THE MOST MEMORABLE MET GALA LOOKS OF ALL TIME

The 2023 Met Gala is less than a month away, and we're gearing up for fashion's biggest red carpet birdwatch by reliving some of our favorite looks from the annual extravaganza.

While last year's "Gilded Glamour"-themed affair witnessed some particularly show-stopping ensembles (Anderson .Paak, Cardi B, and Lizzo being frontrunners for best-dressed), this year's theme — "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" — is an opportunity for attendees to mine the late designer's vast body of work, which spanned careers at Chloé, Chanel, and Fendi.

As we gear up for this year's red carpet, Highsnobiety editors remember the times celebrities stuck to the Met Gala theme, ignored it, or totally rewrote it — all while looking fabulous (or at least... unique). While you're here, check out our guide to the 2023 Met Gala.

Cher in Bob Mackie, 1974

It's Cher! And Bob Mackie! Two inimitable legends, one instantly iconic Met Gala moment. Nearly five decades after hitting the Old Hollywood-themed red carpet (the year's exhibit was "Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design"), Mackie's feathered "naked dress" — pulled off to perfection by the Goddess of Pop — is still revered by boomers and fashion-hungry Gen Z'ers alike. - Alexandra Pauly, Beauty Editor

Steven Seagal in ?, 1999

There are legendary Met Gala moments and then there's this truly insane December 1999 appearance from lumpy action creep Steven Seagal, who will surely never again grace Anna Wintour's red carpet for as long as he lives.

I can't even wrap my head around seeing "Steven Seagal" and "Met Gala" in the same sentence, even though the 1999 edition had a "Rock Style" theme, whatever that means. Other attendees included musicians like Whitney Houston and Liv Tyler, so perhaps Seagal only got the invite due to his side gig as a fascinatingly awful blues guitarist.

Either way, Seagal was apparently still somewhat respectable enough in late '99 that he managed to snag an invite to fashion's biggest night. So, naturally, Seagal shows up in a doubly offensive outfit: not only does his satin dragon-printed jacket smack of cultural appropriation, but Seagal also thought to pair his doofy pink outerwear with a yellow shirt, stonewashed jeans, and signature greasy ponytail.

It's visually upsetting, yes, but the fact that Seagal was within 100 miles of the red carpet, let alone at the same event as Charlize Theron, Matt Dillon, and Iman, makes for an incredibly fascinating oddity in the Met Gala's legacy. - Jake Silbert, News Director

Naomi Campbell in Dolce & Gabbana, 2001

From her glittery Versace look (1995) to her decision to skip the Met Gala for snubbing Azzedine Alaïa (2009), Naomi Campbell has always known how to make a statement using fashion.

Among Campbell's most impactful moments is her 'fit for the 2001 Gala, Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years. That night, the majority of attendees dressed elegantly for Jackie O’s decade, opting for high-neck silk dresses and white gloves — two of the former First Lady's wardrobe staples. Campbell, on the other hand, decided to channel Jackie’s spirit instead.

Attending with a ripped-jean'ed Stefano Gabbana, Campbell wore a Madonna-inspired black shirt that read "Like A Virgin," paired with a sheer skirt and an oversized rosary. While the look wasn’t exactly White House-appropriate, Campbell stayed true to her own legacy by bringing a much-needed dose of authenticity to fashion's biggest night out. - Caroline Brown, Branded Content Editor

Rihanna in Guo Pei, 2015

Badgalriri is always the best dressed at the Met Gala (that’s not a hot take but a known fact). She’s never afraid to try new things, and she'll do anything to push the creative envelope.

In 2015, she worked with Chinese couturier Guo Pei to conjure up this look, which took two years to make by hand. Fashion cynics say the dress resembled an omelet or a pizza, but I won’t allow that sort of slander. I have no choice but to stan Rihanna in yellow — the hue compliments her skin tone so well, especially when paired with red hair reminiscent of her “What’s My Name?” era. - Munashe Ashlyn, Instagram Editor

Zendaya in Versace, 2018

This choice is self-explanatory — every time I look at photos of Zendaya at the 2018 Met Gala, my breath is taken away. To transform into saint Joan of Arc in a suit of armor was clearly what "Heavenly Bodies" was all about. The chainmail, her armored shoulders, the cut, the shine — her custom Versace gown had everything. Who could pull this off, if not Zendaya? - Arianna Shooshani, Social Media Manager

Virgil Abloh in Louis Vuitton, 2021

Virgil Abloh’s last Met Gala attendance was in 2021, and he showed up dressed in full Louis Vuitton — plus an early pair of Nike x LV AF-1s to top things off. - Jeffrey Lockhart, Instagram Editor