The Met Gala Through the Years: See the Iconic Outfits and Guests From the ’70s to Now
In 1948, tickets to the Met Gala were $50 apiece. In 2024, a single entry fee for the exclusive social event was about $75,000. Despite the high cost, celebrities, designers, and the who’s who of NYC and beyond shell out for the gala, which benefits the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Since the ’70s, the annual affair has attracted household names wearing the most haute couture fashions — always adhering to the chosen theme. See some of the most out-there and iconic guests and looks at the Met Gala over the years.
Jackie Onassis served as a Met Gala co-chair in 1976 and 1977. The former First Lady wore a black taffeta gown to the 1979 Met Gala for “Fashions of The Hapsburg Era.” That same year, Debbie Harry of Blondie graced the famous event in a more casual look.
Synonymous with NYC, Andy Warhol often attended the prestigious event. Here, the pop artist socializes with Venezuelan-born American artist Victor Hugo (far left), model/actor “Baby” Jane Holzer (rear), and some blonde models happy to be in attendance in 1982.
The ’80s were an iconic time in fashion, as evidenced by the annual Met Gala. In 1986, Wonder Woman TV star Lynda Carter laughed with Blaine Trump, former wife to real-estate heir Robert Trump. Fashion editor Diana Vreeland posed with French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent at the 1983 Met Gala, aptly themed “Yves Saint Laurent: 25 Years of Design.” Pablo Picasso’s daughter, fashion designer Paloma Picasso, attended with her husband Rafael Lopez-Sanchez at the 1986 soiree.
The Met Gala’s events throughout the ’90s spurred many of the fashion trends we see today. In 2024, Naomi Campbell attended her 16th Met Gala. Long before, she walked the red carpet with fashion photographer Francesco Scavullo at the 1990 event. According to AS, Donald Trump is now banned from the annual party, according to Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour. However, the Trumps used to be staples at the gala. In 1996, Ivana Trump wore a blue satin gown she designed herself. Princess Diana also attended the 1996 Met Gala. Her only appearance at the affair was in a John Galliano lingerie-inspired silk slip dress.
A-list celebrities always grace the red carpet at the Met Gala. However, 1997 was a particularly star-studded year. Madonna, Donatella Versace, and Elton John attended the event, which honored Donatella’s brother, Gianni Versace. He died after being shot in Miami five months earlier.
As Julianne Moore began to firmly establish her place in Hollywood, she attended the 2004 Met Gala, where she socialized with Italian designer Roberto Cavalli. In 2004, she starred in Marie and Bruce, Laws of Attraction, and The Forgotten, landing her in the spotlight all year.
Iman has often attended the Met Gala, always making a statement with elegance and grace. In 1997, she wore a white gown with a scandalous chest accent. The 2008 Met Gala theme, “Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy,” was especially fun. The late designer Karl Lagerfeld made a playful statement with his silver suitcoat, leather moto gloves, and sparkly accessories. Fresh off Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker attended the 2006 Met Gala with designer Alexander McQueen. The theme: “AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion.”
Another AngloMania mania look: designer Diane von Furstenberg (far left) wore the Union Jack to the 2006 affair. The 1999 Met Gala explored the theme of “Rock Style.” Editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley and Editor-in-chief Anna Wintour (L) attended together. Actor Amber Valletta stayed golden for the exhibit of rock ‘n’ roll fashions.
Rihanna bowed out of the 2024 Met Gala due to the flu, disappointing fans who awaited her next style statement. But we can still reflect on her incredible ensembles of the past. The “Umbrella” singer wore an imperial yellow, fur-trimmed cape and headdress by Chinese couture designer Guo Pei to the 2015 Met Gala.
Icons in music and fashion always impress at the Met Gala. In 2016, Taylor Swift wore one of her edgiest looks for “Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology.” Model Gigi Hadid and boyfriend, singer Zayn Malik, made a steamy silver statement in 2016, too. One year prior, Beyoncé stunned onlookers with her sheer bedazzled gown for “China: Through The Looking Glass.”
Met Gala fixtures Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Kendall Jenner disappoint fans if they snub the annual party. Although Kim has several incredible looks under her belt, her 2019 Thierry Mugler dress required a full team to help cinch her into the tiny corset. Kylie and Kendall were birds of a feather for the same Met Gala, with an over-the-top theme: “Camp: Notes on Fashion.”
Say Met Gala and one likely thinks of Blake Lively. The actor always stuns viewers with her deep, interactive ensembles. At 2022’s “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” gala, she transformed her shimmering rose gold gown into a cascading blue look. The Empire State Building and Grand Central Station inspired the gown. Four years prior, Lively went celestial for “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination.”
In 2019, Lady Gaga made an epic entrance at the Met Gala. Leaning into the “Camp” theme, she transformed a chic black dress into a hot pink gown with a 25-foot train. She then stripped down to a sequined bra and panty set complete with fishnets and sky-high heels.
Serena Williams showed off neon Nikes at the same 2019 fete. Newcomer Lil Nas X shocked onlookers with his pearly bejeweled look at the 2023 Met Gala, themed “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty.” The same year, Florence Pugh walked the red carpet in a revealing white gown and feathered headpiece.
Pedro Pascal became an A-list actor with help from Game of Thrones and The Last of Us. As his star rose, he donned edgy black shorts beneath a crimson outfit at the 2023 Met Gala. Two years prior, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a custom Brother Vellies white wool dress. The message “Tax the Rich” was emblazoned in red across her back” in red — perfect for the theme, “In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion.” Model Cara Delevingne arrived topless for the same gala.
Last but not least, Doja Cat. The rapper’s fearless style statements hit a crescendo at the 2023 Met Gala, where she celebrated “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty” by paying homage to her stage name and the late designer’s beloved blue-cream Birman cat.
