The best Met Gala looks of all time

Cher stole the show at the 1974 Met Gala in a sheer Bob Mackie dress that shimmered from head to toe. The long-sleeved gown featured feathers and strategically placed silver sparkles.

The gown inspired the Peter Dundas dress Kim Kardashian wore to the Met Gala in 2015.

Gianni Versace designed Campbell's strapless silver gown; the model accompanied Versace to that year's gala.

"I loved this dress. It was slim-fitting and body-hugging, and it just glistened," Campbell said in a video for Vogue. "I remember when I saw this dress for the first time. It seemed like one of those dresses that you read in those fairy-tale books."

Princess Diana's Met Gala debut came shortly after finalizing her divorce from then-Prince Charles.

And she made sure to make an entrance in a silk navy-blue slip dress designed by John Galliano to pay tribute to the year's theme in honor of Christian Dior.

Royal biographer Katie Nicholl wrote in her book, "William and Harry," that Diana worried the daring dress might embarrass Prince William, who was 14 years old at the time.

Sarah Jessica Parker asked McQueen to attend the 2006 Met Gala, which was themed "AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion," after deciding to wear a dress by the legendary British designer.

Parker told Vogue in 2022 that she was nervous to attend the event with McQueen because she admired his work, which made it difficult to enjoy the gala.

"It wasn't a fun night. Like, it was, but it wasn't because I was so nervous. I just wanted him to be OK," she told Vogue.

Parker also told Vogue she saved every pin and piece of fabric McQueen touched during their dress fittings.

Ricci captured the "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy" theme at the 2008 Met Gala with her outfit, nodding to the iconic superhero uniform silhouette.

Her sheer pink gown revealed a red leotard underneath, while the back of the dress had a red star attached to its belt.

She accessorized the dress with a matching red clutch and kept her hair and makeup simple, allowing the gown to fully shine.

Beyoncé's sheer black Givenchy gown featured a plunging neckline, a thigh-high slit, and head-to-toe sparkles.

Ty Hunter, Beyoncé's stylist, told Business Insider that the dress, made by Riccardo Tisci, was inspired by Diana Ross.

"It was simple but elegant," Hunter told BI while reflecting on Beyoncé's Met Gala looks. "In person, it was so beautiful. A lot of times, the pictures don't really give justice to the garment. It was delicate and just really, really strong. I love that look."

Beyoncé upped the glamour with dark-red lips and a netted veil, while Jay-Z opted for a classic white tuxedo. The couple would make headlines that same night after a video captured Solange Knowles, Beyoncé's sister, attacking Jay-Z in an elevator.

Rihanna often stands out at the event, but her 2015 look is among her most memorable Met Gala outfits. The singer wore a custom couture cape dress by Guo Pei for the "China: Through the Looking Glass" theme.

The Fenty founder told Access Hollywood in 2020 that she circled the Met three times before getting out of the car because she was scared people would laugh at her for "doing too much."

"I was driving past the red carpet and I was just seeing gowns," she recalled. "I was like, 'Oh my God, I'm a clown, people are gonna laugh at me."

Instead, Rihanna was praised for the showstopping look and named best-dressed of the night by numerous outlets.

Solange skipped the traditional gown and opted for a unique minidress by British fashion designer Giles Deacon. The sculptural dress featured a futuristic print.

"It gave the illusion of a fan," Solange told Refinery29 in 2017. "I wanted to be as respectful as possible to the theme."

Beyoncé's sheer Givenchy dress was the ultimate naked dress of the night, as it matched the color of her skin and featured strategically placed gems.

Though Beyoncé dominated the Met steps, Ty Hunter told BI that he "did not leave her side" throughout the night because the dress was heavy.

"As light as it looked — she looks like she's butt naked, but she's not — it was the heaviest dress," he said. "Normally, I get her to the front, she goes off, and then I'll sit down somewhere. But this night, I never really left."

Beyoncé paired the ensemble with a high ponytail, ensuring the dress was the focal point of her outfit. It was the perfect way to steal the show after her elevator scandal with Jay-Z dominated headlines the year prior.

Vera Wang designed Grande's strapless gown, which had a corset bodice and ruffled skirt made from layers of tulle.

The dress looked stunning on its own, but Grande's styling elevated the look even further. She wore it with delicate diamond earrings, a tan bow atop her head, and glowing makeup that matched the shades of her dress.

Designed by John Galliano, her outfit included a white strapless dress covered in beads and pearls, a pleated skirt that wrapped around her waist, and a matching coat decorated with the same embellishments.

Her accessories also stood out, from her pearl headdress to her statement necklaces.

Versace designed Boseman's five-piece outfit. It included a sheer button-up shirt, a cream-colored vest, a matching blazer, a long overcoat, and trousers in the same shade.

Gold crosses and ornate patches decorated the garment, which matched the year's theme, "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination."

Versace also designed Zendaya's Met Gala look, which consisted of a flowing silver gown covered in sparkles. It had long sleeves, a tall slit in its skirt, and a train that glided along the floor behind her.

The armor-style pieces Zendaya wore around her waist, neck, and shoulders gave the dress a unique edge. She also wore platform silver sandals, diamond rings, and a red-toned bob haircut.

Cardi B walked the red carpet in 2018 wearing a glittering gown designed by Moschino. It had a scooped neckline, a form-fitting bodice that showed her baby bump, and a thigh-high slit.

The dress also featured a detachable, crystal-adorned, satin skirt that wrapped around the singer's waist. She completed her outfit with a matching headband and thick layered pearl necklaces.

Following the year's "Camp: Notes on Fashion" theme, Musgraves arrived in a hot-pink Moschino ensemble that made her look exactly like the famous doll.

She wore a leather jacket-style gown, silver pumps, and a blonde wig. She also carried a fuzzy pink shawl, Barbie-esque sunglasses, and a purse shaped like a hairdryer.

Styles, who co-hosted the 2019 event, wore Gucci to the Met Gala, pairing a semi-sheer black blouse with high-waisted pants.

He also pierced his ear and wore one pearl earring with the ensemble, adding to its whimsy.

Gaga was also a co-chair for the 2019 gala, and she embraced her role by wearing four different Maison Schiaparelli looks on the pink carpet.

She started her appearance in a pink gown, unveiling layers until she was in a coordinating underwear set and fishnet tights. Gaga also added high-end jewelry to her look as it transformed.

Porter wore all gold to the 2019 Met Gala, wearing a gold jumpsuit called "The Sun God" from The Blonds with coordinating 10-foot wings.

Six shirtless men in gold pants carried him into the gala, adding to the drama of his look.

Zendaya and her stylist, Law Roach, wore coordinating Tommy Hilfiger ensembles that resembled the outfits Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother wear in Disney's "Cinderella."

Zendaya's blue dress — which she paired with a carriage-shaped purse — lit up when Roach pointed a magic wand at it, creating an interactive moment on the red carpet.

Jenner paid homage to Audrey Hepburn's performance as Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady," as her gown had the same silhouette but was almost entirely transparent.

Sparkly stars covered the gown, and an oversize choker on Jenner's neck created the illusion of a high neckline.

The supermodel wore Harris Reed to the gala, donning a gold jumpsuit and a feather-tiered hoop skirt.

An oversize, circular headpiece coordinated with the gown, floating around Iman's head like a massive halo.

The halter-style gown hung tight on Kravitz, and the dress was see-through, apart from the chains making up the silhouette.

Her silver underwear was visible as she walked the Met Gala red carpet.

Blake Lively's custom Versace dress for the "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" gala was modeled after the Statue of Liberty.

The mosaic-patterned gown had a massive bow on one side made of copper-colored material, which unfurled to reveal teal fabric, just as the statue changed hue over time.

The Met Gala co-chair also switched gloves when she untied the bow to match the changing fabric.

For the 2022 Met Gala, Ripley's! Believe It or Not lent Kim Kardashian the Jean Louis dress Monroe wore to serenade President John F. Kennedy for his birthday in 1962.

The sheer dress is covered in sparkly embellishments, and because of its delicate nature, Kardashian only wore it for her short walk on the red carpet. She went to extreme lengths to wear it.

Hathaway walked the "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" red carpet in a tweed gown that hugged her figure. The white-and-gold dress had a curved cutout that ran the length of the garment and turned into a slit, with gold pins pinching the sides together.

Hathaway carried a coordinating jacket on her shoulder to complete the chic look.

The rapper wore an all-white look to the gala, pairing his avant-garde suit with a detached 26-foot train made of oversize rosettes.

The strapless minidress had a gold bodice that spilled into a bubble skirt, with silver tassels and sequins flowing out from the bottom.

A sheer, brown train attached to the back of the gown, matching with a see-through veil that covered Yai's eyes.

The singer leaned into the time aspect of the event's dress code, "The Garden of Time," for her Met Gala debut.

Her strapless Balmain dress was covered entirely in sand. It hugged her silhouette and flowed out into a train for added drama.

Tyla also carried an hourglass instead of a purse.

Mona Patel, a philanthropist and entrepreneur, also made her Met Gala debut in 2024, tapping Law Roach to style her custom Iris van Herpen look, which had a butterfly motif.

The bodice of Patel's oatmeal dress was shaped like a butterfly and accented by panels of sheer lace lining the sides. Scallops of fabric covered the gown's dramatic train.

To complete the look, Patel wore butterfly arm cuffs that flapped their wings as she walked the red carpet.

Balmain designed Fanning's form-fitting gown to transform her into a glass statue.

The off-the-shoulder neckline flowed into ruching on her stomach and down to an asymmetrical, flared skirt that had a subtle slit to allow her to walk. Birds on her shoulders appeared to be holding up the dress.

As the actor told Vogue at the gala, Fanning wanted the look to honor Sleeping Beauty, whom she played in "Maleficent."

Cartier jewelry completed the look.