Met Gala best themes in time

The countdown to the Met Gala 2023 has officially begun. This Monday, May 2, the stars of the world together with the crème of the fashion system will not only walk the red carpet, but will climb the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, once again the stage of the most anticipated event of the year.  As always, curiosity is sky-high, especially with regard to the looks chosen by the various celebrities invited to the soiree, who will have to interpret the theme of the event as usual. This year the dress code will be "In Honor of Lagerfeld," a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld's prolific career, during which he has worked at Balmain, Patou, Chloé, Fendi and, most importantly, Chanel.

Set up by the honorary president of the gala together with Tom Ford, Anna Wintour, and for this edition with co-chairs Dua Lipa, Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel and Roger Federer, the Met Gala has always aimed to turn the spotlight on the past, present and future of fashion, a unique expression of total sartorial creativity. Therefore, speculations have already started, not only about the outfits that will take the field, but also about the names that will participate in the event. Thus, rumors have already started, not only about the outfits that will take the court, but also about the names that will participate in the event. According to rumors, for the 2023 edition, the guest list will once again be Gen-Z oriented, including many very young celebrities, from Emma Chamberlain up to Olivia Rodrigo who will be added to the kaleidoscope of stars who have walked through the entrance of the Metropolitan Museum such as Cher, Sara Jessica Parker, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and the Kardashian-Jenner clan. 

The Met Gala, or formally Costume Institute Gala, is an annual fundraising event to benefit the Costume Institute, which marks the opening of the annual fashion show organized by the association every first Monday in May. It was first held in 1948 and consisted of a midnight dinner, with the price of admission $50. Based on the legacy left by former Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland, as well as special advisor to the Costume Institute, since 1973 the Met Gala has become popular as an exclusive event, considered the jewel in New York City's social crown, the dress code? The World of Balenciaga.

Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design, 1974

But let's move directly to the next year. In 1974 the theme chosen was Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood design and needless to say, the allure of the American jet set of the West Coast left its imprint on the clothes worn at the party. First of all, the unforgettable naked dress worn by Cher and designed by her friend and stylist Bob Mackie, which featured a series of transparencies, feathers and sequins for a dress that will remain in the annals of fashion.

The Eighteenth-Century Woman, 1981

In 1982, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York published an essay by Olivier Bernier with a preface by Diana Vreeland entitled The Eighteenth-Century Woman. In the book, the portrait of fourteen fascinating and controversial women traces the beginnings of female emancipation. This was the theme chosen for the 1981 Met Gala, a tribute to those distinctive traits such as opulence, charm and intelligence, which over the centuries have been embodied by extraordinary women, from Madame de Pompadour to Madame du Barry to Abigail Adams and the Queen of Naples, pioneers of an unprecedented cultural flowering. Among the many gowns flaunted on the red carpet, the Calvin Klein worn by Iman definitely deserves a mention, a bronze tunic with puffed sleeves and a trapeze neckline embellished with a strap of metal hoops. Simply iconic.

Théâtre de la Mode - Fashion Dolls: The Survival of Haute Couture, 1990

Let's take a step back to the 1990s. The theme in question is the one from the beginning of the decade called Théâtre de la Mode - Fashion Dolls: The Survival of Haute Couture, an ode to the theatrical themes of the haute couture genre under the guidance of the great post-war couturiers. Stealing the show was definitely Naomi Campbell in her first appearance on the steps of the Met, who for the occasion wore a multicolored printed minidress with sequins by Versace from the spring summer '91 collection.

Rock Style, 1999 

A new wind blows from 1995, when Anna Wintour, the celebrated director of Vogue America, takes over from Vreeland as president of the organizing committee. Under her guidance, the themes chosen for the Met Gala will mark an unprecedented cross-section of fashion history. But let's start with the 1999 dress code which, as the last of the century, was definitely memorable. The red carpet was dominated by the duo Stella McCartney and Liv Tyler, daughters of rock stars Paul McCartney and Steven Tyler respectively, who caused a sensation when they showed up wearing two matching one-shoulder tank tops decorated with the words "Rock Royalty" from Filth Mart, a vintage T-shirt store in the East Village of New York. 

Godess: A Classical Mode, 2003

For the 2003 Goddess, A Classical Mode theme, the looks sported for the Met Gala couldn't help but be divine. The dress code aimed to investigate the ever-evolving influence of ancient Greco-Roman dress through the centuries, which through various permutations and transformations, has given rise to fashions that are as romantic as they are provocative. A clear example is given by the Naomi Campbell trio,  A clear example is given by the trio Naomi Campbell, Victoria Beckham and Linda Evangelista who, alongside designer Stefano Gabbana, show off a combo of dresses with different cuts, fabrics and shades for a bold and contemporary result. Who among us wouldn't wear at least one of the three?

AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion, 2006

Anglomania has gripped Europe since the mid-18th century. Continental Anglophiles such as Voltaire and Montesquieu saw England as a land of reason, freedom, and tolerance. However, what began as an intellectual phenomenon became, and remained, a matter of style. From the streets to the ateliers, Anglo-Saxon fashion has definitely left its mark by giving birth to punk icons such as Johnny Rotten and unavoidable influences such as Vivienne Westwood. For the 2006 edition we remember the star of Sex and the City Sarah Jessica Parker, who twinned with designer Alexander Mcqueen, sported a tartan dress, perhaps the most iconic look of the actress among all her 11 appearances on the steps of the Met.

 The Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion, 2009

You know, fashion has its muses and they are called supermodels. From the early '900 until today, icons of the past such as Dorian Leigh, Sunny Harnett and Twiggy up to contemporary personalities such as Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and the very recent Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner have inspired the designers of the world for their creations. In this blue vision we find Cindy Crawford alongside icon Donatella Versace during the 2009 Met Gala.

Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, 2018

And now a look at more recent themes. Iconic was the 2018 edition in which guests were asked to interpret between the sacred and the profane, the influence that religious beliefs and practices have had on creativity since ancient times. A dialogue that in turn has fueled the imagination of designers in the 20th and 21st centuries, producing some of the most innovative creations in fashion history. Despite the controversy of the theme, the result was decidedly spectacular. We remember in particular Rihanna in a papal version dressed by designer John Galliano. Iconic.

Camp: Notes on Fashion, 2019

The last pre-pandemic version of the Met Gala was the 2019 one with the theme Camp: Notes on Fashion and for months we asked ourselves: what does Camp really mean? The answer was given to us mostly by the stars invited to the gala who, inspired by Susan Sontag's 1964 essay Notes on Camp, interpreted the dress-code as a complex aesthetic that challenges the status quo. Or rather, an expression of the playful dynamics between art and popular culture, through which fashion translates into irony, artifice, and exaggeration. And in this taste for theatricality, the look of Millennial star Zendaya by Tommy Hilfiger takes first place on the podium. A Cinderella version of the actress with a maxi bell-shaped skirt, bodice and balloon sleeves. Dreamy.

In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, 2021

Closing the circle is the fashion queen par excellence, Kim Kardashian, who for the Met Gala 2021 edition, themed In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, appeared on the red-carpet elevating the concept of total black to another level - for real. The Balenciaga haute couture gown with mask and train, which completely obscured her face and body, surprised the audience by staging something that had never been seen on the Met Gala red carpet: anonymity. 

The question remains whether the outfits that will be shown on the red carpet in 2023 will be able to match those of the past years.