5 Culture Shifting Met Gala Looks We'll Never Forget

The Met Gala has seen a cultural shift over the last decade. What once was an elusive event set aside for the who’s who in the industry has evolved into a celebrity-focused event that draws in wide audiences. It doesn’t matter if you consider yourself Joan Rivers or Guilana Rancic, everyone is a fashion critic when it comes to judging how these celebrities interpret the annual Met Gala theme. The 2023 Met Gala theme honors the iconic fashion juggernaut Karl Lagerfeld in “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.”

“Karl Lagerfeld was one of the most captivating, prolific, and recognizable forces in fashion and culture, known as much for his extraordinary designs and tireless creative output as for his legendary persona,” Max Hollein, Marina Kellen French Director of The Met, said in a statement. “This immersive exhibition will unpack his singular artistic practice, inviting the public to experience an essential part of Lagerfeld’s boundless imagination and passion for innovation.” Black celebrities like Rihanna, Beyonce, and Cardi B have given us memorable Met Gala moments that topped even the toughest critics’ best-dressed list. As we approach the 2023 Met Gala, we’re looking back at their culture-shifting looks that were not only high fashion but made statements.

1. Billy Porter

Billy Porter was at the height of his career when it seemed as though Anna Wintour and the Met Gala hand-delivered him his own personal theme, ‘Notes On Camp.’ The former Pose star and beloved entertainer made an unforgettable entrance on the carpet, carried by six masked men, and dressed as a Sun God. The note was on camp, and Billy Porter understood the assignment.

2. Lena Waithe

Wearing a double-breasted Pyer Moss suit that boasted the statement “Black Drag Queens Invented Camp” turned heads at the 2019 Met Gala. The actor and director complete the blue pinstripe suit with mustard-colored cowboy boots.

3. Rihanna

Rihanna earned the crown of queen of the Met Gala with her 2015 “China: Through The Looking Glass” gown that took two years to make. The show-topping look drew in new audiences who began to take interest in the annual super bowl of fashion.

4. Beyonce

Beyonce has given us many memorable fashion movements and headline-grabbing moments at the Met Gala. Never forget, it was the hours after the Met Gala when elevator gate went down. But Beyonce makes an appearance on this for this list for her trendsetting 2015 crystalized sheer gown and genie ponytail. Media waited on pins and needles for the queen to arrive, late, and she didn’t disappoint! Beyonce’s sheer look inspired a summer of see-through.

5. Cardi B

Rihanna holds the crown as the queen of the Met Gala, but Cardi B is a sure runner-up. The outspoken and fashionable rapper is one of the top ones to watch when the carpet kicks off. Her 2019 Thom Brown gown came with a 10-person entourage, which was reminiscent of another look on this list, Rihanna’s iconic 2015 “China: Through the Looking Glass” look that took two years to make.

5 Culture Shifting Met Gala Looks We'll Never Forget