Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty in 2011 became a Met Gala themes by year complete list landmark — emotional designer retrospectives now anchor the franchise every few seasons.

Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination in 2018 drew record crowds — the Met Gala themes by year complete list entry that merged vestments with Vatican loans.

Camp: Notes on Fashion in 2019 turned Susan Sontag into a dress code — maximalist celebrity responses made it the most memed Met Gala themes by year complete list night of the decade.

Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty in 2023 honored Chanel and Fendi archives — a Met Gala themes by year complete list chapter where white ponytails and tweed ruled the carpet.

Costume Art with dress code Fashion Is Art leads the Met Gala themes by year complete list in 2026 — May 4 gala, May 10 public opening, pairing garments with fine art across five thousand years.