A Look Back at the Best Fashion Moments in Met Gala History
The first Monday in May is right around the corner.
Date April 17, 2023
This article was originally published in May 2020 and has been updated.
Mention the first Monday in May to any fashion lover and they’ll immediately know what you’re talking about. Each year, the star-studded Met Gala takes place on this date, in partnership with The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and brings with it some of the most incredible fashion looks we’ll see in the year. From larger-than-life ballgowns to radical suits, there’s no limit on self-expression on style.
RELATED: The Best Met Gala Beauty Looks Ever — Period
Ahead of the 2023 Met Gala, we dove into the event’s archives to relive some of the Met ball’s most memorable fashion moments. Ahead, see more than 90 of the Met Gala best looks of all time.
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Cardi B in Atelier Versace
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Hailey Bieber in Saint Laurent
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Janelle Monáe in Ralph Lauren
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Blake Lively in Atelier Versace
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Emma Chamberlain in Louis Vuitton
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Alessandro Michele and Jared Leto at the 2022 Met Gala
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Teyana Taylor in Iris Van Herpen
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Gigi Hadid in Atelier Versace
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Paloma Elsesser in Coach
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Michelle Yeoh in Prabal Gurung
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Alexa Chung in Christian Siriano
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Jodie Turner-Smith in Gucci
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Kate Moss in Burberry
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Bad Bunny in Burberry
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Dakota Johnson in Gucci
2022 – Gilded Glamour
SZA in Vivienne Westwood
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Bella Hadid in Burberry
2022 – Gilded Glamour
Lizzo in Thom Browne
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Hunter Schafer in Prada and Evangeline AdaLioryn
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Kim Kardashian in Balenciaga
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Sophia Roe in Halston
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
A$SAP Rocky in ERL, Rihanna in Balenciaga Haute Couture and Bulgari
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Zoe Kravitz in Saint Laurent
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Lil Nas X in Versace
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Kaia Gerber in Oscar de la Renta and Omega
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Iman in Gucci and Harris Reed
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Kendall Jenner in Givenchy
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Barbie Ferreira in Jonathan Simkhai
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Justin Bieber in La Maison Drew, Hailey Bieber in Saint Laurent and Tiffany & Co.
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Bilie Eilish in Oscar de la Renta
2021 – In America: A Lexicon of Fashion
Timothée Chalamet in Haider Ackermann and Rick Owens
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Lizzo in custom Marc Jacobs
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Billy Porter in The Blonds and Baz Luhrmann in Prada
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Celine Dion in Oscar de la Renta gown and Noel Stewart headpiece, Law Roach, and Zendaya
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Michael B. Jordan in Coach, Cara Delevingne in Dior and Jared Leto in Gucci
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Lena Waithe in custom Pyer Moss and Kerby Jean-Raymond in custom Pyer Moss
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Cardi B in Thom Browne
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Kim Kardashian West in Thierry Mugler, Jennifer Lopez in Versace, Kylie Jenner in Versace, and Kendall Jenner in Versace
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Ciara in Peter Dundas
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Darren Criss in Balmain
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Awkwafina in Altuzarra
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Laverne Cox in Christian Siriano
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez in Versace
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell
2019 – Camp: Notes On Fashion
Harry Styles in Gucci and Alessandro Michele
2018 – Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination
Katy Perry in custom Versace
2018 – Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination
Lana del Rey in Gucci and Jared Leto in Gucci
2018 – Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination
Rihanna in Maison Margiela
2018 – Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination
Madonna in Jean Paul Gaultier
2018 – Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination
Jasmine Sanders in custom H&M
2018 – Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination
Cynthia Erivo in custom Valentino
2017 – Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between
Ashley Graham in custom H&M
2017 – Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between
Blake Lively in Atelier Versace and Ryan Reynolds
2017 – Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between
Zendaya in Dolce & Gabbana
2017 – Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between
Cara Delevingne in Chanel
2016 – Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology
Lupita Nyong’o in Calvin Klein
2016 – Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology
Florence Welch in Gucci
2016 – Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology
Kanye West in Balmain (jacket) and Fear Of God (jeans)
2015 – China: Through The Looking Glass
Grace Coddington
2015 – China: Through The Looking Glass
Kim Kardashian West in Roberto Cavalli
2015 – China: Through The Looking Glass
Beyoncé in custom Givenchy
2015 – China: Through The Looking Glass
Rihanna in Guo Pei
2015 – China: Through The Looking Glass
Katy Perry in Moschino
2014 – Charles James: Beyond Fashion
Lupita Nyong’o in Prada
2014 – Charles James: Beyond Fashion
Mary-Kate Olsen in vintage Chanel and Ashley Olsen in vintage Gianfranco Ferré
2013 – PUNK: Chaos To Couture
Kerry Washington
2012 – Schiaparelli And Prada: Impossible Conversations
Karolina Kurkova
2011 – Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
Beyoncé in Emilio Pucci
2011 – Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
Blake Lively
2011 – Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
Naomi Campbell in Alexander McQueen
2010 – American Woman: Fashioning A National Identity
Jessica Alba in Sophie Theallet for Gap
2008 – Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy
Anna Wintour in Chanel
2007 – Poiret: King of Fashion
Jennifer Lopez
2006 – AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion
Victoria Beckham in Roland Mouret
2005 – The House of Chanelves
Rolf Snoeren, Karolina Kurkova in Chanel, Viktor Horsting
2004 – Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion And Furniture In The 18th Century
Scarlett Johansson in Calvin Klein
2003 – Goddess: The Classical Mode
David Bowie and Iman
1999 – Rock Style
John Galliano
1999 – Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron
1999 – Rock Style
Whitney Houston in Dolce & Gabbana and Bobby Brown
1997 – Gianni Versace
Iman and Ferré Gianfranco
1997 – Gianni Versace
John Galliano
1997 – Gianni Versace
Salma Hayek in Versace
1996 – Christian Dior
Donatella Versace and Gianni Versace
1995 – Haute Couture
Naomi Campbell
1994 – Orientalism: Visions of the East in Western Dress
1990 – Théâtre de la Mode: Fashion Dolls: The Survival of Haute Couture
Naomi Campbell and Francesco Scavullo
1985 Costumes of Royal India
Cher and Bob Mackie
1981 – The 18th Century Woman
Diana Ross
1981 – The Eighteenth Century Woman
Calvin Klein and Iman
1979 – Fashions of The Hapsburg Era
Jackie Onassis
1974 – Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design
Anthony Perkins, Berry Berenson and Marisa Berenson
1974 – Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design
Cher in Bob Mackie
