During Mindy Kaling's career as a sitcom star and producer there have many memorable looks that stood out, but none come as close to her Met Gala ones. From larger than life crowns to exaggerated trains, the multi-hyphenate’s appearances have been consistently eye-catching each time, getting better with each theme. That explains why the actor’s 2024 look, defined by Gaurav Gupta’s architectural flourish, has only upped the anticipation for her next one. As we inch closer to fashion's biggest night, here's a look at her past ensembles.
2013: Lela Rose
For her debut at the Gala that coincided with the ‘PUNK: Chaos to Couture’ theme, Kaling stepped out with actor BJ Novak, in a Lela Rose aubergine peplum gown, glamming it up with a turquoise clutch and matching rings. Her wit, however, remained her most glittering accessory that evening: “If you subvert anything, then you are punk. So I am going to be chubby and friendly tonight, and that’s as punk as you get.”
2016: Tory Burch
A custom strapless iridescent gown by Tory Burch with a clutch dusted with Swarovski crystals made up her look for ‘Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology’. Incorporated with hidden batteries and multi-pixel technology, the nifty case changed colour with shifting intensities of light.
2017: Prabal Gurung
Kaling described this Prabal Gurung look as “magic in midnight blue” for the theme ‘Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between’. The look itself featured a navy blue off-shoulder hand-embroidered sequinned gown with a silk fringe hem. She went with slicked-back hair and delicate drop earrings and fine gold rings.
2018: Vassilis Zoulias
Did someone say medieval royalty? A silver silk gown by Greek designer Vassilis Zoulias, with navy opera-length gloves and a large gold crown, hefting Cinderella-blue gemstones crafted by Greek jewellery designer Pericles Kondylatos, were her pick for ‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’.
2019: Moschino
For the theme ‘Camp: Notes on Fashion’, she wore a snug gold-sequinned one-shoulder Moschino gown paired with platinum blonde hair. Chunky silver earrings, statement rings, and matching gold Casadei heels.
2021: Tory Burch
For the Gala’s ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion’ theme, Tory Burch chose to centre Kaling in classic American elegance: a custom navy-blue silk gown with a deep-V neckline and a black leather corset belt cinching her waist. The actor paired the look with baroque drop earrings encrusted with wine-coloured gemstones.
2022: Prabal Gurung
The plunging V-neckline made a return in Kaling’s custom lavender gown designed by Prabal Gurung—this time with a thigh-high leg slit. Dramatic shoulder trains adorned with purple floral embellishments added to the drama. Diamond jewellery—including a long statement necklace—and matching silk pumps pinned the romantic vibe in place.
2023: Jonathan Simkhai
In a fitted floral bodice and a fringe-accented train, the Tony Award-winner slid into the Gala’s ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’ theme in a silver ensemble by Jonathan Simkhai. The look had an intriguing optical illusion built into its design. To tie the look together, she kept the bling to bare essentials: Kwiat fringe earrings and diamond baubles as rings.
2024: Gaurav Gupta
Undeniably, Kaling’s most sculptural look so far. Gaurav Gupta’s ‘The Melting Flower of Time’ marked a shift in red carpet dressing for her. The blush-pink 3D gown featured the designer's signature plissé waves forming an ethereal floral motif that aptly complemented the theme, ‘The Garden of Time’.
