The Met Gala was once dubbed fashion’s biggest night out, with A-listers clamouring for a spot on Vogue matriarch Anna Wintour’s exclusive guest list.
However, the mood at Vogue HQ is likely to be more subdued this year after stars like Zendaya, Bella Hadid, and Meryl Streep shunned the event, allegedly over Amazon boss Jeff Bezos’s involvement.
In a first, the charity fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s costume institute will be sponsored by Bezos and his wife, Lauren Sanchez, who are also this year’s co-chairmen.
With the star power considerably dimmed, can couture save the day?
As fans across the world wait to watch how their favourite stars interpret the ‘Fashion is Art’ theme, we look back at some of the most bizarre, outrageous, and downright disastrous red carpet moments over the past decade.
From horse head costumes to naked dresses, these are the Met Gala dresses that threatened to ruin its fashionable reputation.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow picked an uninspiring Valentino gown for the punk-themed gala in 2013
Gwyneth Paltrow failed to impress at the 2013 punk-themed gala in an unadventurous pink Valentino gown.
While her outfit was decidedly bland, her comments about the Met Gala being ‘unfun’ spiced things up, with Gwyneth declaring she would never attend the ‘crowded’ event again.
She has since attended the Met Gala five times.
Cara Delevingne
Cara Delevigne’s China-inspired costume for the 2015 gala was branded a miss
Cara Delevingne turned to Stella McCartney to design her cutout, black jumpsuit when she walked the red carpet in 2015.
She also recruited celebrity tattoo artist Keith ‘Bang Bang’ McCurdy to create her China-inspired body art – but the look ultimately fell flat.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker wore one of her own designs to the 2015 event
Sarah Jessica Parker likes to take risks while on the red carpet, but this event was extra-special.
The star looked like her head was on fire when she modelled a red Philip Treacy headpiece at 2015’s China Through The Looking Glass event.
A million memes popped up of the Sex And The City star in the bright accessory as Alicia Keys’ Girl On Fire played in the background.
‘I researched that for a really frickin’ ass long time,’ she said. ‘I studied Chinese opera, ballet, theatre, design, and costume design. I studied tassels, poms-poms, silk…I think people forget there is a theme; it is a costume ball.’
Her gown was more straightforward with a one-sleeve design, a red flower atop and prints down one side.
Sarah added several green jade bangles that matched her minty green eyeshadow.
Madonna
Madonna’s Givenchy gown for the 2016 edition of the Met Gala is one of the most controversial outfits on the red carpet in recent years
The bondage-themed Givenchy gown designed by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci left little to imagination
Madonna, known for her risque looks, pulled out all the stops when she attended the 2016 Met Gala.
She wore a thong leotard that exposed her derriere, and she added a thin black lace dress over it that hid nothing.
The Givenchy gown also had a bondage theme with black straps on her legs and arms as she added black pointy kinky boots.
A silver belly chain went from her shoulders to her hips.
The singer’s ample cleavage was also on display, as it peeked out of the dress with only black tape to keep her nipples hidden beneath the lace.
The theme for the 2016 edition was Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology, but the Queen of Pop’s interpretation missed the mark, according to commentators.
Frank Ocean
Frank Ocean arrived at the Met Gala in 2021 cradling an eerie green robotic baby in his arms. The theme was Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion
Though the soulful singer rarely reaches for the spotlight, in 2021 Frank Ocean made an exception for the glamorous gala.
The Swim Good artist opted for a stylish, nondescript black look, including a suede Prada vest and a low-key jacket from the same fashion house, as well as matching black jeans.
He also had his short hair dyed green, but that’s not what got people talking.
Instead, he appeared to ‘troll’ the event with a real-life troll figure, as he arrived cradling an eerie green robotic baby in his arms.
The frightening doll came complete with human-like facial expressions, and even smiled and blinked its eyes as the two shared warm looks.
Ezra Miller
While Ezra Miller’s bejewelled pinstripe suit turned heads, it was his mind-bending prosthetics that really stood out.
The actor turned up to the Met Gala in 2019 sporting a chic Burberry suit complete with a flowing tail, crystalized corset and a pair of black and white studded brogues.
But the star took things further by accessorizing with a blank-face mask on a stick, while his face was bizarrely decorated with five eyeballs.
His bold red lipstick and faux eyelashes were also sure to cause commotion.
Pete Davidson
Pete Davidson’s 2023 look, including a bucket hat, trench coat and sunglasses, was widely panned
The 2023 Met Gala honoured Karl Lagerfeld’s historic fashion legacy but Pete Davidson seemingly missed the memo as he rocked up wearing a bucket hat and trench coat.
The look was so bad, even his ex-girlfriend Kim Kardashian’s daughter North West had notes.
‘You’re going to the Met Gala, Pete. Not the gas station,’ she said during an episode of her family’s reality TV show, The Kardashians.
Amber Valletta
Amber Valletta has always been known for her bravery when it comes to modeling outré fashion. So it was not a shocker when she turned into Marie Antoinette for the big night in 2004
Amber Valletta has always been known for her bravery when it comes to modelling outré fashion.
So it was not a shock when this Vogue supermodel turned into Marie Antoinette for the big night.
Amber was at the 2004 Met Gala as she celebrated fashion from the 18th century, a theme which she took quite literally.
The star began her career as a fashion model, landing her first of 17 American Vogue covers in February 1993.
Cher
Cher caused an uproar when she wore a sheer dress at the 1974 Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design Met Gala. The singer’s bedazzled Bob Mackie gown
Cher caused an uproar when she wore a sheer dress at the 1974 Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design Met Gala.
The singer’s bedazzled Bob Mackie gown featured a white feathered hemline and sleeves for added drama.
The icon posed at the event with Mackie and friend Paulette Betts.
Though Cher was criticised at the time for exhibitionism and trying to garner too much attention, she was actually a trailblazer.
Since then, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Beyonce have worn a similar look and been applauded for it.
Kylie Jenner
Kylie Jenner’s bridal dress in 2022 fell short, fans said
Kylie Jenner left many scratching their heads as she arrived at the star-studded Met Gala to celebrate its theme In America: An Anthology of Fashion, in 2022.
The makeup mogul – who has been highly praised for her Met Gala fashion in the past – emerged in a bizarre white ruffled wedding dress.
Her lengthy raven hair flowed out from under a white veiled baseball cap, which she chose to wear backwards for a sportier look.
The cap, which slightly obscured Kylie’s famous face, was adorned with floral appliques.
Kylie, rumoured to make her red carpet debut with beau Timothee Chalamet this year, paired the dress with a mesh T-shirt top layered over a bodice with a sweetheart neckline.
‘OFF’ was printed across the front, seemingly suggesting the stunner’s dress was designed by the late Virgil Abloh’s Off-White label.
Kim Petras
Kim Petras opted for a bold, horse-themed look from Collina Strada for the 2021 Met Gala
Kim Petras was unforgettable in a horse-head bodice gown as she honoured the 2021 theme, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.
The German singer-songwriter oozed self confidence in the wild Collina Strada look that she finished with a pair of glossy red pumps and an ultra-long, sleek ponytail.
Kim – born Tim – was 16 when she became the youngest person to have gender reassignment surgery.
Speaking of her outfit, she told E! News she was repping ‘all horse girls and horse humans’.
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian was completely covered up in an all-black head-to-toe Balenciaga ensemble, including a bizarre balaclava for the gala in 2021
If there’s one woman who knows how to get tongues wagging, it’s Kim Kardashian.
The mogul covered up her face in an all-black head-to-toe Balenciaga ensemble, including a bizarre balaclava as she arrived at the glamorous event in 2021.
The monochrome look caused a stir not only for its simplicity, but because it was perhaps one of the few times fans have witnessed the star without her enviable figure on display.
Kim, who is now a Met Gala mainstay, first attended the event as ex-husband Kanye West’s plus one in 2013.
However, the reality TV star’s debut, while pregnant with her first child, North West, was derailed after her Givenchy gown became one of the most ridiculed outfits in Met history.
Kim’s floral-print gown became an instant meme, as social media users compared it to their grandmother’s couch.
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter at the 2025 Met Gala. She ditched her trousers to wow in a custom Louis Vuitton bodysuit
Sabrina Carpenter resembled a circus ringleader when at the 2025 Met Gala.
The Espresso hitmaker ditched her trousers to wow in a custom Louis Vuitton bodysuit.
The star flashed her legs in the burgundy tuxedo-inspired bodysuit with a sweeping train, while sporting her signature bouffant locks and heavy contour.
‘It’s fun to create timeless looks with incredible designers,’ Sabrina told Vogue.
‘My look for every year has been totally different. I love to see what everyone wears, and I’m really excited about tonight’s look.
The ensemble embodied the dress code Tailored for You. ‘My look is a dramatic take on a dandy tailcoat with an elongated train,’ she offered. ‘It mixes Savile Row tailoring with Parisian corsetry. The striped burgundy wool is hand-embroidered and finished with crystal buttons.’
Cardi B
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 07: Cardi B attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
A pregnant Cardi B attended her first Met Gala in an over-the-top look in 2018.
Abiding by the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme, the rapper donned a custom Moschino look.
Her chest nearly spilled out of the gold beaded gown as there was a high slit up one leg.
The Bodak Yellow rapper also modeled a religious headpiece and choker around her neck with her hair worn frizzy and wild.
She finished off her look with rather boring strappy heels.
Katy Perry
Katy Perry dressed as a life-sized chandelier for the 2019 event celebrating camp
Katy Perry’s 2019 look lit up the meme pages after the pop star transformed into a living, breathing chandelier that weighed 40 pounds.
In 2019 the Roar singer rocked a chandelier look with accompanying candle-style light bulbs.
The then-34-year-old pop princess outshone other guests in a now iconic Moschino chandelier dress covered in blinging Swarovski crystals along with shoes to match.
The look was a first-of-its-kind ensemble featuring two tiers of lightbulb flames around her waistline, plus another one encircling her towering headpiece.
Some trolls said she looked like Lumiere, the candelabra from Beauty And The Beast.
The outfit was the star’s answer to the theme Camp: Notes on Fashion, and her choice surely heeded as it has made fashion hit and miss lists ever since its debut.
She later changed into a cheeseburger outfit for the afterparty in what is easily among the Met’s most outrageous sartorial showings.
Jared Leto
Jared Leto went to the 2023 Met Gala as Karl Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette
One of the most talked about Met Gala moments of all time is when Jared Leto accessorised his outfit with a replica of his own head.
Then aged 47, the House of Gucci actor stunned fans when he held onto a fake decapitated head while wearing a regal design by Alessandro Michele for Gucci.
Jared donned a long-sleeved red gown covered with ropes of sparkling jewellery, but his prosthetic look-alike stole the show.
The replica head was creepily styled in the exact same way as his own hairstyle and beard; a choice made for the theme, Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion.
The odd head accessory was a nod to Gucci’s fall/winter 2018 fashion show in February 2018 that featured models walking the runway carrying decapitated heads resembling themselves.
The polarising look has darted from best to worst dress lists and back again since its debut in 2019, and it still remains a hot topic – much like the cat mascot suit he wore in 2023.
Four years later, the Suicide Squad actor hit the red carpet dressed as Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved cat, Choupette, in yet another divisive Met Gala moment.
Halle Berry
Halle Berry’s risque La Quan Smith gown was trying too hard, fans suggested
Halle Berry left Met Gala 2025 fans horrified as she went lingerie-free on the red carpet in her most risqué look ever.
The Oscar-winning actress modelled a plunging, beaded black and sheer striped LaQuan Smith gown, but risked a major wardrobe malfunction every time she moved due to her lack of underthings.
Parts of her midriff and crotch were exposed in the daring ensemble, which she teamed with a cropped black blazer with shoulder pads.
Social media fans branded the star ‘disgraceful’ for flashing her pubic area, while others said she looked ‘great’ but urgently needed to cover up.
‘The jacket distracts, and the dress didn’t need to show her groin. It’s just obviously trying to be outrageous,’ one Reddit user wrote.
Venus Williams
Venus Williams teamed up with Lacoste for last year’s outfit, but the tennis-themed
Venus Williams is one of the co-chairs of this year’s Met Gala, but her 2025 twist on the dandy theme left fashion commentators scratching their heads.
The sports icon teamed up with Lacoste for what many felt was a ‘basic tennis outfit’, complete with a pleated skirt and ‘ill-fitting’ t-shirt
One person wrote: ‘This is a great concept. The execution, though, is a mess.’
Tyla
Singer Tyla turned heads in a skin tight Balmain number in 2024
Tyla – full name Tyla Laura Seethal – pulled a fashion stunt in 2024.
The newcomer wowed onlookers in a skin-tight Balmain number. The definition of tailor-made, the sandy gown had to be moulded onto her svelte frame.
It was the perfect fit for the Water hitmaker, so much so that she had to be carried around the red carpet as she couldn’t walk in the gown.
Doja Cat
Doja Cat embodied the theme, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty, by dressing as the late icon’s cat, Choupette, in 2023
Doja Cat turned up as a feline to the Met Gala in 2023.
The theme was Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty, and for this, Doja Cat stepped it up a notch.
The star embodied the theme by dressing as the late Chanel icon’s famously pampered feline Choupette, as she posed up a storm in a glittering white dress, complete with cat ears.
She also wore heavy facial prosthetics, which gave her a cat-like nose, mouth and lifted upper eyes, while her collection of dazzling jewellery was provided by Messika.
LADY GAGA
Lady Gaga stormed the red carpet in 2019 wearing a fuchsia pink cape gown designed by Brandon Maxwell
For the theme, Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion, Lady Gaga stripped off layer after layer of haute couture clothing, eventually revealing racy black lingerie
In 2019, Lady Gaga commanded attention by stripping off layer after layer of haute couture clothing, all the way down to her sequined underwear on the steps of the Met.
The star originally stormed the red carpet wearing a fuchsia cape gown designed by Brandon Maxwell that she later shed to reveal her lingerie.
The exaggerated gown featured a massive train, which was carried by several attendants, in a nod to the theme: ‘Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion’.
A huge magenta bow perched atop Gaga’s blonde bob wig completed the look.
However, this was just the Grammy winner’s first look; shortly after stepping on to the red carpet, she took off the cape that was hiding a simple strapless black dress underneath.
For her next act, the Judas songstress soon changed into a magenta dress in front of crowds of photographers as she posed up a storm in the slinky, form-fitting outfit.
Finally, she stripped down to her lingerie in a multi-layered presentation that’s still the talk of the town.
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