by The first Monday in May is famously one of the biggest nights in the fashion calendar, with hundreds of the industry’s biggest names descending on New York’s Met Museum in a dazzling display of creative style.
Often referred to as the ‘Oscars of fashion’, the event attracts the biggest A-list names, who will dress according to a set theme, usually in bespoke creations from the world’s most influential fashion designers. This year, guests will be dressed for the theme of ‘The Garden of Time’, which is inspired by JG Ballard’s short story of the same name.
We thought we would mark the occasion by taking a walk down memory lane. Read on for 10 of the most memorable Met Gala moments of all time – from Sarah Jessica Parker and Alexander McQueen in matching dresses, to that Rihanna omelette dress.
Sarah Jessica Parker wearing Alexander McQueen in 2006
Sarah Jessica Parker and Alexander McQueen walked the red carpet hand in hand in 2006, wearing a matching tartan look by the designer, in a moment that instantly went down in Met Gala, and fashion, history. Made from McQueen’s signature fabric, the tartan was a perfect nod to that year’s theme, ‘Anglomania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion’.
Rihanna wearing Guo Pei in 2015
Never has a Met Gala look gone as instantly viral as Rihanna’s canary yellow dress at the 2015 event – commonly known as ‘the omelette dress’. Designed by Chinese couturier Guo Pei – who featured two pieces in that year’s ‘China: Through the Looking Glass’ exhibition – the fur-embroidered piece took 20 months to create and weighed around 55 pounds. Pei later said in an interview that “only women with the confidence of a queen could wear it”. Sounds about right.
Zendaya wearing Tommy Hilfiger in 2019
For 2019’s ‘Camp: Notes On Fashion’ theme, Zendaya had a real-life Cinderella moment, turning up to the Met Gala in a Tommy Hilfiger design complete with her very own Fairy Godmother in the form of her stylist Law Roach, who redeem her magic wands to light up her dress for real.
Princess Diana wearing Dior in 1996
The 1996 Met Gala had a royal guest in the form of Diana, Princess of Wales. In a departure from her usual style, the royal arrived wearing an elegant navy blue Dior slip, a look she later admitted she almost didn’t wear because she didn’t want to embarrass then-teenage Prince William , in case it was too expensive. .
Kate Moss wearing Marc Jacobs in 2009
There are very few fashion moments that truly deserve the label of iconic – an often misused term – but this was one of them. When Marc Jacobs was deciding who to dress for the ‘Model as Muse’ themed show in 2009, there was only one woman for the job. He got Kate Moss on her arm wearing a backless silver lamé mini dress with a matching turban by Stephen Jones, which quickly became one of the most recognizable Met Gala looks of all time.
Blake Lively wearing Versace in 2018
Blake Lively isn’t one to play it completely safe with her fashion, which is always a big plus for her on the Met Gala guest list. In 2018 she managed to outshine all the other guests (no big deal) in this royal Versace dress, which was so big she had to travel to the event in a van.
Beyoncé wearing Givenchy in 2015
Just when everyone thought the 2015 Met Gala red carpet was over, when all the other guests had taken their seats inside, there was a fashionable latecomer in the form of Beyoncé. The singer showed up wearing this sheer Givenchy dress with strategically placed crystals, the photographers went wild, and the whole world agreed it was worth the wait.
Cher wearing Bob Mackie in 1974
Cher wore the original revealing dress to one of the first ever Met Galas in 1974, in the form of this glittering design by Bob Mackie, a designer she still works with today. Countless models and celebrities claim to be inspired by your latest red carpet outings.
Amal Clooney wearing Richard Quinn in 2018
When you have the honor of being one of the night’s hosts, the pressure is really on to wear something amazing. While many might assume this means a collaboration with one of the biggest names in the industry, Amal Clooney instead turned to London designer Richard Quinn, giving him a huge international platform in the process. The look was teamed with tailored trousers and a corset with a flowing skirt, and George made a great accessory.
Rihanna wearing Maison Margiela in 2018
Another performance from Rihanna in this round up, but a worthy one. One of the most interesting things about the Met Gala is seeing the creative ways each guest interprets the theme. Although many completely ignore it, Rihanna always goes above and beyond to try; 2018 was a big one when she arrived at the Catholic themed event in a glorious Margiela ensemble inspired by the Pope.
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