10 Shocking Met Gala Moments: Kendall Jenner’s Most Viral And Controversial Looks, Ranked

Contents

Kendall Jenner’s decade-long domination of the Met Gala red carpet is a masterclass in fashion evolution, controversy, and high-stakes glamour. As one of the world’s highest-paid supermodels, her annual appearance at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala is one of the most anticipated moments in fashion, consistently delivering looks that spark global conversation and trend on social media. This comprehensive look, updated for the current date of December 22, 2025, dissects every single one of her iconic ensembles, from her humble 2014 debut to the groundbreaking vintage moment of the 2024 gala, offering a deep dive into the designers, themes, and the viral drama that followed.

Her style journey at the event reflects her transition from a reality TV star to a bona fide high-fashion muse, collaborating with legendary designers like Virgil Abloh and Donatella Versace to perfectly interpret the evening’s often challenging themes. We break down the full history of her Met Gala appearances, ranking the most memorable and dissecting the details that cemented her status as a red carpet icon.

Kendall Jenner: A Brief Biography and Career Profile

Kendall Nicole Jenner is an American model, socialite, and media personality who achieved global fame through her family’s reality television show, *Keeping Up with the Kardashians*.

  • Full Name: Kendall Nicole Jenner
  • Date of Birth: November 3, 1995
  • Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
  • Parents: Kris Jenner (née Houghton) and Caitlyn Jenner (formerly Bruce Jenner)
  • Siblings: Kylie Jenner, and half-siblings Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob Kardashian, and Burt, Casey, Brandon, and Brody Jenner.
  • Career Debut: Began modeling at age 14.
  • Breakthrough: Secured high-fashion runway spots for major designers and houses, including Marc Jacobs, Chanel, and Givenchy.
  • Major Achievement: Named the world’s highest-paid model by *Forbes* in 2017, surpassing Gisele Bündchen.
  • Other Ventures: Co-founder of the tequila brand 818 Tequila.

Ranking Kendall Jenner’s Most Iconic Met Gala Looks (2014–2024)

Kendall Jenner has attended the Met Gala every year since her debut in 2014 (with the exception of 2020, when the event was canceled due to the pandemic). Her looks have consistently pushed boundaries, often leaning into sheer fabrics, dramatic cutouts, and bespoke collaborations.

1. 2024: The Vintage Givenchy That Broke the Internet

The 2024 Met Gala, themed "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" with a "The Garden of Time" dress code, saw Kendall deliver her most unique look to date.

  • Designer: Vintage Givenchy Haute Couture (Spring/Summer 1999)
  • Theme: "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" / "The Garden of Time"
  • The Look: A sheer black gown featuring a deeply plunging neckline, sculptural shoulders, and a dramatic cutout detail at the waist and back.
  • The Shock Factor: Jenner was the first person in history to wear this specific dress, designed by Alexander McQueen during his tenure at Givenchy. The gown was a true "Sleeping Beauty" reawakened from the Givenchy archives, perfectly aligning with the museum’s theme and providing a fresh, archival moment.

2. 2017: The Naked Dress Made of a Single Thread

In a year celebrating a visionary designer, Kendall opted for a look that was more about engineering and shocking transparency than volume.

  • Designer: La Perla Haute Couture (Creative Director Julia Haart)
  • Theme: "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between"
  • The Look: A sheer, glistening black mesh "naked dress" with a dramatic front cutout and a completely backless design, famously revealing a black thong.
  • The Shock Factor: The dress was reportedly made from a single piece of string and adorned with 85,000 hand-painted crystals, taking over 160 hours to create. It was her most controversial "naked dress" look, dominating headlines for its daring construction and sheer audacity.

3. 2023: The Karl Lagerfeld Tribute and the 'No-Pants' Trend

For the tribute to the late Karl Lagerfeld, Kendall chose a bold, pants-less ensemble that channeled a modern, athletic take on high fashion.

  • Designer: Marc Jacobs
  • Theme: "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty"
  • The Look: A black, sparkly leotard or one-piece with dramatic, voluminous sleeves and a high, structured collar. She wore towering platform boots and no trousers, embracing the "no-pants" trend.
  • The Shock Factor: The look was a distinct departure from the expected Chanel tweed and pearls, instead offering a contemporary, almost athletic interpretation of Lagerfeld’s influence, sparking debate over its adherence to the theme.

4. 2019: The Camp Feathered Fantasy

The "Camp" theme encouraged maximalism, and Kendall delivered a colorful, over-the-top ensemble alongside her sister, Kylie Jenner.

  • Designer: Versace
  • Theme: "Camp: Notes on Fashion"
  • The Look: A vibrant orange feathered gown with dramatic shoulder plumes, a plunging neckline, and matching feathered sleeves. She and Kylie wore coordinating feathered looks in orange and purple, respectively.
  • The Shock Factor: The look was pure visual spectacle and a true embrace of the camp aesthetic, providing a memorable, colorful contrast to her typically minimalist style.

5. 2022: Gilded Glamour and Bleached Brows

This appearance was defined less by the dress and more by a striking, unexpected beauty choice.

  • Designer: Prada
  • Theme: "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" / Dress Code: "Gilded Glamour"
  • The Look: A sheer black netted top paired with a voluminous, ruched black skirt.
  • The Shock Factor: Jenner bleached her eyebrows to create a dramatic, ethereal, and slightly unsettling look that instantly went viral, completely altering her appearance and becoming one of the most talked-about beauty transformations of the night.

Kendall’s Complete Met Gala Fashion Evolution (2014–2021)

Tracing the evolution of Kendall’s style reveals a steady move from classic elegance to high-concept, avant-garde fashion, always staying true to the event's theme.

  • 2021: Sheer Opulence in Givenchy
    • Designer: Givenchy (Creative Director Matthew M. Williams)
    • Theme: "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion"
    • The Look: A sheer, crystal-embellished gown with dramatic shoulder pads, a direct nod to the iconic dress Audrey Hepburn wore in *My Fair Lady*. The dress reportedly took over 2,500 hours of work.
  • 2018: The Off-White Pantsuit
    • Designer: Off-White (Virgil Abloh)
    • Theme: "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination"
    • The Look: A custom, off-the-shoulder white silk pantsuit with a long, dramatic tulle train and matching white tulle gloves. It was a minimalist, modern interpretation of the religious theme.
  • 2016: Futuristic Versace
    • Designer: Versace
    • Theme: "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology"
    • The Look: A futuristic, cut-out mosaic gown in silver and blue, perfectly capturing the intersection of technology and fashion.
  • 2015: Old Hollywood Glamour in Calvin Klein
    • Designer: Calvin Klein Collection
    • Theme: "China: Through the Looking Glass"
    • The Look: A jade-colored lace-up gown, a more simple yet elegant look that showcased her supermodel physique.
  • 2014: The Debut in Topshop
    • Designer: Topshop
    • Theme: "Charles James: Beyond Fashion"
    • The Look: A simple, strapless, blush-toned silk gown that marked her official arrival on the Met Gala carpet.

The Viral Moments and Controversies

Beyond the fashion, Kendall Jenner's Met Gala appearances have generated several viral moments, often centered around her interactions on the red carpet.

The most famous of these moments occurred in 2017 and 2018, when videos surfaced showing the model seemingly interacting aggressively with individuals near her on the carpet. In both years, clips of her appearing to push or slightly shove a security guard or an assistant to clear space for her photographs went viral on social media platforms. These moments, while often debated as simple missteps or security protocol, became instant memes and contributed to her image as a fiercely focused celebrity determined to get the perfect red-carpet shot. The sheer audacity of her "naked dress" in 2017 also became a major talking point, proving that sometimes, the most controversial moments are simply the ones that are the most revealing.

kendall jenner met gala
kendall jenner met gala

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