Fashion

On the first Monday of May 2026—specifically May 4th, with the red carpet livestream kicking off at 6:00 PM ET (or 2:00 AM GST for those watching from Dubai)—the Metropolitan Museum of Art will once again transform a routine weekday into a global cultural spectacle, and few events have mastered that alchemy quite like the Met Gala.

Over the past five decades, from 1974 to 2025, fashion’s biggest night has given us countless indelible images: Princess Diana’s navy Dior by John Galliano slip dress, André Leon Talley’s magnificent capes, and Rihanna’s legendary Guo Pei gown, to name just a few. As we anticipate the 2026 exhibition “Costume Art”—which argues for fashion as an artistic discipline, with co-chairs Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams welcoming guests under the dress code “fashion is art”—it’s the perfect moment to look back at the 50 best Met Gala looks of all time, celebrating the triumphs, the debates, and the sheer joy of becoming an armchair critic for one unforgettable Monday night.

Here are the best 50 looks from the Met Gala red carpet over the years

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Images: Supplied