10 head-turning red carpet looks from past Met Gala

The Met Gala is more than a fashion event; it's the couture version of the Oscars, the Super Bowl of expression, and the creativity playground. Hosted every year at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Gala combines fashion, art, and celebrity culture with a fundraiser for the museum's Costume Institute. With each new theme annually, celebrities are tasked with breaking the rules of design, interpretation, and imagination.

In the past decades, the Met Gala has given rise to some of the most iconic red carpet moments in fashion history. Celebrities have employed the occasion to unveil daring silhouettes and show-stopping outfits that are still impacting style months after the event.

10 Best red carpet looks from past Met Galas

Rihanna in Guo Pei (2015)

"China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala - Arrivals (Image via Getty)

Rihanna’s imperial yellow cape gown, designed by Chinese couturier Guo Pei, took two years to make and weighed nearly 55 pounds. The extravagant fur-trimmed train, shimmering gold embroidery, and halo-like presence turned Rihanna into a walking masterpiece. Her look was a cultural homage that balanced reverence and reality; it wasn't just fashion; it was a cinematic moment in motion. Years later, it’s still meme-worthy and museum-worthy all at once.

Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell (2019)

The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes On Fashion - Arrivals - (Image via Getty)

Arriving in a billowing fuchsia Brandon Maxwell gown, she peeled off layer after layer like a couture matryoshka doll: from the dramatic gown to a black ballgown, then to a hot pink column dress, and finally to lingerie, fishnets, and platform boots. Each layer was a wink to performance art and the very essence of camp — exaggerated, ironic, and unforgettable. Only Gaga could turn the carpet into cabaret.

Zendaya in Versace (2018)

Channeling Joan of Arc, Zendaya’s custom metallic silver Versace gown was an architectural wonder. The armor-inspired silhouette with sharp shoulders, chainmail details, and a sculpted bodice captured both power and grace. Her cropped red bob added an edgy flair, completing the warrior-priestess aesthetic. It was fearless, fashion-forward, and a masterclass in thematic dressing.

Blake Lively in Versace (2022)

The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" - Street Sightings (Image via Getty)

Blake's custom Atelier Versace gown transformed mid-carpet, literally. Her coppery train unfolded to reveal a patina green finish inspired by the Statue of Liberty’s oxidation. Intricate detailing paid tribute to NYC architecture, including Grand Central Station’s celestial ceiling and the Empire State Building.

Beyoncé in Givenchy (2015)

Beyoncé’s barely-there Givenchy gown, adorned with jeweled appliqués, defied gravity and expectations. The high ponytail and poised stance added to the dominatrix-meets-deity aesthetic. It wasn’t just about the dress; it was the attitude. She arrived late and shut the red carpet down. Iconic behavior.

Kim Kardashian in Balenciaga (2021)

The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion - Arrivals - Source: Getty

Kim’s faceless, all-black Balenciaga look became the night’s most polarizing fashion moment. A head-to-toe blackout, complete with gloves, boots, and a face veil, sparked endless memes and debates. Either way, it challenged norms and cemented her as a master of fashion shock value.

Doja Cat in Oscar de la Renta (2023)

Doja Cat as Choupette (2023) (Image via Getty)

Doja Cat channeled Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved feline, Choupette, with a sparkly Oscar de la Renta gown and actual feline prosthetics on her face. She meowed through red carpet interviews, turning kitsch into couture. It was surreal, satirical, and purr-fectly on brand.

Katy Perry in Versace (2018)

Katy Perry appeared in an armored gold mini-dress by Versace, but it was her enormous feathered angel wings that stole the spotlight. So massive they needed a car of their own, the wings turned her into a celestial being descending from the heavens.

Iman in Harris Reed and Dolce & Gabbana (2021)

Iman in Harris Reed (2021) (Image via Getty)

Draped in a golden feathered hoop gown and an enormous sunburst headpiece, Iman floated like an ethereal deity. Designed by Harris Reed in collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana, the ensemble radiated otherworldly beauty and old-school glamour, evoking the divine and the dramatic. At age 66, Iman reminded everyone what true fashion royalty looks like.

Cardi B in Moschino (2018)

Cardi B’s Moschino gown, dripping in pearls and gold embroidery, came with a bejeweled headpiece and a commanding train. Pregnant at the time, she served divine maternal energy mixed with Vatican-level opulence. Think high fashion meets holy reverence, a true Met Gala moment.

These 10 looks prove that at the Met Gala, fashion is far more than fabric; it's a medium for storytelling, cultural commentary, and unforgettable artistry.

Edited by Sangeeta Mathew

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