Met Gala

From ‘Camp' to ‘Punk Couture': See Met Gala Themes (And Photos) From the Last Decade

NBC Universal, Inc.

The Met Gala is widely considered one of the most important nights in fashion, and it is here.

Celebrities from all corners of entertainment will flock to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on Monday, dressed in jaw-dropping outfits from the industry’s top designers.

Prada, Gucci, and Chanel, oh my.

Each year, event organizers give the gala a theme to inspire attendees' looks. This year’s theme was coined “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” the finale of a two-part exhibit that explores sartorial narratives in American fashion. The 2021 theme was titled “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.”

“Part Two, which explores the foundations of American fashion in relation to the complex histories of the American Wing period rooms, serves as a preface to the concise dictionary of American fashion presented in Part One,” Andrew Bolton, the Wendy Yu Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute, said in a release.

Bolton said that while Lexicon explored a new language of American fashion, Anthology uncovers unfamiliar sartorial narratives filtered through the imaginations of some of America’s most visionary film directors.

Here’s a look at the themes from the star-studded Met Galas of the last decade:

2021: “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”

Ray Tamarra/GC Images
Rapper ASAP Rocky (L) and singer Rihanna attends the 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art on September 13, 2021, in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/GC Images)

2020: “About Time: Fashion and Duration”

The 2020 Met Gala was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the theme, “About Time: Fashion and Duration,” celebrated the event’s 150th anniversary and highlighted fashion throughout a century and a half.

A view outside The Metropolitan Museum of Art during the coronavirus pandemic on May 2, 2020, in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

2019: “Camp: Notes on Fashion”

Hombre_muere_tras_ser_baleado_frente_a_una_tienda.jpg
Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic
Billy Porter attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019, in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic)

2018: “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination”

Andy Cohen and Sarah Jessica Parker attend the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018, in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

2017: “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between”

700040641MF00138_Rei_Kawaku
George Pimentel/WireImage
Zendaya attends the "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between" Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017, in New York City. (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage)

2016: “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology”

Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik arrive for the "Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology" Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016, in New York City. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)

2015: “China: Through the Looking Glass”

2015 Met Gala: Rihanna
Getty Images
Rihanna attends the "China: Through The Looking Glass" Costume Institute Benefit Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2015 in New York City. (Getty Images)

2014: “Charles James: Beyond Fashion”

Singer Taylor Swift attends the "Charles James: Beyond Fashion" Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2014, in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

2013: “Punk: Chaos to Couture”

Getty Images
Beyonce Knowles, the honorary Costume Institute Gala Chair, swept across the red carpet for the "Punk: Chaos to Couture" exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2013, in New York City. The singer wore a custom ensemble from Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci. Click to see more.

2012: “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations”

Scarlett Johansson attends the "Schiaparelli And Prada: Impossible Conversations" Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2012, in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Click here for more 2022 Met Gala coverage.

Contact Us