extravagant costume resembling the Pope, designed by Maison Margiela. Her outfit was certainly one of the most talked-about that night – for both good and bad reasons. Some felt it went a bit too far, making a mockery out of the Catholic religion. Regardless of whether you think it went too far or not, you can’t argue that it didn’t perfectly fit the theme of the night!
Beyoncé Flies Solo
In 2016, Beyoncé released her sixth studio album, Lemonade, which sparked a lot of rumors that all was not well in her marriage with Jay-Z. A week after the album’s release, she surprised everyone further by showing up to the Met Gala solo in a beautiful nude latex dress, designed by Givenchy. Eventually, news came out that Jay-Z had had an affair in their marriage, but as of 2021, the two are still together, so it seems that they’ve managed to work it out!
Princess Diana Graces the Red Carpet
The lovely Princess Diana showed up to the Met Gala in 1996, where the theme was simply “Christian Dior.” The blue slip dress she’s sporting in the photo would go on to become an icon, but interestingly, she almost didn’t wear it because she felt that it might be too revealing and embarrassing for her then 14-year-old son, Prince William. Clearly, she made the right choice, because from then on, a fashion icon was born!
Kid Cudi Gets Emo
Rapper and singer Kid Cudi hit the red carpet at the 2021 Met Gala donned in intense black eye makeup, neon-green hair (did he and Frank Ocean collaborate?), and Louis Vuitton JNCO-style pants. Some onlookers commented that the look greatly resembled ’90s Dennis Rodman, and we can’t say we disagree. We’re not entirely sure what it had to do with the night’s theme (“In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”)…perhaps it was simply a nod to early ’00s emo culture-specific to America?
Hayden Panettiere Takes a Tumble
You can be pretty certain that at a big event like the Met Gala – where everyone is wearing lavish, heavy costumes – someone, at some point, is going to take a little tumble for all to see. Well, that someone happened to be Hayden Panettiere at the 2014 Met Gala. Luckily, Hayden played it off as if nothing happened; she simply got right back up and kept walking up the steps, like the true hero she is.
