Look Back at Some of the Wildest Met Gala Themes Over the Years

The 2006 gala brought out all the Anglophiles, with looks inspired by British designers or, in some cases like Sarah Jessica Parker, by traditional fashions from across the Atlantic.

French designer Paul Poiret was known for his draping techniques and straight-line or rectangular motifs. For the 2007 Met Gala centered on his designs, stars like Jennifer Lopez brought out the most gorgeous draped and geometric gowns in modern updates to Poiret's style.

Sure, superhero style is impractical, but combining it with high fashion resulted in an incredibly creative theme for the 2008 gala, before superheroes took over pop culture. Most of the night's attendees opted for subtle touches suggesting superhero looks or, like Blake Lively, outfits that appeared to almost be midtransformation.

This year had a rather confusing theme of, well, models? Jessica Biel, Madonna, and Katy Perry mingled alongside Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, and Brooke Shields for the annual celebration. The red carpet was mostly uninspired (sorry!) as guests reached for their best ballgowns and slinky slips.

This was the year of the American woman, however each individual defined it. The night led to a wide array of gorgeous, glamorous styles inspired by countless eras and designers, with several stars (including Jennifer Lopez) choosing to include subtle symbols of stars, eagle feathers, and other "American" motifs.

This tribute to Alexander McQueen, the designer beloved by celebrities and royalty alike, was designed around the Met's exhibition of his work. Many stars embraced the designer's romantic/Gothic blend of styles, like Taylor Swift in this sweeping gown with Gothic detailing.

Schiaparelli, the Surrealist-inspired designer of the early 20th century, seems like an odd pairing with Prada, but that was exactly the point of the 2012 gala. The night's attendees, including Carey Mulligan, took the inspiration and ran with it, arriving with looks that melded the unusual textures and shapes of Schiaparelli with Prada's contemporary glamour.

The 2013 theme of "chaos" certainly brought some memorable looks to the red carpet, as stars like Taylor Swift took their cue from the wide-ranging theme to assemble looks that were one part glam, one part edgy.

Designer Charles James was best known for his stunning ballgowns and structured aesthetic, both of which featured heavily on the red carpet for the 2014 Met Gala honoring his work. Stars like Hailee Steinfeld embraced his sculpted, structured style that brought the "ballgown" look into the modern world.

In 2015, the Met Gala honored one specific culture, leading attendees to find creative ways to honor Chinese fashion without leaning into costume-y cultural appropriation. Rihanna, for instance, worked with Chinese designer Guo Pei on an epic gown with scrolls of Asian-styled flowers.

This technology-focused theme led to a slew of creative, futuristic fashions. While some stars chose out-there, techno-future styles, others incorporated the theme in subtler ways, as Beyonce did with beaded detailing that resembled neural pathways or the inside of a computer chip.

Inspired by the modernist fashion of Rei Kawakubo, the 2017 event invited celebs to experiment with fashion and the definition of the "in-between." The quirky theme resulted in some of the most avant-garde fashion choices, like this architectural Comme des Garcons choice worn by Rihanna.

The 2018 gala focused on sacred imagery, especially inspired by the grandeur of sacred art in the Catholic tradition. While some attendees focused more on the "heavenly bodies" aspect, with star and sky inspiration, others, such as Katy Perry and Rihanna, went all in on the religious motifs.