Photo: AFP/Getty
The Met Gala - an annual showcase of the famous, the fashionable, the beautiful and (occasionally) damned that's designed to support New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, celebrates its 50th year in 2024. To mark the occasion, we've compiled ten iconic moments from New York's glittering night of nights.
Sheer Cher: If she could turn back time Cher might choose to rethink this 1985 outfit by Bob Mackie, a decade culminating in her doubling down on the look bestride a ship's gun surrounded by sailors.
Cher wears a custom sequin black and sheer outfit by Bob Mackie at the Met Gala exhibition of "Costumes of Royal India" in New York City, United States, 9th December 1985. (Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images) Photo: Vinnie Zuffante
Songstress Katy Perry lit up the 2019 Met Gala (theme: 'Camp: Notes on Fashion') in a sparkling Moschino dress bedecked with three layers of candles. When asked how she would sit down she said; "You don't sit down at the Met."
Katy Perry lit up the red carpet with this number. Photo: Taylor Hill
Actress Liv Tyler (daughter of Aerosmith frontman Steve Tyler) and fashion designer Stella McCartney (daughter of Beatle Paul McCartney) sport matching ironic off-the-shoulder tees at the 1999 gala themed 'Rock Style'.
"We were just being ourselves. What's more rock-and-roll than that?" Tyler told Vogue at the time.
Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney at Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala, New York, December 6, 1999. (Photo by Mari Sarai/Wireimage) Photo: Mari Sarai
Actress Sarah Jessica Parker cleverly combined couture with Mrs Doubtfire's cast-off curtains in 2006. This was Parker's Met debut, she and the late Alexander McQueen arrived together wearing matching ensembles (designed by McQueen) - hers with an added touch of tulle.
Sex And The City star Sarah Jessica Parker went for a tartan motif to represent the 'AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion' theme. Photo: Evan Agostini
Queen Bey's revealing, floor-length Givenchy gown for the China: Through the looking glass-themed 2015 Met almost, but not quite, upstaged fellow pop superstar Rihanna.
Strategic beading and a terrifyingly high ponytail made Queen Bey a force to be reckoned with on the 2015 red carpet. Photo: Mike Coppola
Rihanna came out of her shell with this cracking look from 2015. This handmade imperial yellow dress, by Chinese designer Guo Pei, took two years to make. Rihanna told Access Hollywood that she was worried people were going to laugh at her and made her car circle the venue three times before she had the courage to go in. The internet loved the dress though, and meme-makers scrambled to turn her look into a giant slice of pizza, a tortilla and various other egg-adjacent dishes.
An egg-cellent look for Rihanna. Photo: ANDREW H. WALKER
Kim Kardashian wore Marilyn Monroe's famous 'Happy Birthday, Mr President' frock from 1962 for 2022's In America: Anthology of fashion Met. She reportedly later changed into a replica to avoid damaging the original iconic gown.
Kim Kardashian angered some fashion historians by wearing Monroe's famous gown. Photo: JOHN NACION
Never one to eschew the grand entrance, Lady Gaga's enormous pink frock accessorised with live brolly dollies was the talk of the town in 2019. If that wasn't enough Lady G changed into three more outfits by designer Brandon Maxwell during the evening, capping off a night of high camp in crystal-accented bra, pants and towering heels combo.
Well, at least it wasn't a meat dress - Lady Gaga gave her fans lots to chew on with this hot pink combo. Photo: ANGELA WEISS
Keen to throw the paps of the scent, Jared Leto attended the 2023 Met Gala disguised as a cat. The theme last year was Karl Lagerfeld. Confused? Leto came as Choupette, the pet the late designer reportedly left US$1.6 million to in his will.
Fur, for spring in New York - a groundbreaking look for Jared Leto. Photo: ANGELA WEISS
Leto was not the only chap honouring millionaire moggie Choupette. Lil Nas X was covered in thousands of crytals to complete his Pat McGrath-conceived feline look.
Lil Nas X did a fair impersonation of a living statue at the 2023 Met Gala. Photo: JAMIE MCCARTHY