With the 2026 Met Gala just around the corner, let's rewind two decades to one of the most memorable fashion nights in history: the 2006 Met Gala, themed "AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion."
The red carpet was a who's who of mid-2000s royalty, from Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady (attending separately, no less) to Scarlett Johansson, Victoria Beckham, and Lindsay Lohan. But the night belonged to Sarah Jessica Parker, who arrived in a head-to-toe tartan plaid ensemble designed by Alexander McQueen, perfectly capturing the British-inspired theme.
Parker later recalled the evening as both thrilling and nerve-wracking. "It wasn't a fun night. It was, but it wasn't," she told Vogue in 2022. "Because I was so nervous. I just wanted him to be OK." She kept every pin McQueen dropped during fittings as a treasured memento.
The 2006 gala also featured Jennifer Lopez with then-husband Marc Anthony, Nicole Kidman, and a parade of It girls like Jessica Alba, Liv Tyler, and the Olsen twins. It was an era before social media, when the Met Gala still held an air of mystery. As Karlie Kloss recalled, "It was before everyone had access to everything at all times. There was something so mysterious about it."
Fast-forward to 2026, and the Met Gala has evolved into a global spectacle with Instagram booths and bathroom selfies. But the 2006 edition remains a nostalgic snapshot of a time when fashion's biggest night was both glamorous and intimate.