Most glamorous Met Gala dresses of all time

The 20 most glamorous Met Gala dresses of all time

From Princess Diana to Zendaya, we take a look at the most iconic dresses throughout history...

Fashion and Lifestyle Writer
Updated: April 29, 2024

An invitation to the Met Gala is steeped in exclusivity, meaning if you manage to bag a ticket, you'd better bring your red carpet A-game. 

The first Monday in May has brought us some of the most iconic outfits in fashion history - from Kim Kardashian wearing (and reportedly tearing) Marylin Monroe’s vintage Bob Mackie gown, to Blake Lively's colour-changing dress and Cher's 1974 sheer number that spearheaded the naked dress trend.

Hello! Fashion shares the most glamorous Met Gala dresses of all time: 

© Getty

Penélope Cruz, 2023

Penélope Cruz stunned in a sheer hooded ball gown from Chanel's SS88 collection at the 2023 Met Gala.

© Lexie Moreland

Nicole Kidman, 2023

For 2023, Nicole Kidman re-wore a piece from nearly 20 years ago, taking the gown from her iconic 2004 Chanel N°5 advertisement for another spin.

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Emily Ratajkowski, 2023

Emily Ratajkowski wore a plunging ethereal number by Tory Burch featuring a geometric bodice pattern and a plunging neckline.

© Getty

Blake Lively, 2022

Blake Lively wore a showstopping Versace dress in 2022 that changed from rose gold to copper to represent the oxidization of the Statue of Liberty.

© Mike Coppola

Kendall Jenner, 2021

Kendall Jenner attended the 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion wearing a sheer embellished Givenchy gown which channelled Audrey Hepburn in one of her most iconic roles. The dress was reminiscent of the one Audrey wears in My Fair Lady, when she took on the iconic role of Eliza Doolittle.

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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 2021

AOC took the phrase 'statement dress' and ran with it, giving it the most literal meaning possible. For the 2021gala, the congresswoman donned a white strapless dress from Brother Vellies with 'tax the rich' sprawled across the back in red writing.

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Kaia Gerber, 2021

Kaia wore a stunning Oscar De La Renta dress in 2021 that paid homage to a dress Bianca Jagger wore 40 years prior. Gerber's dress boated similar floral detailing across the neckline.

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Lady Gaga, 2019

There's nobody who makes an entrance like Lady Gaga, and in this case it was a 16 minute long one. She nailed the Barbiecore trend before it was even a thing, she wore the most extravagant fuschia pink cape coat by Brandon Maxwell in 2019. Later in the evening for her performance the cape was removed to reveal another black strapless gown, followed by a diamante bra and pants set.

© Gotham

Cardi B, 2019

The rap sensation wore an epic Thom Browne gown in 2019 that reportedly took 35 people and more than 2000 hours to create.

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Lizzo, 2019

Lizzo shut down the red carpet in 2019 in an ombre pink and white feathered look from Marc Jacobs.

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Katy Perry, 2019

Katy Perry's playful style agenda teamed with Moschino was a match made in heaven for the 2019 event. She wore a chandelier complete with battery packs to illuminate the lights.

Ariana Grande, 2018

Ariana Grande stunned in an etheral 'sistine chapel' gown in 2018 by Vera Wang for the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme.

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Zendaya, 2017

Zendaya attended the 2017 Met Gala in a Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda gown, adorned with a tropical parrot print.

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Rihanna, 2015

Rihanna gave Belle from Beauty and the Beast's dress a Met Gala-worthy upgrade in a stunning bright yellow cape by Gui Pei that nailed the 2015 China: Through the Looking Glass theme.

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Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, 2015

Vintage at the Met Gala is The Row founders and minimalist luxury style muses Mary-Kate and Ashley's speciality. But the decadent black evening gowns they wore to the 2015 ceremony were exquisite.

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Sarah Jessica Parker, 2014

In 2014 SJP wore a Carrie Bradshaw-worthy Oscar De La Renta gown with a black trellis motif. Both the designer and the style muse were co-chairs on the night.

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Lupita Nyong'o

Lupita nailed the 2014 Charles James: Beyond Fashion-themed gala wearing an emerald green Prada flapper dress with a twist.

© Getty

Princess Diana, 1996

With the anticipation surrounding the sartorial agenda of the Met Gala, most guests opt for the most OTT outfit possible. Not the late Princess of Wales. She attended the 1996 event in a stunning navy slip dress from Dior paired with a seven-strand pearl necklace complete with a gigantic sapphire.

© Getty

Naomi Campbell, 1995

No Met Gala dress will ever be as blinding as Naomi Campbell's jaw-dropping crystal-encrusted bandeau gown from Versace that she wore in 1995.

© Getty

Cher, 1974

Though Marylin Monroe arguably has the most famous Bob Mackie gown at the Met Gala thanks to Kim Kardashian wearing it in 2022, we must honour Cher's feather trim gown in 1974 that began the event's naked dress trend.

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