The Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit aka the Met Gala, an event synonymous with the intersection of fashion and art, has always been a platform where creativity knows no bounds. Each year we get to see some of the biggest celebrities in the world, be it from Hollywood or Bollywood, in the coolest fashion looks at this event. Over the years, the Met Gala has seen some unforgettable fashion moments that have made jaws drop. Wondering what the bizarre looks we are talking about are? Read on!
Kim Kardashian’s Balenciaga look at the 2021 Met Gala
Kim Kardashian is well-known for her bold and daring outfits at past Met Galas, consistently opting for the unexpected. While fans loved most of her looks, her 2021 Met Gala outfit was one that left everyone stumped.
Kim was dressed entirely in black, with a ponytail peeking from her opaque head covering and trailing fabric. Her faceless custom Balenciaga outfit was far from anonymous, following weeks of masked and bondage-inspired looks. She was accompanied by Balenciaga's controversial creative director, Demna Gvasalia, also fully covered in black.
The 2021 Met Gala theme was "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,". It explored the question, "Who gets to be American?" while celebrating American fashion.
Jared Leto, Met Gala 2019
Jared Leto left everybody shocked and amused as he walked down the Met Gala red carpet with a handbag that represented his head in 2019, taking the year’s theme, "Camp: Notes on Fashion," to new heights. The actor rocked a silky red high-neck Gucci gown, featuring shoulder pads and a jewel-encrusted body chain. However, the pièce de résistance was the human head accessory, complete with his signature wavy locks—that truly took the look to camp-level heights and stole the spotlight.
Solange, Met Gala 2018
In 2018, Solange let her Twitter followers decide her outfit for the Met Gala, which was centred around the theme of "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination." Solange wore a glossy black architectural dress from Iris van Herpen’s Fall 2012 couture collection. Her golden headpiece tied the look into the theme of the evening, alluding to angels with its halo-like structure.
While she would have surely made an impact on the red carpet regardless of her followers’ input—like the striking canary yellow David Laport dress from 2016—her crowdsourced choice still stood out, proving she can turn even the most popular look into something entirely unique.
Cardi B, Met Gala 2019
Cardi B made a grand entrance at the Met Gala 2019 in a custom Thom Browne gown, completely covered by 30,000 burned and dyed coque feathers from head to toe. The oxblood dress, anatomically accurate, extends outward in concentric circles for ten feet. Made from tulle, silk organza, and down,it was made by 35 people working over 2,000 hours. Resembling a giant quilt, the look definitely fit into the theme of "Camp: Notes on Fashion.”
Doja Cat, Met Gala 2023
At the 2023 Met Gala, guests honored the late Karl Lagerfeld with a theme celebrating his legacy. However, Doja Cat’s version was the one that completely stood out! Doja gave her tribute by channeling Lagerfeld’s beloved white Burmese cat, Choupette. Her hooded Oscar de la Renta gown featured cat ears, silver sequins, a backless design, and a mermaid silhouette that flowed into a feathered white train resembling a cat’s furry tail. Crafted over 5,000 hours with 350,000 bugle beads, she accessorized with a diamond headpiece, arm cuff, and feline-inspired prosthetics makeup, including bold cat eyeliner and a cat's nose. Not only that, but every time she was interviewed on the red carpet, she meowed instead of talking, completely committing to the bit.
While Doja wasn’t the only one who dressed like Choupette that year—Jared Leto and Lil Nas X being the others—she certainly stole the show!
All said and done, these are just some of the many jaw-dropping Met Gala moments over the years. Given how the entire event is about pushing the envelope sartorially, we have no doubt that there will be many more bizarre fashion moments from this event in the following years. But for now, we have to ask: which of these looks left you the most amazed?
