If ever a cultural circus that encapsulated all elements of the zeitgeist were to exist, it would look a lot like the Met Gala.

The annual fundraiser, which is held on the first Monday in May every year to raise funds for New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art’s summer exhibition, is not only a maelstrom of who’s who in Hollywood and beyond, but it’s also a fertile ground for hysterical content.

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In fact, in recent years, it’s been the memes that have emerged as a result of the Met Gala that have started to outshine the themed outfits of its illustrious guests. Rihanna as an omelette! Sarah Jessica Parker as a fire emoji! Doja Cat as an audibly meowing cat! If there’s one thing that our favourite celebrities have spoiled us with it’s laugh-out-loud content hot from the starriest night of the year.

rihanna attends the met gala 2015
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In fact, online content has become such big business for the Met Gala, that the event’s organisers appointed Instagram account, Saint Hoax, as the event’s first ‘meme correspondent’ in 2021.

doja cat met gala best dressed 2023
Kevin Mazur/MG23//Getty Images

Regardless of the theme of the event – this year's is 'The Garden of Time', despite the theme of the Met's summer exhibition being 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion' – there's a joke to be poked and prodded at every single element of the event, from the guests' costumes to the interactions between some of the world's most famous faces.

Among our favourites from this year's event are memes of Lana Del Rey's twig-adorned Alexander McQueen ensemble almost wiping Kim Kardashian out as the pair gave an interview and the barbershop-inspired all-black cape-dress that Rebecca Ferguson opted for. Here are just a few of our favourite memes from this year’s Met Gala.

The best Met Gala 2024 memes

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The Met Gala 2024 News You Need To Know
jennifer lopez attends met gala 2024 in sheer dress


Lettermark
Naomi May
Acting News Editor

Naomi May is a freelance writer and editor with an emphasis on popular culture, lifestyle and politics. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard as its Fashion and Beauty Writer, working across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Acting News Editor at ELLE UK and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others.