Every year on the first Monday in May, an event takes place in New York that echoes for weeks: the Met Gala. Held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Met Gala is a fundraising event organized to benefit the museum’s Costume Institute. Each year, a unique theme is chosen for that year, and participants showcase their creative outfits that fit this theme.
However, what makes this event truly extraordinary is not just the costumes worn by the guests; the entire setting is dressed in a way that complements each other. The chosen theme of the Met Gala also influences the architectural decorations within the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The chosen theme of the Met Gala also influences the architectural decorations within the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Since 2007, the designer behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s transformation for each year’s Met Gala theme has been Raul Avila. The famous designer and his team design spaces that feel like art installations with their fascinating designs, transforming the museum into more than just a gala dinner. Their designs blend fashion and architecture, featuring everything from grand sculptures and theme-appropriate lighting to custom-made furniture and thematic decor.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a museum located in New York City that offers a collection of art. The construction of the museum, which reflects different cultures and histories, began in the 1870s. Its façade, filled with Corinthian columns and 19th-century New York character, exemplifies the Beaux-Arts architectural style.
The monumental stone facade was completed in 1902 and serves as the main stage for the Met Gala’s red carpet ceremony. The Great Hall, where the Met Gala guests are hosted, makes the reception impressive for the guests with its high ceiling and large columns. The sweeping marble staircase that ascends from the entrance hall forms the main axis of the red carpet procession. Located in the Sackler Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Temple of Dendur, an ancient Egyptian structure, serves as the dining area for the Met Gala. Every detail, from the decorations to the tableware, is carefully chosen to reflect the theme of that year.
Here are 10 iconic interior decor installations designed for the Met Gala:
2025 Met Gala – Superfine: Tailoring Black Style
Held on Monday, May 5, 2025, the Met Gala celebrated this year’s theme by referencing the fashion tradition of dandyism among Black men, honoring how the style of Black identity can be shaped. At the Met Gala, where many celebrities and attendees wore costumes in line with this theme, the interior design transformed the theme “Tailoring Black Style” into a physical setting.
The inspiration for the gala décor was Cy Gavin’s abstract painting “Untitled (Sky). The painting, created by the artist inspired by a daffodil field, consists of daffodil flowers drawn from different angles and resembling stars. It was projected onto the ceiling of the Temple of Dendur.
The painting, combined with the magnificent setting of the Met Gala, added an artistic touch to the event and increased the magic of the night. The painting also influenced the design of the red carpet covering the stairs. The carpet was designed in midnight blue with yellow flower prints, inspired by the artwork.
Tony award-winning stage designer Derek McLane and event planner Raul Àvila, who undertook the design of the magnificent Great Hall of the Met Gala, turned Untitled (Sky) into a setting. More than 7,000 daffodil flowers were attached to the ceiling with invisible threads, creating the effect of a sky full of stars.
2024 Met Gala – Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion
Chosen in connection with the Costume Institute’s exhibition of the same name, the 2024 Met Gala theme also shaped the interior design, creating a mesmerizing atmosphere for attendees. The interior design, which has a structure reflecting the temporal cycle of nature and the evolution of fashion, transformed the museum’s Great Hall into a dreamlike forest with magical trees.
The Great Hall, divided into three separate garden zones: the garden of dawn with powder-toned flowers, the autumn garden with flowers close to fading, and the twilight forest with dark tones indicating the period of decay, used live and dried flowers together. The “beautiful and mysterious” tree centerpiece designed by Raul Avila was inspired by Pre-Raphaelite paintings and took six months to complete.
The Temple of Dendur was adorned with English ivy, shamans, and deep red roses, while the entrance was decorated with moss-covered trees.
The magical effect of the space was further enhanced by lighting transitions that mimicked the natural daylight cycle. In addition to spotlights that emit different colors of light for sunrise, sunset, and night, a star effect was created with a fiber optic system integrated into the ceiling. A good example of how rebirth can be felt in a space, the Met Gala 2024 interior design, with reflected leaves, soft green lighting, and textured walls, transformed the space into a living fairy tale.
2023 – Karl Legerfled: A Line of Beauty
The Met Gala 2023 was held on Monday, May 1, 2023, with the theme of honoring the legacy of Karl Legerfled, one of the legendary names in the fashion world. In preparing the museum for the gala, designer Raul Àvila drew inspiration from Lagerfeld’s Parisian apartments. The interior was styled with vintage books, gilded chandeliers, and hand-painted lace dinnerware, reflecting Lagerfeld’s elegant and sophisticated aesthetic.
One of the standout features of the 2023 decor was the red carpet, designed in white with red and blue stripes, referencing a “line of beauty.” Another striking focal point of the 2023 Met Gala was the centerpiece in the Grand Hall designed by Tadao Ando. What made this piece special was that it was made from thousands of recycled water bottles. Thus, considering today’s climate, the importance of everyday items having more than one life cycle was emphasized. Tadao Ando also designed the exhibition Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.
2022 – In America: An Anthology of Fashion
The 2022 Met Gala, with its theme chosen to take into account the splendor of the Gilded Age period in the late 19th century, attracted attention with its interior design as well as the fashion exhibited. Reflecting the splendor of the Gilded Age period, gold tones and pastel colors were predominantly preferred in the museum. Everything from the wall and ceiling decorations to the furniture used was in keeping with the theme. Guests dined on vintage-patterned plates supplied by Johnson Hartig of Libertine.
In the Great Hall, which was decorated for the gala, there stood an oak tree made from recycled materials, surrounded by a wild wheat field. In addition to the tree, another centerpiece welcoming guests in the Grand Hall was the eternal enlightenment flame of the Statue of Liberty, designed by Richard Morris Hunt. This piece is a modern interpretation of America’s century-old symbol, placed on a base of red roses.
It features a spiral staircase ascending toward a glowing flame, evoking the abstract visual of the statue’s internal workings. This piece, exhibited at the 2022 Met Gala, unlike the other Great Hall Centerpieces, was displayed to the public for a few days after the Met Gala.
2019 – Camp: Notes on Fashion
The theme of the Met Gala held in 2019 was determined by Susan Sontag’s article Notes on Camp. Designed according to the theme, where the camp style emphasized elements such as artificiality, exaggeration, and irony, the museum became one of the most dramatic interiors of the Met Gala. Event designer Raul Àvila filled the interior with colorful, extravagant, and humor-filled details to reflect the exaggerated nature of the camp theme.
The Met’s grand staircase was entirely decorated in pink; the traditional red carpet was replaced with a pink one, and the walls covering the staircase were adorned with pink feathers. A giant 7.5-meter flamingo statue made of 30,000 pink flowers welcomed the guests entering the Grand Hall. This centerpiece, rising on a stand covered in pink roses, reflected the exaggeration of the camp theme.
The extravagant and intensely pink design extended to the table settings as well. Gone was any hint of simplicity, replaced by feathered lampshades, pink floral-patterned plates, and pink tablecloths.
2018 – Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and The Catholic Imagination
The iconic design of the 2018 Met Gala, which focused on the relationship between fashion and Catholic iconography, featured clothing borrowed from the Vatican and works inspired by Catholic imagery. Designed with the air of a cathedral, the museum’s staircase was decorated with thousands of candles to create a heavenly atmosphere.
The Great Hall was decorated in a rich scheme of red and gold, referencing the haloed emblems of the Catholic Church. The most striking piece at the 2018 Met Gala was Avila’s massive papal tiara sculpture, made from 80,000 roses, hanging above the dining room. Representing one of Catholicism’s most recognizable symbols, this dramatic installation enhanced the sacred aura of the space.
2017 – Rei Kawakubo/Commes des Garçons: Art of The “In Between”
The inspiration for the 2017 Met Gala, held on Monday, May 1, 2017, was Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo and her contributions to the fashion world. Featuring 120 womenswear pieces, the exhibition marked the first time in Met Gala history that a monographic show was dedicated to a living designer.
Kawakubo’s innovative and avant-garde style was the inspiration for the museum’s interior design. Raul Àvila, drawing from Kawakubo’s experimental aesthetic, incorporated floral motifs and graphic patterns into the interior decor. The stairs of the Met were covered with a blue and pink carpet. Avila’s inspiration for the carpet was the fluidity of Kawakubo’s Fall 2012 collection.
A giant violet statue, completely covered with roses, welcomed guests to the Great Hall. The 30-foot-tall sculpture stood atop a table made of camellias and boxwood, and took about a month to construct. The centerpiece was crafted with white roses at its core, surrounded by deep pink blooms.
The Temple of Dendur, where dinner was held, featured a pink-blue color palette. Guests walked between two floral walls made of dirty white flowers adorned with 3D dots. Tables covered in pink tablecloths held floral porcelain plates and plain glasses. The dining area was surrounded by a subdued wall of white rose hedges.
2016 – Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
Held on Monday, May 2, 2016, the Met Gala embraced the theme of exploring the impact of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology on fashion. Designer Raul Avila decorated the interior of the museum with floral and geometric patterns, reflecting the theme in a modern and impressive way.
The centerpiece in the Great Hall was a 20-meter-tall giant sculpture made of 80,000 red roses and 200,000 silk roses. Completed with laser-cut lace, this double helix structure showcased the union of technology and nature.
The entrance to the Temple of Dendur, where dinner was served, was through an arched floral gateway. The table settings inside the Temple featured neutral blue and lavender-toned tablecloths, with floral arrangements composed of red, burgundy, and lavender-hued roses.
2015 – China: Through the Looking Glass
The interior designed for the 2015 Met Gala, which aimed to explore how Chinese culture and aesthetics are reflected in Western fashion, was filled with exquisite details of Chinese art.
The most striking element of the interior design was a massive Ming vase installation in the Great Hall that greeted the guests. Inspired by the delicacy of Chinese porcelain art, this grand sculpture was made entirely of white and blue flowers. The carpet covering the museum’s staircases featured Eastern motifs, while the walls on both sides were decorated with bamboo and greenery.
For the dinner held at the Temple of Dendur, the walls were covered with hand-painted Chinese wallpaper by de Gournay. Wisteria flowers hanging from the ceiling added an elegant touch to the space, and the table settings prominently featured elements unique to Chinese culture.
2013 – Punk: Chaos to Couture
The Met Gala 2013, which had a theme emphasizing the influence of punk culture on fashion, presented an exhibition that showcased the evolution of punk fashion. Raul Avila, the designer responsible for the interiors of the Met Gala, designed the museum to reflect the rebellious and impressive spirit of punk.
The grand staircase of the venue, where patterns and colors reflecting punk culture are at the forefront, was covered with a red carpet. The walls flanking the staircase were decorated with motifs of the American and British flags, the two main centers of punk culture.
These flags were crafted using a total of 300,000 roses. The centerpiece in the grand hall was a giant chandelier specially brought from London and made with 14,000 razor blades. Designed by Simon Kenya, this chandelier measured approximately 12 by 7 meters and captured the rebellious essence of punk aesthetics.
