What happens to Met Gala outfits after the red carpet event?

Met Gala, formally known as the Costume Institute Benefit, is an annual haute couture fundraising festival organised for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Fashion's biggest night is hosted on the first Monday of May every year, marking the opening of the Costume Institute's annual fashion exhibit hosted in Manhattan.
The 2025 Met Gala will be held on May 5 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York with the theme being, "Tailored for You." Interested viewers can watch the event on online platforms such as at Vogue's official YouTube channel from 6 p.m. EST.
Following the dress code, some of the most popular celebrities across the globe will be gracing the famed steps of the museum in their fashionable best to pose in front of thousands of cameras. Over the years of Met Gala history, we have seen some extravagant outfits worn by celebrities be it Rihanna's fur-trimmed cape by Guo Pei in 2015 or Lana Del Ray's veiled wall of thorns piece by Alexander McQueen. But, have you ever wondered what happened to these one-of-a-kind custom pieces after they have been worn at the gala? Here's the truth about what happens to the Met Gala outfits after the red carpet event.

Many of these bespoke ensembles become a vital part of the fashion history. The most striking and relevant outfits find a home in the permanent collection of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In some cases, the outfits may be donated to other museums as well for their exhibitions.

It may be unknown to many that the price for the Met Gala tickets of many celebrities is paid for by the brand they wear on the red carpet. Some of the world's top designers and fashion houses create custom pieces for celebrities that become the talk of the town and thus, they end up keeping these pieces in their own fashion archives. They serve as symbols of the fashion prowess and vision of these masterful creators, substantiating their ability to innovate and create.

While this is a rare occurrence, it is not unthinkable. Many celebrities end up buying their Met Gala outfits to include in their wardrobes as one of their iconic fashion moments. These can be repeated in future events or later on, be sold at auctions at whopping prices.

Celebrities who walk the sustainable and eco-friendly path, usually opt to repurpose or recycle their outfits into more wearable costumes that they can make use of in the future. This allows them to still carry the name of the brand on the ensemble but make it more appropriate for occasions other than the Met Gala.

In the Met Gala, which celebrity wore which designer is an intriguing question. While some celebrities approach designers and pay for their fits, sometimes it's vice versa and in extremely rare occasions both make a call for not making the process a financial transaction but rather building a personal bond. This helps the celebrity in sporting the popular brand and the brand gets to feed off their fame. In such cases, it so happens that fashion houses end up gifting the bespoke creation to the celebrities as a gesture of forging a long-lasting relationship, but it may depend on the kind of equation they end up sharing.