Over the past decade, the Met Gala red carpet has become increasingly jaw dropping. The star-studded event—and its various themes—have encouraged attendees to have unabashed fun on the red carpet, and it’s a spirit that is amplified year after year. If you compare the 2010 Met Gala to 2019’s camp theme, for instance, the difference is drastic: What was once a sea of beautiful evening gowns has transformed into an evening of showmanship, pure extravagance and risk-taking.
This year’s Met Gala will celebrate the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” The exhibit will feature approximately 250 rare items, spanning over 400 years, drawn from the Costume Institute’s permanent collection—including designs by Schiaparelli, Dior, Givenchy, and more. The Met Gala will be co-hosted by Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, and Anna Wintour. The red carpet dress code is “The Garden of Time.”
While we’ll all have to wait to see how that plays out, we can satisfy our craving for elaborate dressing by looking at past Met Gala events. Consider it prime time to refresh your memory of all the past iconic looks to grace the carpet—and also brush up on the moments and themes that you may have missed or forgotten. (Take Helen Lasichanh’s 2017 Comme des Garçons shapely look, the Olsen twins’ unexpected take on the 2013 punk theme, and many more.)
Below, Vogue has collected all of the Met Gala looks since 2010.
2023: “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty”
Last year’s Met Gala theme, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” served as a celebration of Karl Lagerfeld—highlighting the late designer’s one-of-a-kind contributions to fashion while helming major fashion houses such as Chanel, Fendi, Balmain, and more. It was co-hosted by Michaela Coel, Penélope Cruz, Roger Federer, Dua Lipa, and Anna Wintour.
2022: “In America: An Anthology of Fashion”
The 2022 Met Gala theme, “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” kicked off the Costume Institute’s exhibition of the same name: It centered on the tenets of American style, and highlighted the anonymous and unsung heroes of U.S. design. On the red carpet, stars served up their best takes on the Gilded Glamour, White Tie dress code. The red carpet dress code was “in honor of Karl,” and celebrities paid homage to the designer via refined, black and white looks.