Beneath the flash of cameras and celebrity spectacle, the Met Gala is, at its core, a night for designers. Famous for its extravagant themes and over-the-top outfits, the Met Gala generates endless chatter online. For myself and many others, it is one of the most anticipated nights in fashion of the year.
According to Vogue College of Fashion, the Met Gala was started in 1948 “to support the newly established Costume Institute and champion fashion as an art form worthy of museum recognition.” The event has evolved along with the internet and has become more than a charity event: it is a cultural phenomenon where fashion meets performance. What makes moments stick comes down to more than just a good design. The looks that go viral tend to be the ones that are instantly recognizable and easy for audiences to react to.
Thanks to the Met Gala, many fashion designers have been able to gain visibility and allow their work to be put in the spotlight, solidifying their reputation in the fashion industry. As this year’s Gala approaches, let’s review three looks that allowed designers to create lasting impressions on the public.
Bob Mackie and Cher
In 1974, following the “Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design” theme, designer Bob Mackie cemented his legacy in the fashion history when he arrived arm and arm with Cher wearing his famous “naked dress”. This sheer, crystal-embellished gown didn’t just make a statement – it made history.
Mackie was already respected for his work in stage costuming, but this dress “shot the designer’s work into an entirely new stratosphere,” according to Vogue. The concept of the naked dress remains immensely popular today, with many celebrities replicating this idea, and even more seeking out Mackie’s designs. Mackie told Vogue, “Now, all of a sudden, these young performers are wanting to borrow things from my archive, or having me do special ones for them.”
Thanks to this infamous Met Gala moment, Mackie’s designs are not only recognized but sought after. I believe part of what made the look so unforgettable was how it pushed boundaries in a time when red carpet fashion was far more restrained. The boldness of the design demanded attention and sparked conversation.
Guo Pei and Rihanna
For 30 years, Chinese designer Guo Pei was creating couture widely unknown to Western audiences until Rihanna donned one of her designs for the 2015 theme, “China: Through the Looking Glass”. The yellow dress, though nicknamed the “omelette dress” by the internet for its resemblance to the dish, went viral and made the world notice Guo’s work. While the humor drew people like me in, the dress ultimately kept attention because of the craftsmanship and scale of the design.
“Rihanna wearing my design had a great impact – and the international fashion industry gained a new understanding of me,” Guo told The Guardian. She says that finding fame was “completely unexpected” and showed how the Met Gala can launch or elevate designers overnight.
Thanks to this viral moment, Guo expanded visibility for Chinese couture in Western fashion spaces and cemented her as a serious designer on a global scale. Guo now operates her own Beijing-based atelier, Rose Studio, employing hundreds of artisans to create highly intricate, handcrafted gowns.
Tommy Hilfiger and Zendaya
Since her rise to fame, Zendaya has graced red carpets with one iconic look after another along with the help of her stylist Law Roach. Their famous partnership brings major attention to the featured designers. In 2019, Zendaya had a Cinderella moment for the Gala themed “Camp: Notes on Fashion.” The actress glowed on the carpet when she wore a custom Tommy Hilfiger gown that lit up and transformed into a glowing blue.
While Tommy Hilfiger had already created a name for himself in the fashion industry, that name was synonymous with casual sportwear and accessible fashion as opposed to haute couture. Following his success at the Met Gala, the designer created a collection with Zendaya that “[would] undoubtedly bring a fresh perspective to Hilfiger’s empire” according to Vogue Runway.
In creating this iconic look and strengthening the move with the partnership, Hilfiger demonstrated relevance in a space dominated by luxury, reinforced his creative range and put him in high-fashion conversations. By capturing attention in such a memorable way, this Met Gala moment helped translate that buzz into a collaboration that felt both relevant and credible, proving that virality can open the door for lasting creative partnerships.
The Met Gala is not just a showcase of celebrity style – it is a global stage for designers to elevate, define or reinvent their place in the fashion industry. The celebrities may be the ones wearing the looks, but it is the designers who shape the narrative and turn an appearance into a career-defining moment. With this year’s Gala approaching, I certainly cannot wait to see which designers step into the spotlight for “Costume Art”.
