It’s the first Monday in May— you know what that means, it’s time for the Met Gala! Taking place annually (well, except when it skipped a year due to COVID), the Met Gala is a fundraising benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. This year, the exhibition taking place is “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” which is the second part to last year’s “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion. The theme of tonight’s event is “Gilded Age Glamor,” which will hopefully be an opulent mix of corsetry, bustles, headwear and hoop skirts. 

In honor of the big event, let’s take a walk down memory lane and rediscover some art inspired looks from years past.

Ariana Grande in Vera Wang

For 2018’s Met Gala theme, ‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’, Grande graced the red carpet in a stunning Vera Wang gown, decorated with the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Adorning herself in one of the most famous Catholic chapels of all time made for quite a memorable look. 

Janelle Monae in Christian Siriano

For 2019’s Met Gala theme ‘Notes on Camp’, singer Janelle Monae’s dress also provided some notes on Picasso. Her dress was a direct reference to the artist, stating that she “particularly…wanted to highlight Picasso’s African Period in the early 1900s.”

Ezra Miller in Burberry

Actor Ezra Miller was serving surrealism all night at the 2019 Met Gala. His trippy mask and makeup look hearken back to self portraits by the gender bending photographer Calude Cahun. 

Dan Levy in Loewe

The Schitt’s Creek actor arrived on last year’s Met Gala red carpet in a custom Loewe look inspired by artist and activist, David Wojnarowicz. Acting as a commentary on the AIDS crisis in America, Loewe’s Johnathan Anderson adapted two of Wojnarowicz’s pieces into Levy’s jacket and clutch.