Met Gala has been one of the biggest annual events in fashion for the sort of no-holds-barred glamour and visionary that is otherwise remained for photoshoots.
Arguably, Met has remained the only known celebrated fancy Gala ever since its first Fashion Plate theme event in 1971.
Besides, for a specific group of red-carpet regulars, Met Gala is less touching on a signature look but serves as an opportunity to walk the line between dramatic and whimsical.
Met Gala Best Dress Ever (Source: Syracuse.com)
Talking about the dress and look of Met Gala, from Dakota Johnson to Gisele Bündchen’s steamy bronze glow, look and apparel at Met have still managed to sweep the Instagram set.
Dakota grabbed all the attention at 2015’s China: Through the Looking Glass fete with her long ingenue ponytail chopped to a springy chin length.
Similarly, Gisele, with her steamy bronze glow summer makeup and elevating bombshell nudes, made everyone shocked in 1999.
Hence, the Metropolitan Museum of Art grabbed several headlines and is the site of iconic beauty transformations sure to spark trends.
To evaluate among the best, it is always better to look back on the past Met Gala dresses. These dresses are still iconic even years later.
In the meantime, we came up with the top seventeen most iconic Met Gala dress ever. So stay loose and lie back to peruse the show-stopping Met Gala dress.
Quick Overview
Name of Artist
Type of Dress
Year (Gala event)
17. Christy Turlington
Floor-length fitted gown, pearl choker, and bouffant updo
1992
16. Bella Hadid
Black gown with a gold cross necklace and sheer train
2018
15. Kim Kardashian West
Strategically beaded white Roberto Cavalli gown
2015
14. Lucy Liu
Royal purple gown
2007
13. Iman
Feathers completed gown
1981
12. Erykah Badu
Head-to-toe custom Givenchy Couture
2014
11. Cardi B
Jeremy Scott gown
2018
10. Bianca Jagger
Floor-length Oscar de la Renta skirt gown
1981
09. FKA Twigs
Patchwork dress
2015
08. Tessa Thompson
Iris van Herpen Syntopia Couture
2021
07. Lady Gaga
25-foot magenta train
2019
06. Dakota Johnson
Checkerboard Chanel Haute Couture minidress
2015
05. Jennifer Lopez
Crystalline Versace gown
2019
04. Beyoncé
Sheer black Givenchy dress
2014
03. Zendaya
Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda ball gown
2017
02. Rihanna
Guo Pei gown
2015
01. Gigi Hadid
White corset gown with black bodice inside
2021
17. Christy Turlington | Floor-length fitted gown
Year: 1992
Christy showed up to the 1992 Met Gala event in full Audrey Hepburn cosplay.
The beautiful model wore her own take in the iconic floor-length fitted gown, pearl choker, and bouffant updo.
Christy Turlington 1992 Met Look (Source: Vogue)
Likewise, Christy channeled the theme, Fashion and History: A Dialogue, of the Met Gala’s 1992 edition.
She stepped onto the red carpet wearing a pearl choker and swept up curls into a retro knot.
Bella attended the 2018 Met Gala event in a black gown with a gold cross necklace and sheer train.
She arrived glowing, highlighted, and lightly bronzed as if sent from heaven.
Bella Hadid 2018 Met (Source: People)
The supermodel had a divine look with a subtle cat-eye and a golden-pink lip.
15. Kim Kardashian West | White Roberto Cavalli gown
Year: 2015
One of the true dress chameleon celebs in Hollywood has to be the famous beauty queen Kim Kardashian West.
Kim showed up in a strategically beaded white Roberto Cavalli gown at the 2015 Met Gala.
Also, Kim can pull off basically any style and color.
Kim Kardashian 2015 Met Look (Source: POPSUGAR)
Likewise, she sported a slicked pony in a white feathered ensemble matching the theme, China: Through the Looking Glass.
14. Lucy Liu | Royal purple gown
Year: 2007
Another best Met Gala dress that keeps on our list is Lucy Liu’s royal purple gown.
Beautiful Liu pulled off this dress created by fashion designer Zac Posen at the 2007 Met Gala event.
Lucy Liu 2007 Met Ball (Source: Pinterest)
The 2007 theme, Poiret: King of Fashion, invited mostly regal looks. So, she appeared in a golden crown with lightly dusted purple eyeshadow and rosy lipstick.
Likewise, the actress delivered a modern-day fairytale princess look which was truly a work of art.
13. Iman | Feathers completed gown
Year: 1981
Iman attended the 1981 Met Gala event in feathers completed gown.
Iman’s unique bronze goddess look from head to toe changed the entire persona of the modern gown concept for women.
Iman 1981 Met Look (Source: Twitter)
The model arrived with slicked-back curls, glossy lips, and a chic smokey eye.
The light radiation from her dress was just as modern on the iconic model in 1981 as it does to this day.
12. Erykah Badu | Custom Givenchy Couture
Year: 2014
Erykah Badu pulled off a head-to-toe custom Givenchy couture dress at the 2014 Met Gala event.
She wore her signature hat, which was bedazzled for the special occasion.
Erykah Badu 2015 Met Look (Source: Pinterest)
Likewise, Badu’s flawless nude makeup look added elements to her dress.
11. Cardi B | Jeremy Scott gown
Year: 2018
Cardi B is the best example of true beauty. The famous music star looked polished with a regal pregnancy moment.
Cardi B 2018 Met Ball (Source: POPSUGAR)
Similarly, Cardi wore a Jeremy Scott gown at the 2018 Met Gala. Also, her body was clad in flashy decorated Moschino.
10. Bianca Jagger | Floor-length skirt gown
Year: 1981
Bianca Jagger lands high on our best Met Gala dress list. She was known for her edgier looks in the early 80s.
Jagger shut down the 1981 red carpet in her floor-length Oscar de la Renta skirt gown.
Likewise, beautiful Bianca ascended the steps at the event with her brunette waves held into vintage curls.
Bianca Jagger 1981 Met Gala Look (Source: Pinterest)
Besides, the theme was set as The Eighteenth-Century Woman.
The vintage-inspired curl looked very pretty on Bianca.
Moreover, top model Kaia Gerber went on with a similar look, channeling Bianca Jagger on the red carpet.
9. FKA Twigs | Patchwork dress
Year: 2015
Beautiful Twigs stepped outside her comfort zone at the 2015 Met Gala ceremony.
She showed up in a patchwork dress at the event.
FKA Twigs 2015 Met Ball (Source: Go Fug Yourself)
Likewise, she went for a top architectural knot which was the real showstopper.
8. Tessa Thompson | Iris van Herpen Syntopia Couture
Year: 2021
One of the bold and mesmerizing actresses in Hollywood has to be Tessa Thompson.
Tessa looked absolutely gorgeous in her Iris van Herpen Syntopia Couture dress at the 2021 Met event.
Tessa Thompson Met Gala (Source: POPSUGAR)
The hot star-inspired awe with her jet-black talons and crimson smoky eye. Similarly, her sculptural cowboy hat made fans try out similar looks.
Her hat was crafted from intricate braids, which were accented by a plaited updo on-trend touch.
Likewise, she had her fans amazed with a crystalline Versace gown at the 2019 Gala event.
Jennifer Lopez 2019 Met Ball (Source: Reddit)
She almost looked like a futuristic ice queen with her nude, glossy lip and metallic purple eye.
4. Beyoncé | Sheer black Givenchy dress
Year: 2014
Yet another American beauty goddess on our best Met Gala dress list is Beyoncé. She is known for her attractive charisma, and fans love her unique dress style.
Beyoncé attended the 2014 Met in a Givenchy beaded frock.
Beyonce 2014 Met (Source: GMC ANANTNAG)
Also, she shocked everyone with a studded face veil and Bordeaux pout.
Hence, she is famous for having a goddess-style look to this day.
3. Zendaya | Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda ball gown
Year: 2017
Supermodel and actress, Zendaya have a super crazy fanbase for playing Spider Man’s love interest MJ in the MCU.
More so, the talented, young celeb is famous for her charming aura and fashion sense.
Zendaya’s Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda ball gown at the 2017 Gala ceremony paved the road for women of color to shine against what red-carpet dress looked like.
Zendaya 2017 Met Look (Source: POPSUGAR)
Moreover, Zendaya brought the heat with a coral lip and voluminous auburn hair.
2. Rihanna | Guo Pei gown
Year: 2015
Gorgeous Rihanna is known for her bold yet delightful looks.
She appeared in a mesmerizing Guo Pei gown at the 2015 Met event.
Rihanna 2015 Met Gala Red Carpet Fashion (Source: Harper’s Bazaar)
Besides, Rihanna enlisted Chinese designer Guo Pei to design her yellow robe gown and diamante headdress.
Her pairing of the showstopper with horizontal brows set was perfect for co-hosting the ceremony.
1. Gigi Hadid | White corset gown
Year: 2021
Supermodel Gigi Hadid is no stranger to the red carpet. In fact, her cool and unique fashion sense, including her hair and makeup, changes the way of dressing people around the globe.
So, Hadid definitely lands on the first spot on our best Met Gala dress list.
Hadid stepped on the 2021 red carpet wearing a beautiful white corset gown.
Gigi Hadid 2021 Met Look (Source: POPSUGAR)
Similarly, she went for a crystal-embellished Prada logo barrette with a powder blue smoky eyes set. Also, her classic cat-eye flicks added the charm even more.
Hadid’s Gala hair, a violet-red hair transformation, and high-slung ponytail look made her resemble the cartoon character Jessica Rabbit.
Hola! Its me Manzil Shrestha. I am a content writer for geniuscelebs.com. You can contact me through the website if you have any queries about my content. And I'm always open to reasonable suggestions.
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