Known as “fashion’s biggest night out”, the Met Gala sees the biggest celebs dressed to the nines in their most avant-garde and over-the-top creations. It’s no wonder that the annual fundraising event for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City, is also commonly referred to as the Oscars of fashion events.
This year’s gig will be particularly exciting as it will be co-hosted by Lady Gaga and Harry Styles, but more importantly, its theme ‘Camp: Notes on Fashion’, promises wild, headline-grabbing, over-the-top red carpet moments.
But as we wait for the first Monday of May, we’re looking back at some of the most outrageous get-ups from celebrities such as Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Beyonce that shut down the past red carpets.
Theme: China: Through the Looking Glass
It was near impossible to ignore Rihanna when she stepped onto the red carpet of the Metropolitan Museum that year. Dressed in a trailing number by Chinese couturier Guo Pei that came with an accompanying headpiece, she looked absolutely regal. This extravagant fur-trimmed yellow gown reportedly took 20 months to create and weighed a hefty 25kg. Not surprisingly, it sparked countless Internet memes, with netizens likening the lengthy train to a pizza and omelette. While she’s rocked many memorable looks — she channeled the grandeur of Catholic vestments in 2018 — this is definitely is our favourite.
Image: Instagram (@badgalririthe)
Theme: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
Zendaya nailed the theme with this custom Versace number that made her look like a kick-ass modern Joan of Arc. Channelling the warrior princess vibe in this fierce AF outfit that came complete with armour plates and chainmail, we loved how the 22-year-old matched the dress with accompanying Tiffany & Co. jewels and metallic platform heels to boot.
Image: Instagram (@zendaya)
Theme: China: Through the Looking Glass
Lady Gaga is another celebrity whom we can always count on to bring out memorable and iconic looks for the Met Gala. In 2015, she sported this dramatic sequin opera coat created by Alexander Wang when he was Balenciaga’s creative director. Underneath, she wore a plunging jumpsuit that showed off her cleavage. She completed the look with statement Sharpie brows and a spiked tiara. We likey.
Image: Instagram (@balenciaga)
Theme: Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
Things got a little cheeky (pun intended) for Madonna’s Givenchy outfit by Riccardo Tisci. She wore the sheer outfit that exposed her breasts and butt for the 2016′ sci-fi inspired theme, which she finished with thigh-high leather boots for a full-on dominatrix look. After garnering some criticism for her revealing choice, Madonna clapped back at her haters, citing ageism and sexist as a prevailing problem that shamed and limited women. Bravo to the Queen of Pop for constantly pushing boundaries and having the confidence to embrace her body.
Image: Instagram (@madonnaportugal)
Theme: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between
Japanese fashion designer Rei Kawakubo is known for her avant-garde creations that would not look out of place in at a museum — which is why we’re loving model Cara Delevingne’s futuristic female Robocop look. Her Chanel suit ensemble is anything but simple, as evidenced by the sparkly glitter and crusted gems strewn across the piece. And then theres’s that cleavage! The silver belt and a slick of silver paint across the head further accentuated the sci-fi vibe. Absolutely gorgeous.
Theme: China: Through the Looking Glass
She might have arrived late to the red carpet that year, but Beyonce was determined not to let Rihanna hog all the limelight. Dressed in a custom Givenchy, the barely-there nude dress left little to the imagination and showed off the singer’s toned body and ample bosom, with carefully placed sequins and gemstones protecting her modesty. While nude dresses are a common red carpet occurrence, this glittery number definitely reigns supreme and shows us why Beyoncé is sex on fire.
Image: Instagram (@beyonce)
Theme: China: Through the Looking Glass
Sarah Jessica Parker’s custom one-shoulder slinky high-slit H&M dress is nothing much to shout at, but her giant oriental Philip Treacy fascinator was what caught everyone’s attention. The eye-catching red piece that resembled flames shooting from her head made her stand out among the crowd. Whether you love it or hate it (we love it, of course), some have compared the headwear to Dragon Ball character Goku, a Rorschach inkblot test and Disney’s Maleficient.
Image: Instagram (@metgalaofficial)
Theme: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
Cardi B might have been pregnant at the 2018 Met Gala but that didn’t stop her from donning a stand-out look. Created by Moschino’s Jeremy Scott, the rapper was decked out in a resplendent headgear and cream gown complete with a bouffant silhouette, pearl and gem embellishments, a fierce thigh-high slit and a scoop neck that showed off her chest. A Twitter fan loved the look so much that she coined her “Cardinal B”. Amen to that.
Theme: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
Katy Perry looked all set for the stage of Victoria’s Secret when she sported angelic feathered wings on the red carpet of the 2018 showing. Completing her cherubic look is a gold Versace dress complete with reflective thigh-high boots. It makes us wonder: Will the lingerie brand get Katy to be its next Angel?
Theme: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
The devil might wear Prada but Nicki Minaj had a different take. She wore a flaming red tulle gown from Oscar de la Renta complete with a bejewelled headpiece back in 2018. The queen of rap shared that she wanted to go with a different approach from others, claiming that she wanted people to know that she is “the bad guy and I wanted to make sure the bad guy was here”, referencing her song off her latest album, Chun-Li. Well played.