For a long time, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were the most consistent champions of vintage on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, wearing pieces from the Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, and Paco Rabanne archives over the years. Happily, vintage has become increasingly popular on the first Monday of May. Take Marilyn Monroe, who had a major archival moment in 2022 in the Jean-Louis gown she wore when she sang “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” to John F. Kennedy in 1962.
The 2023 Met Gala theme, “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” saw a whole host of vintage looks on the red carpet in tribute to the late designer Karl Lagerfeld, as seen on the likes of Nicole Kidman, Naomi Campbell, and Dua Lipa. Given that this year’s theme is “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” which references archival looks that are too fragile to ever be worn again, expect to see A-listers embracing vintage (and recreations) once again this year.
Until then, take a look back at all the best vintage looks at the Met Gala to date, from Beyoncé’s sheer Valentino gown from 1992 to Rihanna’s matching vintage Chanel looks sourced from the Chanel archives.
