The Met Gala has been dubbed the “Oscars of Fashion,” but given the spectacle it's become in recent years, maybe it's time we start calling the Oscars the “Met Gala Of Movies”? Regardless of how you feel about red carpets, the Met Gala is so much more than just a night for celebrities to show up in their most outlandish, over-the-top frocks. Held on the first Monday in May, the Met Gala supports the costume department of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and usually marks the opening of its fashion exhibition.
This year, the theme is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” with a spotlight the influence Black dandyism has had on the culture and society. Needless to say, the Coveteur editor Slack has been blowing up with predictions. It's also made us nostalgic for some of the most iconic Met Gala fashion moments of the past, so we thought we'd take the time to take a walk down memory lane and give the stylists, celebs and glam teams the flowers they deserve.
Ahead, take a walk down memory lane as Coveteur Editors share the Met Gala looks they'll never stop thinking about.
Kate Bosworth - 2018
Rabbani and Solimene Photography/Getty
The year: 2018
The celebrity: Kate Bosworth
The designer: Oscar De La Renta
The praise: “For the 2018 Met theme, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,Kate Bosworth reworked her Oscar De La Renta wedding look for the red carpet. To me, there were few moments as ethereal as this. Her sheer cape veil, the saint-like baby hairs, the gothic romance of it all still takes me out.” - Ella O'Keeffe, senior fashion editor
Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen - 2019
Dia Dipasupil/Staff
The year: 2019
The celebrity: Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen
The designer: Vintage Chanel
The praise: “The Olsen twins will always win the award for Met Gala theme rejection, and for 2019's Camp: Notes on Fashion theme, this was no exception. Wearing a matching black leather vintage Chanel ensemble, the sisters stuck to their signature style instead of going overboard, which, for The Met Gala, is certainly a power move. Icons remain icons.”
Mitchell Gerber/Getty
The year: 1999
The celebrity: Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney
The designer: Stella McCartney
Why I love: “If one was a nepo baby of Stella McCartney’s proportions in 2025, rocking up to the Met Gala with Liv Tyler in a T-shirt that says ‘Rock Royalty’ would have you globally shunned. But not in 1999. This is such a fun and memorable moment for both McCartney and Tyler, and continues to take up my mental real estate to this day.” - EO
Amber Valletta - 2004
Evan Agostini/Getty
The year: 2004
The celebrity: Amber Valletta
The designer: Maggie Norris Couture corset and John Galliano skirt
Why I love: “For the 2004 theme Dangerous Liaisons, Valletta opted for a Marie Antoinette-themed look. I’ve always been a huge fan of Galliano’s work and creative world, and here the supermodel embodied all of the storytelling that Galliano is so adored for.” - EO
Naomi Campbell - 1995
The year: 1995
The celebrity: Naomi Campbell
The designer: Versace
The praise: “Have you ever seen anything chicer than Naomi Campbell wearing Versace with Gianni Versace?” - Kala Hehrn, social strategy lead
Lil' Kim - 1999
Mark Petersen/Getty
The year: 1999
The celebrity: Lil' Kim
The designer: Versace
The praise: “The Met Gala has played host to countless fashion moments, but few have been as headturning as Lil’ Kim on the museum stairs back in 1999.” - KH
Frank Ocean - 2021
Theo Wargo/Getty
The year: 2021
The celebrity: Frank Ocean
The designer: Prada
The praise: “The hair! The chain! The baby! Every detail of Frank Ocean's ensemble from the 2021 Met Gala was perfection if you ask us.” - KH
Lady Gaga - 2019
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
The year: 2019
The celebrity: Lady Gaga
The designer: Brandon Maxwell
The praise: “If there’s one thing Lady Gaga will do, it’s deliver a show. This time, the undisputed Queen of Camp staged a full-blown fashion performance with a four-in-one reveal that was nothing short of showstopping. Each look held its own, but that opening moment was a standou— the sweeping train, the oversized bow, and those lashes. No notes.” - Natasha Sheridan, social creative lead
Rihanna - 2018
George Pimentel/Getty
The year: 2018
The celebrity: Rihanna
The designer: Maison Margiela by John Galliano
The praise: “Pretty sure I need this look for my wedding. In my eyes, Rihanna at the Met Gala can do no wrong, and with Maison Margiela in the mix it’s pure perfection.”
Iman -2021
Mike Coppola/Getty
The year: 2021
The celebrity: Iman
The designer: Dolce & Gabbana x Harris Reed
The praise: “This look was the ultimate embodiment of In America: A Lexicon of Fashion. My jaw literally dropped the moment I saw her—it was history, fantasy, and fashion all woven into one unforgettable, legendary silhouette.” - NS
Jessica Stam - 2007
Patrick McMullan/Getty
The year: 2007
The celebrity: Jessica Stam
The designer: Christian Dior
The praise: “Christian Dior Spring 1998—it doesn’t get more iconic than that. The details? The open back? This look is truly a work of art and, two decades later, still stands the test of time.” - NS
Rihanna - 2015
Mike Coppola/Getty
The year: 2015
The celebrity: Rihanna
The designer: Guo Pei
The praise: “I think about Rihanna wearing this sweeping, mustard-yellow dress from Chinese designer Guo Pei for the Met Gala theme China: Through The Looking Glass at least three times a day.” - Faith Xue, editor-in-chief
Tyla - 2024
The year: 2024
The celebrity: Tyla
The designer: Balmain
The praise: “As a Leo, seeing Tyla wear a dress so tight that she had to be carried up the steps of the Met by four security guards was a move that deeply resonated with me.” - FX
