1979: "Fashions of the Habsburg Era: Austria-Hungary"
Debbie Harry looking every bit of the rockstar that she is in a tousled bob with bangs covering her kohl smudged eyes.
Eleanor Lambert was a fashion PR genius who brought us New York Fashion Week, launched the CFDA and International Best Dressed list. She hosted the Costume Institute's very first fundraising gala in 1948 at the Rockefeller Centre's Rainbow room and coined the event "the party of the year." The cost to attend the event at the time was $50, a stark contrast to the current rate of $100,000 per person.
When Diana Vreeland took over the event after her tenure at American Vogue, she infused the extravagance and fantasy that we know associate the Met Gala with. This extravagance would only continue to intensify as the event changed hands to Pat Buckley in 1988 and finally to Anna Wintour in 1995, ushering the event into its final form.
The hair and beauty looks at The Met Gala are a visual map of the event's gradual but undeniable path to extravagance- tousled locks soon were tucked away into intricate hair accessories, hair itself began to take sculptural forms beyond our previous imaginings. Let's take a look at a comprehensive journey of hair at the Met Gala through some of our personal favourite moments through the years.
1974: "Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design."
Cher's signature black hair in its long and shiny glory was the perfect accompaniment to this iconic (and highly flammable) Bob Mackie dress.
1979: "Fashions of the Habsburg Era: Austria-Hungary"
Carolina Herrera and Jacqueline de Ribes attend the event in perfectly coiffed up dos.
1989: "The Age of Napoleon:Costume from Revolution to Empire, 1789–1815."
Diane Von Furstenberg in her voluminous natural hair.
1990: “Théâtre de la Mode – Fashion Dolls: The Survival of Haute Couture,”
Naomi Campbell attends her first Met gala in a chocolate-honey hued shoulder length hair.
1996: "Christian Dior"
The people's princess was public's the go-to hair reference of the time. Princess Diana attended the event wearing a Dior by John Galliano slip dress, a sapphire choker and a "Lady Dior" handbag which was named in her honour.
1997: "Gianni Versace."
Donatella Versace and Iman in sleek long hair honouring Gianni Versace just a few months following his tragic murder. The Versace siblings attended the event together the previous year.
1999: "Rock Royalty."
Rock daughters Liv Tyler and Stella McCartney wore their hair as nonchalantly as their Hanes tank tops which they had customised by Filth Mart in Little Italy.
2004: “Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century.”
Amber Valetta in her legendary punk rock Antoinette rendition, complete with a hair look that set the bar for future interpretations of the event's themes.
2009: "The Model as Muse: Embodying Fashion."
Kate Moss was a co-chair of the event and attending in a Stephen Jones turban to match the silver Marc Jacobs mini with the final touch of Harry Winston diamonds.
2018: "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination."
Bella Hadid in a gold edged veil that was rumoured to weigh 5 kilos.
2018: "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination"
Jared Leto, the king of Jesus hair at the Heavenly Bodies themed event in a halo crown and dressed by fellow Jesus hair wearer, Alessandro Michelle for Gucci.
2018: "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination"
Lily Collins in an elaborate braided hairstyle, complete with a Lelet NY crown.
2018: "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination"
Rihanna as the pope. That's all.
2018: "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination"
SJP outdid herself by wearing yet another elaborate headpiece by Dolce and Gabbana depicting a nativity scene on top of her Rapunzel-like locks.
2018: "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination"
Solange stole the show in a black durag with a blonde braided halo crown. The perfect continuation to the beauty conversation she started with "Don't touch my hair" in 2016.
2019: "Camp: Notes on Fashion."
Ciara in a diva approved fro styled by Cesar DeLeon as an homage to Diana Ross
2019: "Camp: Notes on Fashion."
Emily Ratajkowski in a ornate winged headpiece inspired by Cher.
2019: "Camp: Notes on Fashion."
Lupita Nyong'o never misses. Her hairstyle complete with gilded hair picks was a nod to black hair texture and artist Lauren Kelley's 2007 self-portrait 'Pickin.'
2021: "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion."
Amandla Stenberg's hair was styled by none other than Vernon François (who also created Lupita's Camp hair look). Utter creativity of a durag made entirely using hair.
2021: "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion."
Iman shutting down the carpet in a custom Harris Reed headpiece and gown designed in collaboration with Dolce and Gabbana. Perfectly fitting for a queen.
2021: "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion."
The inimitable Naomi Osaka drew inspiration from," Haitian school girl style and Onna-Musha warriors of Japan," for her Met Gala debut.
2022: “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.”
Alicia Key's ponytail was embellished with disc-like accessories resembling CDs.
2022: “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.”
Kaia Gerber in Pre-Raphaelite curls by Guido Palau.
2022: “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.”
Quannah Chasinghorse representing her indigenous roots with pride with two eagle feathers donated by indigenous people braided into her hair.
2022: “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.”
Winnie Harlow in an intricate Irish Van Herpen headpiece.
2023: "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty"
Michaela Cole wore a coral inspired gold accesory by Ghanian-British designer Emefa Cole.
2024: "The Garden of Time."
Amanda Seyfried in silver painted pin curls with a leaf motif tiara.
2024: "The Garden of Time."
Chloe Sevigny in a braided bow hairstyle inspired by Victorian "mourning hair."
2024: "The Garden of Time."
FKA Twigs, ever the visionary in an ancient-futuristic crown hairstyle by Ruka hair, complete with crystal face gems on her half shaved head.
2024: "The Garden of Time."
Little Sims in sculpted dreadlocks by hair artist Chantel.
2024: "The Garden of Time."
Pamela Anderson in a feather headpiece by Noel Stewart that perfectly colour matched her straw blonde hair.
2024: "The Garden of Time."
Taylor Russel's hair was accessorised with wooden-looking flowers to complete her Loewe look.
2025: “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”
Doechii in a perfect fro to round up her tailored look.
2025: “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”
Bad Bunny paid homage to his Puerto Rican roots with this hat inspired by straw pavas, complete with a single curl and a middle part.
