Cher captivated attendees at the Met Gala on May 4 with a bold all-black ensemble that paid tribute to her legendary ‘naked’ dress from 1974. The 79-year-old icon made her first red carpet appearance at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art since 2015.
Details of Cher’s Custom Burberry Look
Cher donned a custom design by Burberry’s Daniel Lee, featuring a long silk-tulle twisted dress with semi-sheer fabric and a dramatic floor-sweeping train. She paired it with a leather corset and a cropped leather jacket boasting structured shoulders and black crystal embellishments.
This outfit directly referenced the feather-trimmed sheer jumpsuit crafted by her longtime collaborator Bob Mackie for her Met Gala debut in 1974.
Cher Reflects on Her Groundbreaking 1974 Appearance
Reflecting on that pioneering look, Cher stated, “At the first Met Gala, I was naked, and so many people were upset about it, but now people wouldn’t even give it a thought. I was real skinny, so there was nothing really showing.”
She also shared her favorite aspect of the event: “I love to see people expressing themselves and it gives me ideas and encouragement about the generations that are coming up.”
Bob Mackie’s Memories of the 1974 Frenzy
In 2025, Bob Mackie recalled the chaos surrounding Cher’s 1974 entrance, saying, “The place went crazy. I’ve never seen so many photographers just come out of the shadows at the Met and take her picture.” He added, “And, of course, she was in every newspaper the next day, and they’ve been printing it in the last 50 years, over and over again.”
Cher’s Met Gala History
Cher has graced the Met Gala carpet just three times, starting with her debut in 1974. She returned in 2015 for the ‘China: Through the Looking Glass’ theme, wearing a low-cut sequin gown by Marc Jacobs and bringing the designer as her date.
In 2019, she skipped the carpet but delivered a standout performance of her hits in a sheer black jumpsuit, black leather jacket, and blue wig, as captured in clips shared by Gwen Stefani.
This Year’s Theme and Leadership
The 2026 Met Gala embraced the ‘Costume Art’ theme with a ‘Fashion is Art’ dress code. Co-chairs included Anna Wintour, Nicole Kidman, Beyoncé, and Venus Williams. Curator Andrew Bolton’s vision delved into the interplay between clothing and the body it adorns.
