The first Monday of May is here, and for the fashion world, it means the Met Gala 2024. Looking back in time, the Met Gala started in 1948 as a small benefit for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Over the years, it has become one of the world’s most popular red carpet events.
Fashion events and galas mostly have formal dress codes, but the Met Gala is all about magnificent gowns with elegant designs and memorable looks. Over the years, the Met Gala has become iconic for the themes its guests have embraced.
Linda Evangelista, Gigi Hadid, and others: 10 most memorable Met Gala looks of all time
1.Emma Chamberlain at Met Gala 2023
In 2023, Emma Chamberlain wore a structured Miu Miu two-piece in powder blue with edgy goth makeup. She paired it with a matching headband, socks, and platform heels. Met Gala was celebrating the “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” celebration.
2. Princess Diana at Met Gala 1996
It was Princess Diana’s first and only Met Gala when she wore a Dior lingerie-style dress as a tribute to Christian Dior. Being a fashion icon herself, she showed the world that even a slip dress could be worn at the biggest red carpet event of the year.
It was from John Galliano’s debut haute couture collection. The theme was the “Christian Dior.”
3. Nadja Auermann at Met Gala 1994
For the 1994 Met Gala, Nadja wore a lavender minimalist slip dress alongside her blonde bob hair. The theme for that year’s gala was “Orientalism: Visions of the East in Western Dress.”
4. Linda Evangelista at Met Gala 1996
In the 90s, many celebrities and fashion models had bob cuts alongside unique bangs. At the Met Gala 1996, supermodel Linda Evangelista styled her volumized bob with micro bangs and a curve. This chin-length bob complimented her brow-textured gown.
5. Gisele Bündchen at Met Gala 1999
One of the highest-paid fashion models in the world, Gisele Bündchen, attended the Met Gala in 1999 wearing a V-neck Versace gown with crafted beads. Working with international designers and brands, she has surely come a long way.
6. Beyoncé at Met Gala 2014
Beyoncé wore a beaded Givenchy frock and a Bordeaux pout. It was a plunging mesh dress cut down. She paired the dress with a matching veil and pulled over her eyes. This year's theme was “Charles James: Beyond Fashion.”
7. Rihanna at Met Gala 2015
Rihanna attended the Met Gala 2015 when the theme was “China: Through the Looking Glass” with her sherbet yellow robe, horizontal brows, a dynamite headdress, and a shoulder-cut bob. Rihanna also hosted the Met Gala that year.
8. Zendaya at Met Gala 2017
Zendaya wore a coral lip paired with auburn hair at the Met Gala 2017, which had the theme “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between."
It was an off-shoulder Doce & Gabanna ball gown with various illustrations, including lowers and parrots, across the tangerine-maize skirt.
9. Gigi Hadid at Met Gala 2021
Supermodel Gigi Hadid wore a black and white sleeveless gown by Prada and paired it with black opera gloves. She rocked this look and paired it with a diamond necklace around her neck. With her high-slung ponytail and crystal-embellished Prada logo barrette, she looked stunning. A slight touch of powder blue smoky eyes and classic cat-eye flicks completed Gigi's iconic Met Gala look.
10. Bella Hadid at Met Gala 2018
For the Met Gala 2018, Bella opted for an all-black ensemble with a patent leather bustier top, exaggerated shoulders, and fingerless gloves. She paired it with a black and gold veil for the theme “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.”
Each memorable Met Gala look has been quite popular and followed by many fashion enthusiasts. Over the years, Vogue has celebrated a wide range of themes and raised higher funds through the Met Gala. Met Gala 2024 is also expected to raise sizable funds through their efforts.