The 2025 Met Gala is just around the corner and anticipation is building for another evening of bold fashion statements and unforgettable red carpet moments.
Each year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute holds a themed exhibition that serves as the inspiration for the gala’s dress code—prompting designers and celebrities alike to experiment with artistry, cultural commentary, and theatricality.
Here, we revisit five of the most remarkable Met Gala themes in recent history, presented in no particular order:
2013: Punk: Chaos to Couture
2013 theme celebrated the raw, DIY ethos of punk style, tracing its rebellious roots from the 1970s through its continued resonance into the 21st century. The dress code was straightforward: punk. Celebrities embraced torn fabrics, studs, and fierce makeup, channeling the anti-establishment spirit of the movement.
2018: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
“Heavenly Bodies” in 2018 is said to be the most ambitious Met Gala theme in the recent decades, shedding light on the influence of Catholic imagery on fashion. Featuring papal vestments borrowed from the Vatican, the exhibit encouraged reverence and reflection. However, the gala sparked both admiration and controversy for its fusion of religion and fashion.
2019: Camp: Notes on Fashion
Inspired by Susan Sontag’s 1964 essay “Notes on ‘Camp’,” this theme celebrated excess, irony, and theatricality. Camp was interpreted as a visual language of exaggerated style, performance, and aesthetic contradiction. Designers such as Moschino, Dior, Schiaparelli, and Thom Browne contributed to an exhibition that reveled in the playful and the absurd—resulting in one of the most delightfully extravagant Met Galas to date.
2015: China: Through the Looking Glass
This exhibit explored the complex, centuries-long dialogue between Chinese aesthetics and Western fashion. It examined how Chinese art, design, and symbolism have inspired global fashion houses. One of the night’s most iconic moments came courtesy of Rihanna, who stunned in a majestic, fur-trimmed yellow gown by Guo Pei, embodying the richness and grandeur of the theme.
2024: Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion
Last year’s theme centered on fragility and the preservation of beauty through time. With a focus on nature and ephemerality, the theme encouraged designers to explore the transient essence of fashion while honoring historical craftsmanship.
