Since its inception in 1948, the Met Gala has evolved from an intimate midnight dinner at the Waldorf Astoria into the most anticipated night in global fashion at the Met Museum, attracting the eyeballs of fashion enthusiasts and pop culture aficionados from across the globe. People eagerly await for the first Monday of May every year to see the who's who sporting over-the-top and exquisite designs based off of the themes.
The appearances are larger than life, and the red carpet becomes more than just that— it becomes a platform of performativity (sometimes even 16-minute long ones, thanks to Lady Gaga!)
But for those who may not know their Galliano from their Gaultier, the Met Gala still delivers in one universal language: memes. From jaw-dropping entrances to eyebrow-raising ensembles, some outfits are destined not just for fashion history, but for internet immortality. Here are five Met Gala looks over the years that became meme royalty.
We cannot possibly start a listicle about “Met memes” without mentioning the omelette dress– aka, the torchbearer of all the Met memes and the most legendary of them all. Wearing what was a beautiful work of Chinese designer Guo Pei for the 2015 theme “China: Through The Looking Glass”, the dress took over the internet by storm. From being an omelette, to a pizza base, to a plate with stacked fries on top, this one remains a favourite for fashionistas, meme-lovers and fellow foodies for all the right reasons.
The year was 2016, the theme “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between” and it was the first time Priyanka and Nick Jonas appeared at the Met together. Chopra was seen in a trench-coat dress by Ralph Lauren which was not only custom, but was also punctuated with a whopping 20 ft long trail. Her dress too became a source of meme inspiration for several, with Chopra later on laughing at them herself and even rating some of the funniest. From Alladin’s magic carpet to a camping tent to the skin of the chai and even an “akhada” for wrestling, the meme-lords did not rest that night.
For Kim Kardashian’s 2021 Met appearance for “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”, she made a rather bold and out-of-the-box decision to show up in an all black Balenciaga ensemble created by Demna Gvasalia, that even covered her entire face and had a long trail. Netizens were quick to bring the nostalgia of the dementors– a wrath-like creature from the Harry Potter universe that fed on human happiness. Some humorously thanked her for “representing” dementors on the carpet while others called her the “yet to be unlocked character” from video games.
Same year as Kim K, for “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion”, A$AP Rocky took a 180-degree turn from what Kardashian was seen in, by showing up in a colourful puffer jacket-esque gown which later was confirmed to have been a thrifted quilt.
The look quickly grabbed headlines with some calling it “lazy work” and the rapper having showed up in a quilt over a tuxedo whereas others established him as a daring fashion figure. The one thing that remained unanimous though? You guessed it, the memes. Candy crush, ugly bedding, colourful mouth fresheners served at restaurants— the thrifted old quilt truly had its main character moment at the Met.
Stunning the crowd at the carpet for the 2024 Met “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”, Rebecca Ferguson showed up in an oversized silk cape from Thom Browne but soon revealed that there was more to her look than it’s first impression. She unfurled her cape and showcased the real deal– a baby blue lining that was adorned with ravens (referencing Thom Browne’s ‘24 fall show). The cape was hiding a custom high-necked bedazzled and sequined gown that Ferguson was seen in for the rest of the night. But her initial appearance called for several funny memes that floated on social media.
(By Archisha Mazumdar)