The final countdown to the first Monday in May, otherwise known as the date of the Met Gala, is finally here. The event was originally founded by publicist Eleanor Lambert in 1948 as a charity event, but Anna Wintour made it her own in 1999, when she became chairwoman of the soirée. It has also become the subject of a documentary, aptly titled The First Monday in May.
Naturally, this event attracts a select crowd of well-dressed celebs of the moment. Long before Rihanna stunned in an XL yellow gown, trimmed in coordinating fur, from Guo Pei in 2015, Princess Diana made a subdued appearance at the event, wearing a simple navy dress. In 2010 Oscar de la Renta and Oprah turned up together; the queen of talk shows also wore navy for the occasion. And who could forget Taylor Swift‘s country girl ringlets, which made quite a few appearances at a number of Met Galas over the years.
In preparation for this year’s avant-garde theme, which focuses on the creations of Comme des Garçons‘ Rei Kawakubo, click through to see iconic past outfits worn to the Met Gala.