Met Gala Co-Chairs Over the Years: From ASAP Rocky to Pharrell and Beyond
The talk of the town! Since the 1940s, the annual Met Gala has stood as the pinnacle of fashion, making the title of co-chair highly sought after.
Founded in 1948, the Met Gala aimed to raise funds for the newly established Costume Institute. Alongside long-time partner Vogue, the gala has grown into the most anticipated night in the fashion realm.
Since the early 1970s, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute has hosted the gala along with its fashion exhibition. Before that, the event took place at various iconic New York City locations, including the Waldorf-Astoria, Central Park, and the Rainbow Room.
The tradition of celebrity and socialite co-chairs began in 1973. That year featured two events: one in March and another in December, with Phyllis Ellsworth Dillon leading the latter (the theme was “The 10s, the 20s, the 30s: Inventive Clothes: 1909–1939.”)
Philanthropist Jane Engelhard co-chaired the “Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design” event in 1974 and the “American Women of Style” gala in 1975, before Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis took on the role in 1976.
It wasn’t until 1995 that Vogue’s editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, joined as chairperson for the Costume Institute. Since 1997, she has co-chaired every Met Gala held in New York City, although in 2021, she stepped back to become the honorary co-chair for the first time.
“I was truly honored when they first invited me to be involved [with the gala],” Wintour shared with the Business of Fashion in April 2017. “There’s such a tradition of Vogue supporting the Met. I have a great affection for it, and we’ve expanded it beyond the society-centric focus it had during Mrs. [Diana] Vreeland’s era to embrace the broader fashion world.”
In the early 2000s, Nicole Kidman became one of the first Hollywood stars to receive an invitation from Wintour to co-chair. The honor has evolved over the years, with the 2021 co-chair list featuring actors, athletes, and designers.
Poet Amanda Gorman joined Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, and Naomi Osaka as co-chairs for the gala’s return in September 2021, following the cancellation of the 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (The 2021 gala was rescheduled to September as the virus continued to impact global events.)
“We want attendees to have fun and enjoy dressing up once more,” Wintour stated during a Good Morning America appearance that month. “We’re hoping to see more independence, individuality, and a spirit that breaks the norms.”
Ahead of the 2022 gala, Wintour reflected on the event’s legacy: “What I find wonderful about the Met is its incredible mix. While some may lean towards fantastical designs on Monday night, true fashion enthusiasts will witness an astounding variety on the carpet,” she said in an April 2022 interview with the Washington Post. “Within that variety, you’ll find exquisite couture and ready-to-wear by exceptional designers. Not everything is extravagant or outlandish, by any means.”
In January 2023, it was announced that Dua Lipa, Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel, Roger Federer, and Wintour would co-chair the event on the first Monday in May, themed “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” in honor of the late fashion designer.
Scroll down to see all the celebrities who have collaborated with Wintour to host and chair fashion’s most significant night of the year:
