The best Met Gala looks and dresses of all time

Vogue Singapore

02-05-2025

Getty
The Met Gala is where celebrities ascend to style icon status. On the first Monday in May, stars don't just walk the red carpet, they climb the steps of the Metropolitan Museum in statement couture presenting their interpretation of the exhibition's theme to the entire world. Unlike an awards show or a premiere, the goal isn't to shine for a moment, it's to create a look that resonates for decades. Despite the wealth of designer gowns and bespoke suits, few accomplish that feat, but those who do earn themselves a place in fashion history. The greatest hits—Rihanna's papal chic, Kate Moss's golden turban, Sarah Jessica Parker's tartan Alexander McQueen, Erykah Badu's glittering top hat, Madonna in a hippie caftan—rank among the best outfits ever to be worn. And their charms wouldn't have been as compelling on another night.
The gala encourages the kind of innovation rarely seen elsewhere. The Costume Institute's trove of landmark runway creations serves as an inspiration for guests, allowing them to take on fashion at its most avant-garde. Where else will you see Cardi B. and a small army of assistants move a mountainous red Thom Browne train across a pink carpet? Or watch awestruck as Lady Gaga and Brandon Maxwell take their magenta nesting doll ballgown to the streets, much to the delight of New Yorkers. A standout Met look can be performative (Amber Valletta going full baroque in 2004), subversive (Daphne Guinness in a plume of McQueen feathers in 2011), witty (Karolina Kurkova's playful Viktor and Rolf in 2015, or referential (the Olsen twins and their yearly vintage surprise), it just can't be boring.
Fashion's biggest night returns this year with a fete that shifts the focus—to menswear instead. 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' will explore the role of sartorial style in forming Black identities, focusing on the emergence, significance, and proliferation of the Black dandy. Ahead of the 2025 iteration, we look back on the best and boldest Met Gala looks that represent fashion at its most inspiring. Here, see the most memorable, daring, and over the top outfits ever. Getty
1 / 123 Kate Moss in Calvin Klein, 1995 Getty
2 / 123 Naomi Campbell in Versace, 1995 Getty
3 / 123 Madonna in Versace, 1997 Getty
4 / 123 Elizabeth Hurley in Versace, 1997 Getty
5 / 123 Sean Combs and Jennifer Lopez, 1999 Getty
6 / 123 Amber Valetta in Versace, 1999 Getty
7 / 123 Liv Tyler in Stella McCartney, 1999 Getty
8 / 123 Gwyneth Paltrow in Gucci, 1999 Getty
9 / 123 Lil' Kim in Versace, 1999 Getty
10 / 123 Whitney Houston, 1999 Getty
11 / 123 Demi Moore in Donna Karan, 2000 Getty
12 / 123 Hillary Clinton in Oscar de la Renta, 2000 Getty
13 / 123 Lee Radziwill in Armani, 2000 Getty
14 / 123 Christy Turlington in Saint Laurent, 2001 Getty
15 / 123 Stephanie Seymour in Alaia, 2001 Getty
16 / 123 Marie-Chantal Miller in Valentino Couture, 2001 Getty
17 / 123 Carmen Kass in Gucci, 2003 Getty
18 / 123 Davie Bowie and Iman in Calvin Klein, 2003 Getty
19 / 123 Diana Ross in Tom Ford, 2003 Getty
20 / 123 Nicole Kidman in Tom Ford, 2003 Getty
21 / 123 Amber Valleta in a Maggie Norris Couture Corset, John Galliano Skirt, 2004 Getty
22 / 123 Linda Evangelista in Jean Paul Gaultier Couture, 2004 Getty
23 / 123 Scarlett Johansson in Calvin-Klein, 2004 Getty
24 / 123 Karolina Kurkova in Viktor and Rolf, 2005 Getty
25 / 123 Vanessa Paradis in Chanel, 2005 Getty
26 / 123 Charlize Theron in Christian Dior, 2006 Getty
27 / 123 Charlotte Gainsbourg in Balenciaga, 2006 Getty
28 / 123 Sarah Jessica Parker in Alexander McQueen, 2006 Getty
29 / 123 Sienna Miller in Burberry, 2006 Getty
30 / 123 Cameron Diaz in Christian Dior, 2007 Getty
31 / 123 Cate Blanchett in Balenciaga, 2007 Getty
32 / 123 Charlotte Gainsbourg in Balenciaga, 2007 Getty
33 / 123 Daria Werbowy in Azzedine Alaia, 2007 Getty
34 / 123 Jennifer Connelly in Balenciaga, 2007 Getty
35 / 123 Renee Zellweger in Carolina Herrera, 2007 Getty
36 / 123 Shalom Harlow in Viktor and Rolf, 2007 Getty
37 / 123 Christina Ricci in Givenchy, 2008 Getty
38 / 123 Gisele Bundchen in Versace, 2008 Getty
39 / 123 Julia Roberts in Armani, 2008 Getty
40 / 123 Kate Moss in Marc Jacobs, 2009 Getty
41 / 123 Madonna in Louis Vuitton, 2009 Getty
42 / 123 Miranda Kerr in Jil Sander, 2009 Getty
43 / 123 Gwen Stefani, 2010 Getty
44 / 123 Doutzen Kroes in Zac Posen, 2010 Getty
45 / 123 Oprah in Oscar de la Renta, 2010 Getty
46 / 123 Beyonce in Emilio Pucci, 2011 Getty
47 / 123 Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen, 2011 Getty
48 / 123 Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen, 2011 Getty
49 / 123 Liv Tyler in Givenchy, 2011 Getty
50 / 123 Madonna in Stella McCartney, 2011 Getty
51 / 123 Michelle Williams in Miu Miu, 2011 Getty
52 / 123 Naomi Campbell in Alexander McQueen, 2011 Getty
53 / 123 Anja Rubik in Antony Vaccarello, 2012 Getty
54 / 123 Carey Mulligan in Prada, 2012 Getty
55 / 123 Rooney Mara in Givenchy, 2012 Getty
56 / 123 Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana, 2012 Getty
57 / 123 Stella Tennant in Christopher Kane, 2013 Getty
58 / 123 Ashley Olsen in Dior, 2013 Getty
59 / 123 Kim Kardashian in Givenchy, 2013 Getty
60 / 123 Sarah Jessica Parker in Phillip Treacy and Giles Deacon, 2013 Getty
61 / 123 Dita von Tesse in Zac Posen, 2014 Getty
62 / 123 David Beckham in Ralph Lauren Black Label and Victoria Beckham in Victoria Beckham, 2014 Getty
63 / 123 Erykah Badu in Givenchy, 2014 Getty
64 / 123 Lupita Nyongo in Prada, 2014 Getty
65 / 123 Monica Belluci in Dolce and Gabbana, 2014 Getty
66 / 123 Rihanna in Guo Pei, 2015 Getty
67 / 123 Alexa Chung in Erdem, 2015 Getty
68 / 123 Anne Hathaway in Ralph Lauren, 2015 Getty
69 / 123 Chloe Sevigny in J.W. Anderson, 2015 Getty
70 / 123 Grace Coddington in Michael Kors, 2015 Getty
71 / 123 FKA Twigs in Christopher Kane, 2015 Getty
72 / 123 Sienna Miller in Thakoon, 2015 Getty
73 / 123 Lady Gaga in Alexander Wang, 2015 Getty
74 / 123 Miley Cyrus in Alexander Wang, 2015 Getty
75 / 123 Solange in Giles Deacon, 2015 Getty
76 / 123 Blake Lively in Burberry, 2016 Getty
77 / 123 Florence Welch in Gucci, 2016 Getty
78 / 123 Beyonce in Givenchy, 2016 Getty
79 / 123 Brie Larson in Proenza Schouler, 2016 Getty
80 / 123 Emma Watson in Jean Paul Gaultier, 2016 Getty
81 / 123 Gigi Hadid in Tommy Hilfiger, 2016 Getty
82 / 123 Lena Dunham, Jenni Konner, and Jenna Lyons in Creatures of the Wind, 2016 Getty
83 / 123 Lupita Nyongo in Calvin Klein, 2016 Getty
84 / 123 Poppy Delevingne in Marchesa, 2016 Getty
85 / 123 Selena Gomez in Louis Vuitton, 2016 Getty
86 / 123 Taylor Swift in Louis Vuitton, 2016 Getty
87 / 123 Bella Hadid in Alexander Wang, 2017 Getty
88 / 123 Caroline Kennedy in Comme des Garçons, 2017 Getty
89 / 123 Jennifer Lopez in Valentino, 2017 Getty
90 / 123 Julie Macklowe in Comme des Garçons, 2017 Getty
91 / 123 Katy Perry in Maison Margiela Artisanal designed by John Galliano, 2017 Getty
92 / 123 Kendall Jenner in La Perla, 2017 Getty
93 / 123 Kylie Jenner in Versace, 2017 Getty
94 / 123 Lily Rose Depp in Chanel, 2017 Getty
95 / 123 Michelle Lamy in Comme des Garçons, 2017 Getty
96 / 123 Rihanna in Comme des Garçons, 2017 Getty
97 / 123 Zendaya in Dolce & Gabbana, 2017 Getty
98 / 123 Amal Clooney in Richard Quinn, 2018 Getty
99 / 123 Frances McDormand in Valentino, 2018 Getty
100 / 123 Karen Elson in Dolce and Gabbana, 2018 Getty
101 / 123 Kim Kardashian in Versace, 2018 Getty
102 / 123 Lena Waithe in Carolina Herrera, 2018 Getty
103 / 123 Rihanna in Maison Margiela Artisanal designed by John Galliano, 2018 Getty
104 / 123 Zendaya in Jean Paul Gaultier, 2018 Getty
105 / 123 Katy Perry in Moschino, 2019 Getty
106 / 123 Katy Perry in Moschino, 2019 Getty
107 / 123 Jared Leto in Gucci Getty
108 / 123 Cardi B in Thom Browne, 2019 Getty
109 / 123 Billy Porter in The Blondes, 2019 Getty
110 / 123 Kristen Stewart in Chanel, 2021 Getty
111 / 123 Lorde in Bode, 2021 Getty
112 / 123 Grimes in Iris van Herpen, 2021 Getty
113 / 123 Isabelle Huppert in Balenciaga, 2021 Getty
114 / 123 Iman in Dolce&Gabbana x Harris Reed, 2021 Getty
115 / 123 Timothée Chalamet in Haider Ackermann, 2021 Getty
116 / 123 Kendall Jenner in Givenchy, 2021 Getty
117 / 123 ASAP Rocky in ERL and Rihanna in Balenciaga Haute Couture, Bulgari necklace, bracelet, and earrings, Thelma West Diamonds rings, 2021 Getty
118 / 123 Cardi B in Chenpeng Studio, 2023
119 / 123 Rihanna in Valentino and A$AP Rocky in Gucci, 2023
120 / 123 Lana Del Rey in Alexander McQueen Getty
121 / 123 Zendaya in Maison Margiela by John Galliano Getty
122 / 123 Taylor Russell in Loewe
123 / 123 Tyla in Balmain
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.