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”
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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”
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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”
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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”
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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”
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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)