The Met Gala is the most talked about event of the year. Designed to be an annual extravaganza, the event is packed to the brim with some of the biggest celebrities and names in attendance, while a specific theme is launched for each event. The red carpet dazzles with some of the most unique outfits of the night, and has been doing so for years. Ahead of the 2026 Met Gala, here’s a general timeline of past events.
In 1937 when the journey began
The Museum of Costume Art was founded by Irene Lewisohn. Previously, the space was known for offering acting and other theater classes, and it was known for its costumes. These costumes became the basis of the life of the museum. After Lewisohn’s death a few years later, the museum became part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. After the merger, it was later named the Costume Institute, and it has remained the same until now. The institute’s first fundraising event was held in 1948 by publicist Eleanor Lambert. The cost of each ticket was 50 USD at the time.
When the Met Gala was created
Around 1973, when editor Diana Vreeland took over as consultant, the Met Gala began to become a glamorous evening event. It was also around the time that dinners and fundraising events began to be themed. That year, two galas were held in the same year; one called ‘Balenciaga’s world’ in March, and the other held in recent months, following the theme ’10s, 20s, 30s: inventive clothes: 1909–1939′.‘
50th anniversary of the Institute of Clothing
Another Met Gala highlight was around 1983, when the institute celebrated its 50th anniversary. The annual event itself was dedicated to Vreeland himself, and some of the event’s past outfits were also showcased at the gala dinner. This year, guests who attended the event paid around US$850 per night. Gradually, over the years, the cost of each card has increased over time.
An honor for Diana Vreeland
4 years after his death, another Met Gala event was held to honor the director. The event was completely dedicated to him, and he also showed many of his clothes. The decor also included designs from her magazines, photos of people she admired, etc. In addition, the ticket price increased to around 900 USD.
1997: One of the events of the Institute, which was held with the shortest preparation time
This year’s event was held in honor of Gianni Versace, who was murdered the same year. Because of this, it was labeled as one of the Met Galas with the least time to prepare. During the event, the institute registered a huge fundraising, amounting to USD 2.3 million.
2021: The event in the middle of the pandemic
Back in 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic was still happening, there was a lot of excitement at the Met Gala. That year’s theme was ‘America: the lexicon of fashion’. The guest list for the night was quite short because the pandemic was still going on. In addition, all guests were required to be vaccinated in order to attend.
‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’ exhibition
In 2023, Karl Lagerfeld, one of the biggest names in the fashion industry in 2019, and a year later, a whole exhibition called ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’ was held in his honor. The ticket price for this event was US$50,000, a huge jump from US$50 per ticket at the time.
‘Superfine’ theme
Last year’s event was a huge success and followed the theme ‘Superfine: Tailoring Black Style’. The event was attended by some of the biggest names in the Hollywood industry and was heavily televised. The event itself was chaired last year by Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky and Lebron James.
What is the 2026 Met Gala all about?
This year’s Met Gala event will follow the theme ‘Fashion is Art’. It will be on the 4th of May, and the theme of the costume exhibition will be ‘Costume art’.
