• Kim Kardashian in the exact dress Marilyn Monroe wore to sing Happy Birthday to US president John F Kennedy on his 45th birthday in 1962, at the 2022 Met Gala. EPA
    Kim Kardashian in the exact dress Marilyn Monroe wore to sing Happy Birthday to US president John F Kennedy on his 45th birthday in 1962, at the 2022 Met Gala. EPA
  • Blake Lively in a colour-changing gown by Atelier Versace gown for the 2022 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Blake Lively in a colour-changing gown by Atelier Versace gown for the 2022 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Iman in gold Dolce & Gabbana x Harris Reed at the 2021 Met Gala. Reuters
    Iman in gold Dolce & Gabbana x Harris Reed at the 2021 Met Gala. Reuters
  • Zendaya in Dolce & Gabbana at the 2017 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Zendaya in Dolce & Gabbana at the 2017 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Rihanna in Comme des Garcons at the 2017 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Rihanna in Comme des Garcons at the 2017 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Billie Eilish in Oscar de la Renta at the 2021 Met Gala. EPA
    Billie Eilish in Oscar de la Renta at the 2021 Met Gala. EPA
  • Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles in Givenchy at the 2014 Met Gala. Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
    Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles in Givenchy at the 2014 Met Gala. Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
  • Naomi Campbell in Versace at the 1990 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Naomi Campbell in Versace at the 1990 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Sarah Jessica Parker in Alexander McQueen at the Met Gala in 2006. FilmMagic
    Sarah Jessica Parker in Alexander McQueen at the Met Gala in 2006. FilmMagic
  • Diana Ross and Patrice Calmettes attend the Met Gala in 1981. Getty Images
    Diana Ross and Patrice Calmettes attend the Met Gala in 1981. Getty Images
  • Priyanka Chopra in Ralph Lauren at the 2018 Met Gala. Reuters
    Priyanka Chopra in Ralph Lauren at the 2018 Met Gala. Reuters
  • Zendaya in Versace at the 2018 Met Gala. AFP
    Zendaya in Versace at the 2018 Met Gala. AFP
  • Carey Mulligan in Prada at the 2012 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Carey Mulligan in Prada at the 2012 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Diane Kruger in Hugo Boss, with Joshua Jackson, at the 2014 Met Gala. Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
    Diane Kruger in Hugo Boss, with Joshua Jackson, at the 2014 Met Gala. Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
  • Gigi Hadid, in Tommy Hilfiger, and Zayn Malik at the 2016 Met Gala. WireImage
    Gigi Hadid, in Tommy Hilfiger, and Zayn Malik at the 2016 Met Gala. WireImage
  • Rooney Mara in Givenchy at the 2013 Met Gala. FilmMagic
    Rooney Mara in Givenchy at the 2013 Met Gala. FilmMagic
  • Yara Shahidi in gold Dior at the 2021 Met Gala. EPA
    Yara Shahidi in gold Dior at the 2021 Met Gala. EPA
  • Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in Givenchy at the 2013 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Kanye West and Kim Kardashian in Givenchy at the 2013 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Cate Blanchett wears Balenciaga to the Met Gala in 2007. Getty Images
    Cate Blanchett wears Balenciaga to the Met Gala in 2007. Getty Images
  • Jeremy Scott and Cardi B in Moschino at the 2018 Met Gala. Reuters
    Jeremy Scott and Cardi B in Moschino at the 2018 Met Gala. Reuters
  • Cara Delevingne in Burberry at the 2013 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Cara Delevingne in Burberry at the 2013 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Bella Hadid in Givenchy at the 2016 Met Gala. FilmMagic
    Bella Hadid in Givenchy at the 2016 Met Gala. FilmMagic
  • Rihanna in Guo Pei at the 2015 Met Gala. AFP
    Rihanna in Guo Pei at the 2015 Met Gala. AFP
  • Blake Lively in Gucci at the 2014 Met Gala. Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
    Blake Lively in Gucci at the 2014 Met Gala. Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
  • Diana, Princess of Wales in John Galliano for Dior at the 1996 Met Gala. WireImage
    Diana, Princess of Wales in John Galliano for Dior at the 1996 Met Gala. WireImage
  • Emma Stone in Thakoon at the 2014 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Emma Stone in Thakoon at the 2014 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Sarah Jessica Parker in H&M at the 2015 Met Gala. Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
    Sarah Jessica Parker in H&M at the 2015 Met Gala. Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
  • Lil Nas X in gold Versace at the 2021 Met Gala. Reuters
    Lil Nas X in gold Versace at the 2021 Met Gala. Reuters
  • Priyanka Chopra in Ralph Lauren at the 2017 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Priyanka Chopra in Ralph Lauren at the 2017 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Taylor Swift in Louis Vuitton at the 2016 Met Gala. WireImage
    Taylor Swift in Louis Vuitton at the 2016 Met Gala. WireImage
  • Cher in Bob Mackie at the 1985 Met Gala. WireImage
    Cher in Bob Mackie at the 1985 Met Gala. WireImage
  • David Bowie and Iman in Calvin Klein at the 2003 Met Gala. Getty Images
    David Bowie and Iman in Calvin Klein at the 2003 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Scarlett Johansson in Calvin Klein at the 2004 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Scarlett Johansson in Calvin Klein at the 2004 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Katy Perry in Prada at the 2016 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Katy Perry in Prada at the 2016 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Beyonce in Givenchy at the 2016 Met Gala. Getty Images
    Beyonce in Givenchy at the 2016 Met Gala. Getty Images
  • Amal Clooney in Richard Quinn at the 2018 Met Gala. EPA
    Amal Clooney in Richard Quinn at the 2018 Met Gala. EPA
  • Rihanna in Margiela at the 2018 Met Gala. Reuters
    Rihanna in Margiela at the 2018 Met Gala. Reuters
  • Beyonce in Pucci at the 2011 Met Gala. EPA
    Beyonce in Pucci at the 2011 Met Gala. EPA
  • Gwyneth Paltrow in Valentino at the 2013 Met Gala. EPA
    Gwyneth Paltrow in Valentino at the 2013 Met Gala. EPA
  • Jennifer Lopez in Gucci at the 2011 Met Gala. EPA
    Jennifer Lopez in Gucci at the 2011 Met Gala. EPA
  • Cardi B in Thom Browne at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
    Cardi B in Thom Browne at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
  • Diane Kruger in Jason Wu at the 2011 Met Gala. EPA
    Diane Kruger in Jason Wu at the 2011 Met Gala. EPA
  • Anne Hathaway in Ralph Lauren at the 2015 Met Gala. EPA
    Anne Hathaway in Ralph Lauren at the 2015 Met Gala. EPA
  • Zendaya in Tommy Hilfiger at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
    Zendaya in Tommy Hilfiger at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
  • Katy Perry in Versace at the 2018 Met Gala. EPA
    Katy Perry in Versace at the 2018 Met Gala. EPA
  • Ariana Grande in Vera Wang at the 2018 Met Gala. EPA
    Ariana Grande in Vera Wang at the 2018 Met Gala. EPA
  • Gemma Chan in Tom Ford at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
    Gemma Chan in Tom Ford at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
  • Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell at the 2019 Met Gala. EpPA
    Lady Gaga in Brandon Maxwell at the 2019 Met Gala. EpPA
  • Mila Kunis in Vera Wang at the 2010 Met Gala. EPA
    Mila Kunis in Vera Wang at the 2010 Met Gala. EPA
  • Jared Leto in Gucci at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
    Jared Leto in Gucci at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
  • Katy Perry in Moschino at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
    Katy Perry in Moschino at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
  • Gigi Hadid in Michael Kors at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
    Gigi Hadid in Michael Kors at the 2019 Met Gala. EPA
  • Jennifer Lopez in Balmain at the 2018 Met Gala. Reuters
    Jennifer Lopez in Balmain at the 2018 Met Gala. Reuters

The most memorable Met Gala outfits through the years - in pictures


Emma Day
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The first Monday in May is almost upon us, which means one of the year's most stylish events is also fast approaching.

The annual Met Gala, which was first established in 1948 though held intermittently until recent decades, will take place in New York on May 6, bringing together stars of the music, film and fashion worlds.

The modish event, which raises funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, also marks the opening of the venue's annual fashion exhibition, this year entitled Camp: Notes on Fashion.

The 2019 occasion will be co-hosted by Gucci's creative director Alessandro Michele, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Serena Williams and, as per usual, Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

While we wait to see which stars will be in attendance, and how they'll interpret this year's dress code of camp, we've rounded up some of the most unforgettable looks of galas past.

From Rihanna in her sweeping yellow cape from 2015 to Beyonce's rubbery Givenchy of 2016, plus some throwbacks from the Eighties, scroll the gallery above to see the Met Gala's most memorable moments.