Cara Delevingne doesn't just walk a red carpet. She haunts it, mocks it, and usually ends up being the only person actually following the dress code while everyone else plays it safe in "pretty" gowns. If you've ever scrolled through photos of the Cara Delevingne Met Gala history, you know she’s basically the final boss of the First Monday in May. From showing up with a silver-painted bald head to "Peg the Patriarchy" vests that nearly broke the internet, she’s become the Met's resident agent of chaos.
But there’s a lot more to her appearances than just "shock value." People often think she’s just trying to be weird for the sake of it. Honestly? Most of her choices are deeply rooted in her relationships with designers like Karl Lagerfeld and Maria Grazia Chiuri. She’s one of the few celebrities who treats the Met Gala like a performance art piece rather than a photo op.
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The "Gilded Glamour" Reveal That Went Viral
Let’s talk about 2022. The theme was Gilded Glamour. Most stars showed up in corsets and tiaras, looking like they stepped out of an HBO period drama. Cara? She showed up in a blood-red Dior Haute Couture suit with a walking stick. Cool, right? Then she took the jacket off.
Underneath, she was completely topless, her skin coated in shimmering gold body paint and gold pasties. It was a literal interpretation of the "gilded" theme that felt both punk rock and high fashion. But if you looked closely—and many did—you could see her psoriasis patches peeking through the gold.
She didn't hide them. In a world of Facetune and "perfect" skin, showing up to the biggest fashion event on earth with a visible autoimmune flare-up was a massive moment for skin positivity. It wasn't just a costume; it was a statement about reality.
That "Peg the Patriarchy" Controversy
In 2021, Cara wore a white Dior bulletproof-style vest with the phrase "Peg the Patriarchy" emblazoned across the chest. It was the most-searched look of the night. People were confused. People were mad. People were obsessed.
She told Keke Palmer on the red carpet that it was about "sticking it to the man." However, this look came with a side of drama that wasn't on the guest list.
- The Credit Issue: Sex educator Luna Matatas had actually trademarked that phrase years prior.
- The Meaning: While Cara framed it as general "girl power," Matatas’ original intent was a metaphor for subverting gender binaries.
- The Backlash: Critics argued that Dior (a multi-billion dollar house) co-opting a phrase from a queer educator of color without credit felt a bit "un-feminist."
Whether you loved the vest or hated the appropriation, it forced a conversation about who "owns" activism in fashion. It wasn't just a pretty outfit; it was a lightning rod.
Camp, Rainbows, and 600 Hours of Tulle
When the 2019 theme was Camp: Notes on Fashion, Cara went full circus. She wore a sheer rainbow-striped Dior jumpsuit that took roughly 600 hours to construct. But the real star was the headpiece. Designed by artist Machine Dazzle, it featured:
- Plastic bananas
- Fried eggs
- Chattering teeth
- Eyeballs
- Disembodied fingers
It was ridiculous. It was hideous. It was perfect. "Camp" is about the love of the unnatural and the exaggerated, and while other stars were struggling to define the term, Cara was literally wearing a fruit salad on her head.
The Chanel Muse Era
You can't talk about Cara at the Met without mentioning her bond with the late Karl Lagerfeld. She was his ultimate muse, often the "bride" in his Chanel runway shows. In 2017, for the "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons" theme, she had recently shaved her head for a movie role. Instead of wearing a wig, she painted her scalp silver and studded it with Swarovski crystals.
She looked like a sci-fi princess in a silver Chanel suit. It was a moment of total vulnerability turned into high-tech armor. Then, in 2023, she returned to pay tribute to Karl after his passing, wearing a reimagined white shirt-dress and fingerless gloves—his signature uniform—but made it her own with a dramatic cape and shaggy silver hair. It felt like a goodbye.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that Cara is "disrespectful" to the event because she rarely wears a traditional ballgown. She’s been attending since 2011 (when she debuted in a simple tan Burberry dress). Since then, she’s leaned into androgyny.
She wears suits because she feels powerful in them. Her hairstylist, Mara Roszak, once noted that Cara feels most like herself when she's pushing boundaries. Choosing a suit over a gown isn't a "lack of effort"—it's a conscious choice to challenge the hyper-femininity usually expected on that red carpet.
Why Her Met Gala Legacy Matters
Cara Delevingne’s Met Gala history is a timeline of someone figuring out how to be a person in front of a thousand cameras. She moved from the "it-girl" in lace dresses to an activist in bulletproof vests and a gold-painted rebel.
She uses the platform to talk about:
- Gender Equality: Using slogans and silhouettes to blur lines.
- Mental and Physical Health: Being open about her struggles and her skin.
- Creative Freedom: Working with artists like Machine Dazzle rather than just "safe" stylists.
Insights for Fashion Enthusiasts
If you're looking to draw inspiration from Cara's "Met style" without actually painting your entire body gold for your next party, here is the takeaway:
- Tailoring is a Power Move: A well-fitted suit can be more "glamorous" than a gown. Focus on the silhouette and fabric (like the red satin Dior) to keep it formal.
- Accessories are the Narrative: Whether it’s a cane, a massive headpiece, or crystal-encrusted skin, the "extra" details are what tell the story.
- Don't Hide the "Flaws": If Cara can walk the Met Gala with psoriasis on display, you can definitely rock your natural skin texture at your next event.
- The Theme is the Assignment: If you're going to a themed event, don't be afraid to be the "weirdest" person in the room. History only remembers the people who actually tried.
To see the evolution for yourself, you should look up the archival footage of her 2014 appearance with Rihanna and Stella McCartney. It was the moment she transitioned from "model" to "personality," and she hasn't looked back since. Check out the official Met Museum digital archives to see the construction details of that 2019 Dior jumpsuit—the hand-stitching on those satin bands is actually insane when you see the close-ups.