The best (and wildest) outfits from the Met Gala

On the first Monday in May, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is transformed into a world-renowned fashion spectacle.

“The Met Gala is where celebrities ascend to style icon status,” said Vogue. The event marks the beginning of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibition, which dictates the gala’s theme. It’s organised by “enshrined fashion deity” Anna Wintour, and the guest list is “painfully exclusive”, said High Snobiety.

The gala “wasn’t always the star-studded and dramatic costume-filled night it is now,” noted WWD. It was founded in 1948 as a fundraising event to raise money for the Museum’s Costume Institute, and tickets to the inaugural event cost just $50. Now, a ticket will set you back around £23,000, according to Glamour, but you’ll also need Wintour’s “seal of approval” in order to attend.

Themes were first introduced in 1973, and in recent years attendees have thoroughly committed to the dress codes, taking fashion to “its most avant-garde”, said Vogue. “The goal isn’t to shine for a moment, it’s to create a look that resonates for decades”, but “few accomplish that feat”.

This year, guests will pay homage to the work of Karl Lagerfeld, former creative director of Chanel. As they prepare to make their entrances, take a look back at some of the most memorable and outlandish outfits from recent instalments.