Cher arguably invented the naked dress trend at the 1974 gala, which she attended with the dress’ designer Bob Mackie.
1977 – Vanity Fair: A Treasure Trove
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TV journalist Barbara Walters was a regular attendee of the annual event throughout the Seventies and Eighties. Here, she adhered to the theme perfectly, dressing in a shimmering one-shouldered gown and diamond earrings for the Treasure Trove dress code. Businesswoman and beauty guru Estée Lauder joined her in a red gown, glittering necklace and silver clutch.
1980 – The Manchu Dragon: Costumes of China, the Chi’ng Dynasty
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The Met Gala is known for its incredible guest lists just as much as it is for the extravagant outfits. Here, artist Andy Warhol is pictured in a suave dinner suit for the event.
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1981 – The Eighteenth Century Woman
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Bianca Jagger stunned in a beautiful strapless full-skirt ball gown.
1983 – Yves Saint Laurent: 25 Years of Design
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Actress Brooke Shields wore a classic Eighties look with statement puffed sleeves to the gala which celebrated 25 years of Yves Saint Laurent.
1985 – Costumes of Royal India
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Cher was once again joined by designer Bob Mackie for the 1985 Met Gala, where the theme was Costumes of Royal India. She wore a sheer bodysuit teamed with a low-waist skirt.
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1990 – Théâtre de la Mode: Fashion Dolls: The Survival of Haute Couture
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Naomi Campbell attended her first Met Gala in 1990, arriving with American fashion photographer Francesco Scavullo.
1994 – Orientalism: Visions of the East in Western Dress
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Joan Rivers was a regular attendee of the prestigious event throughout the Nineties. For the 1994 gala, she defined Hollywood glamour with an elegant black halter-neck gown.
1995 – Haute Couture
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Kate Moss was pictured at the 1995 gala wearing a lemon coloured backless gown, with Calvin Klein (who designed her dress) and Christy Turlington.
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1996 – Christian Dior
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Back in the 1990s, the Met Gala guest list wasn’t just reserved for celebrities. Diana, Princess of Wales attended the event in a navy lace-trimmed Dior dress accessorised with royal jewels.
1997 – Gianni Versace
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Designer Donatella Versace was pictured with Iman at the 1997 Met Gala, which that year paid homage to her brother, Gianni Versace.
1998 – Cubism and Fashion
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Although the Met Gala has evolved over the years, it has always remained a good excuse for guests to get dressed up. Claudia Schiffer attended in a silk pink dress with a contrasting green scarf in 1998.
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1999 – Rock Style
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Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney took the 1999 theme very literally with matching one-shoulder tops that read ‘rock royalty’.
2001 – Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years
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Stella McCartney returned to the Met Gala in 2001, in a sequinned red number, hand-in-hand with Gwyneth Paltrow.
2003 – Goddess: The Classical Mode
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Kim Cattrall, at the height of Sex and the City’s popularity, donned a shimmering sheer take on the classic black dress in 2003.
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2004 – Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century
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Models Amber Valetta, Natalia Vodianova and Linda Evangelista took the ’04 theme very seriously in corsets and wigs.
2005 – The House of Chanel
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Claire Danes wore a lace, floor-length gown with delicate pink sleeves.
2006 – Anglomania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion
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Alexander McQueen walked the red carpet hand-in-hand with Sarah Jessica Parker, both in matching tartan creations of his, in an iconic Met Gala moment.
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2007 – Poiret: King of Fashion
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Kate Bosworth embodied glamour with her vintage-inspired hair style and a taupe silk dress.
2008 – Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy
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Victoria and David Beckham arrived for the 2008 gala in glamorous monochrome looks.