The Most Controversial Looks To Ever Grace The Met Gala Red Carpet

Met Gala looks passim time. Images via Getty Images

In nan storied annals of fashion, fewer events person garnered arsenic overmuch attraction arsenic nan Met Gala.

Beginning decades agone arsenic a fundraiser for nan Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, nan Met Gala has evolved to go 1 of nan biggest spectacles connected nan world’s societal calendar. And arsenic nan arena has gotten bigger, truthful has nan fashion. In fact, amidst each nan rules of attending nan exclusive event, playing it safe is simply a awesome faux pas.

Now held connected nan first Monday of each May, celebrities and notable figures of nan manner manufacture converge connected nan museum’s steps successful nan astir royal manner creations, pinch nan nationalist uniting to crockery retired their thoughts. After all, wherever location is fashion, location is controversy, peculiarly arsenic invitees push nan boundaries of normal to guidelines out.

Throughout nan years, and crossed galore themes, a pantheon of provocative outfits has stayed pinch us, continuing to ignite statement agelong aft they’ve rolled up nan reddish carpet. From Cara Delevingne’s ‘Peg nan Patriarchy’ corset to Kim Kardashian’s floral Givenchy gown that launched a 1000 memes, these ensembles person transcended specified garments to go awesome taste touchstones successful their ain right.

As we hole for nan 2026 Met Gala, which is themed “Fashion Is Art”, we look backmost connected immoderate of nan looks that person gone down successful popular civilization history. Whether it was nan governmental connection they made aliases simply because they missed nan mark, these are nan astir arguable looks to ever grace nan Met Gala reddish carpet.

Princess Diana, 1996

Princess Diana

The Met Gala attracts guests from nan worlds of entertainment, fashion, philanthropy, and beyond, but royals person ne'er been overmuch for these glitzy Hollywood affairs. In 1996, though, Princess Diana drew world attraction erstwhile she not only made an quality but besides opted for a much risqué look than usually required of royalty. Ditching nan accustomed skirt suits and shot gowns, nan precocious Princess of Wales opted alternatively for a camisole gaffe dress by John Galliano.

Taylor Swift, 2016

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift‘s 2016 quality astatine nan Met Gala wasn’t inherently controversial, but her melodramatic beauty translator had tongues wagging.

Set to debut her edgier album, Reputation, nan vocalist ditched her signature aureate curls for a platinum, textured bob and eschewed a reddish articulator successful favour of a heavy burgundy look.

Rihanna, 2018

Rihanna

The unofficial Queen of nan Met Gala, Rihanna‘s reddish carpet way grounds is faultless. For nan event’s 2018 theme, ‘Heavenly Bodies,’ though, she ruffled immoderate feathers successful nan belief sphere.

Wearing a custom-made John Galliano gown that came complete pinch crosses and a papal-inspired headdress, immoderate netizens accused nan vocalist of blasphemy and making a insult of Catholicism.

On nan reddish carpet, Rihanna simply quipped that it would beryllium a “sin” not to person worn it.

Selena Gomez, 2018

Selena Gomez

No 1 is immune to nan tribulations of a speedy tan. Unfortunately for Selena Gomez, who rarely, if ever, misses a hit pinch her glam, decided to thin into nan ‘goddess’ vibes of her Coach dress pinch sunkissed skin. As galore onlookers pointed out, she whitethorn person gone a touch excessively difficult connected nan bronzer, though.

Years later, nan Rare Beauty laminitis referred to nan look arsenic her astir “memorable” beauty disaster.

“While I was getting fresh for nan Met Gala a fewer years ago, we put connected a spot of tanning lotion and it looked beautiful, but arsenic nan nighttime went on, it kept getting darker and darker,” she told Glamour UK. “When I sat down [at nan event], I saw a photograph of myself, and it looked wholly orange, and present I americium astatine this prestigious event. My first thought was, ‘I person to get retired of here!’”

Hailey Bieber, 2019

Hailey Bieber

The ‘exposed thong’ inclination has travel and gone a fewer times complete nan years, but for nan Met Gala’s 2018 ‘Camp’ theme, Hailey Bieber took nan look to caller heights successful Alexander Wang.

With a faux thong strap reaching precocious up astir her waist, nan assemblage was retired connected whether it was flattering aliases not.

Kim Kardashian, 2021

Kim Kardashian

Never 1 to miss a selfie op, galore were near scratching their heads erstwhile Kim Kardashian arrived astatine nan 2021 Met Gala reddish carpet—themed ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion’—with her look and assemblage wholly masked successful an opaque ensemble by Balenciaga.

According to a source, she was inspired by her then-husband, Kanye West, who encouraged her to make a commentary astir nan quality of her celebrity.

“There’s nary logo, nary face, but everyone knows it’s her,” nan root told Page Six. “Kanye gave her nan courageousness to push productivity and people’s imagination done art. It’s nan eventual confidence.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 2021

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

The Met Gala often gets a bad rap for vaunting wealthiness successful nan look of world turmoil. So, for her first Met Gala, Democratic leader and activistic Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (better known arsenic AOC) decided to make a governmental connection pinch her look.

Designed by Brother Vellies, nan achromatic strapless gown was affixed pinch nan slogan, ‘Tax The Rich’ successful ample reddish lettering.

“We tin ne'er get excessively comfortable successful our seats astatine nan array erstwhile they’ve been given,” Aurora James, laminitis and imaginative head of Brother Vellies and nan laminitis of nan 15 Percent Pledge, told Vogue astatine nan time. “We must ever proceed to push ourselves, push our colleagues, push nan civilization and push nan state forward. Fashion is changing, America is changing. And arsenic acold arsenic this taxable goes, I deliberation Alexandria and I are a awesome embodiment of nan connection manner needs to see adding to nan wide lexicon arsenic we activity towards a much sustainable, inclusive, and empowered future.”

Kim Kardashian, 2022

Kim Kardashian

If you weren’t captivated by nan play of this look, let america to return you back.

For portion 2 of ‘In America’ successful 2022, which was themed ‘Gilded Glamour’, Kim Kardashian reached heavy into nan archives of American manner history pinch this bedazzled Bob Mackie dress primitively worn by Marilyn Monroe to singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to President John F. Kennedy successful 1962. If you’re wondering really she obtained specified a piece, it was really taken retired of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not depository postulation and could only beryllium worn for a fewer minutes earlier she changed into a replica for nan remainder of nan evening.

The contention began erstwhile reports circulated that nan reality prima tore nan iconic dress while she was being stitched successful and retired of it, returning it successful less-than-ideal condition. In response, galore group were furious that she was capable to indebtedness nan dress.

A typical from Riples Believe It Or Not! past went connected nan grounds to title these claims, arguing that nan dress has people worn complete time.