By Cara Sprunk
6:28pm PDT, Sep 13, 2021
The Met Gala is fashion's biggest night of the year! The annual New York City ball benefits the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute and celebrates the opening of a special yearly fashion exhibit that sets the tone for the night's style. Along with Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, almost every year brings a celebrity co-chair. 2021's Met Gala on Sept. 13 featured a very young crop of four — music star Billie Eilish, poet Amanda Gorman, actor Timothée Chalamet and tennis champ Naomi Osaka. They're seen here posing together all dressed to celebrate this year's theme: "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion."
Join Wonderwall.com as we look back at the other stars who've previously served as Met Gala co-chairs…
RELATED: Most buzz-worthy looks of Met Galas past
Nicole Kidman kicked things off in 2003, becoming the first Met Gala celebrity co-chair. 2003 also marked Nicole's first appearance at the gala. Naturally, she sparkled (alongside guest Adrien Brody) in a gold one-shoulder Gucci by Tom Ford gown, perfect for that year's theme: "Goddess: The Classical Mode."
RELATED: Best accessories from Met Galas past
In 2006, Sienna Miller walked the Met Gala red carpet in a liquid gold sequined Burberry dress designed by Christopher Bailey (who co-chaired the event with her). The English actress was a perfect choice for co-chair considering that year's theme: "AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion." She loved her dress so much that she even re-wore it for a night out in December 2018 — more than 12 years later.
Cate Blanchett wore a shimmering gold Balenciaga gown when she co-chaired the Met Gala in 2007 as it celebrated the theme "Poiret: King of Fashion." Coincidentally, years later in the 2018 movie "Oceans 8," Cate played a con artist who participates in an elaborate jewel heist at the Met Gala.
In 2008, George Clooney was one of two celebrity co-chairs for the "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy"-themed Met Gala. He attended with then-girlfriend Sarah Larson. That year's designer co-chair was Giorgio Armani, a favorite of George's — he wore an Armani tux on his wedding day!
Julia Roberts was a co-chair with George Clooney for the 2008 Met Gala, which is frequently known as the Oscars of fashion. She wore Armani Privé and arrived on designer Giorgio Armani's arm.
Supermodel Kate Moss took on co-chairing duties at the 2009 Met Gala, which celebrated the theme "Model as Muse." She walked the red carpet in a Marc Jacobs lamé dress and custom YSL pumps and accessorized her frock with a turban by Stephen Jones and a brooch by Harry Winston.
Justin Timberlake worked alongside Kate Moss in 2009 to co-chair the "Model As Muse"-themed Met Gala. The pop star walked the red carpet with then-girlfriend (now-wife) Jessica Biel, who wore a strapless Versace gown.
2010's Met Gala boasted Oprah Winfrey as a co-chair. The media titan walked the red carpet with fashion designer Oscar de la Renta. Oprah was a fitting host for that year's theme, "American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity."
In 2011, Colin Firth co-chaired the event alongside Anna Wintour, who runs things every year, and designer Stella McCartney. The British actor walked the red carpet with then-wife Livia Giuggioli, who wore a jumpsuit with a detachable skirt from Stella's fashion collection. Another British designer inspired that year's theme: "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty."
Carey Mulligan took on co-chairing duties in 2012 with designer Miuccia Prada (and honorary co-chair Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon) to honor the exhibit "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations." Carey, who naturally wore Prada to the event, was chosen in part because she's a fan of the designer.
Rooney Mara worked alongside Lauren Santo Domingo of Moda Operandi and Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci to chair the 2013 Met Gala, which featured the theme "PUNK: Chaos to Couture." Rooney wore Givenchy that night.
Beyonce was named honorary co-chair of the 2013 Met Gala. Like event co-chair Rooney Mara, she also wore Givenchy Haute Couture, designed by co-chair Riccardo Tisci. The singer has been regularly attending the epic event since 2008.
The 2014 Met Gala celebrated the "Charles James: Beyond Fashion" exhibit and welcomed Bradley Cooper as one of the celebrity co-chairpersons. He wore a Tom Ford tux and attended with then-girlfriend Suki Waterhouse, though they did not walk the red carpet together.
Along with Bradley Cooper, Sarah Jessica Parker also co-chaired the Met Gala in 2014. The fashion maven wore a two-tone duchesse satin gown by Oscar de la Renta. "Did you see his name on the back?" SJP asked at the event, showing off the designer's signature in red across the gown's tail. Keep reading to see it for yourself…
"I said to Mr. de la Renta, 'Please let me use scarlet embroidery thread, and splash your name across the back.' It was my idea. He would never in a million years have done it, he's far too modest," 2014 Met Gala co-chairperson Sarah Jessica Parker said.
Anna Wintour tapped Jennifer Lawrence to assist her with chairperson duties in 2015. To celebrate the theme "China: Through the Looking Glass," J.Law wore a Dior cherry blossom-embroidered gown. Despite her role, Jennifer told E! that she does not consider herself terribly fashionable. "I really would not call myself a fashion icon. I would call myself somebody who gets dressed by professionals. [It's like,] 'Dance, monkey, dance' right on the red carpet.' I would call me more of a monkey."
Taylor Swift co-chaired the Met Gala in 2016. In fitting with the theme, "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology," the pop star wore a metallic gown by Louis Vuitton. A month earlier, Taylor's third Vogue cover debuted. "I'm thrilled that it's Taylor Swift, who's my co-chair this year at the Met Gala," Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour said on "Today." "We very much wanted to give Taylor a new look, make her into a sort of a rock 'n' roll chick." The look clearly carried over to the gala itself.
Taylor Swift was aided by Idris Elba for the 2016 Met Gala fundraiser. "I'm actually a bit of a tech geek, so when I was asked to co-host this particular event, with the 'Manus x Machina' show setting the tone, I was super-excited," Idris, who wore Tom Ford, told Vogue.
As a co-chair of fashion's biggest night in 2017, Gisele Bundchen wore a pewter embroidered gown by Stella McCartney with a large cut-out over her back.
Gisele Bundchen's husband, Tom Brady, wasn't just escorting her at the 2017 Met Gala — he was also a co-chair himself. The NFL quarterback wore a gray velvet Tom Ford tuxedo to match his wife, whose look he described as "bootylicious" in a red carpet interview with Vogue's André Leon Talley.
Katy Perry was also a co-chair at the "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between"-themed Met Gala in 2017. The pop star went all out in a red ensemble featuring a veil, all by Maison Margiela by John Galliano.
Pharrell Williams rounded out the four celebrity co-hosts of the 2017 Met Gala. The musician and producer wore a very dressed-down outfit by Comme des Garçons. "There should be no boundaries — I learned that from Comme des Garçons," he said in 2014, Vogue reported.
For the 2018 Met Gala, Amal Clooney served as co-chair 10 years after her husband did. The British human rights attorney walked the red carpet in a hybrid look comprised of trousers and a rose-covered skirt by English designer Richard Quinn then changed into a red mosaic gown by Tom Ford once inside the event.
Rihanna was the other celebrity co-chair at the 2018 Met Gala, and she went all out in honor of that year's theme: "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination." The singer interpreted it quite literally with a papal-inspired look by Margiela, complete with a mitre hat, Christian Louboutin heels, earrings by Maria Tash and Cartier jewels.
