20 memorable Met Gala moments, from mirror selfies to Katy Perry’s burger costume
20 things that could only have happened at the Met Gala, masked kisses, 20ft trains, burger dresses and more...
On the first Monday in May, Times Square appears unusually tranquil compared with the spectacle unfolding inside and around the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While many celebrities have climbed the Met Gala’s steps in fabulous – but safe – clothing choices, others view the event as the one night of the year where it is actually mandated to create total commotion.
As the world watches online, this performance element has got progressively wilder, with sofa spectators waiting for meme-worthy moments and viral talking-points. From bathroom mirror selfies to extravagant trains – remember Rihanna’s omelette dress? – to dramatic costume changes and masked kisses – Bennifer! – the Met Gala is never short of drama. And so, as we wait to see what this year’s instalment has in store, keep reading to revisit some of the best Met Gala moments: from the 1970s to now.
This article first appeared on vogue.co.uk
George Pimentel1/22That omelette dress
Even people who don’t pay attention to the Met would recognise the radiant Guo Pei dress that Rihanna wore in 2015. Thanks, in part, to the many memes it inspired afterwards.
Ron Galella/Getty Images2/22Cher in the first “naked dress”
The semi-sheer, feather-trimmed Bob Mackie look that Cher wore to the Met in 1974 is widely considered to be the first “naked dress”. The singer was later photographed wearing the look on the cover of Time magazine which, as Mackie previously told Vogue, “created a lot of hubbub”. He added: “Some cities even banned it from being sold – it’s funny considering how some stars can barely keep their clothes on today.”
Jamie McCarthy/MG21/Getty Images3/22Bennifer’s masked PDA
J Lo and Ben Affleck’s masked kiss, as seen at the 2021 Met Gala, was not only a sign of the times, but a clinch that affirmed their budding, second-round romance.
John Shearer/Getty Images4/22Zendaya’s fantastical Cinderella gown
In 2019, Zendaya lit up the pink carpet in a Cinderella-inspired Tommy Hilfiger ballgown, complete with LED lights built into a voluminous skirt. Her stylist, Law Roach, was by her side in a matching blue suit, holding a wand.
WWD/Getty Images5/22Blake Lively’s tribute to NYC
The actor interpreted 2022’s “Gilded Glamour” dress code with a transformative gown by Atelier Versace, inspired by landmarks of New York City. Halfway up the staircase, Lively untied a bow at the back of her dress to reveal a cascading copper and blue skirt, prompting a paparazzi frenzy on the sidelines.
Evan Agostini/Getty Images6/22Sarah Jessica Parker and Lee Alexander McQueen in tartan
The late, great designer Lee Alexander McQueen chose Sarah Jessica Parker as his plus one in 2006. The pair arrived in matching tartan looks that tapped into the Anglomania mood of the Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion theme.
New York Daily News/Getty Images7/22Princess Diana’s cameo at the event
The late royal attended the Met Gala just once, in 1996, wearing a midnight-blue, lace-trimmed dress by John Galliano – a reimagined version of a look that appeared in his first collection for Christian Dior.
George Pimentel/Getty Images8/22Madonna and her hip flask
Madonna was well prepared for the 2017 event in camouflage Moschino, equipped with a hip flask that she sipped throughout. Its contents? Rosé – or “summer water”, according to the musician.
