From Chic to Sultry: How Melania Trump’s Met Gala Red Carpet Style Has Evolved
Charlie Carballo
Executive Digital Director
The Met Gala is no ordinary date night with tickets that around $30,000 apiece — and that’s only if you make the cut for Anna Wintour’s annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
First Lady Melania Trump, née Knauss, made some of her biggest red carpet appearances at the star-studded soiree as Donald Trump‘s girlfriend before they wed in 2005 and has attended several times thereafter as his wife.
The former model has made some spectacular style statements over the years at the glamorous event — alternating between traditional floor-length gown gala fare with open-toe pumps or sizzling ensembles that featured high stiletto heels and higher hemlines.
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One of Melania’s earliest appearances was in 2003 — one year before her engagement to Donald. For the occasion she stepped out in a nude dress that had a plunging neckline and a billowing skirt that covered her shoes. She stuck to floor-length silhouettes at the gala for next three years until her golden moment in 2007.
Shimmering from head to toe, Melania cut a sultry figure in a gold fringe dress with matching metallic open-toe heels. In 2012, she highlighted what’s become her go-to shoe style, skyscraper Christian Louboutin pumps. She hit the red carpet that year in an edgy look — an asymmetric white dress with spiked shoulders teamed with Louboutin’s embellished glitter heels.
Tonight, the Met Gala honors Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo with the grand opening of the Costume Institute’s new exhibit, “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between.” Live coverage of the red carpet begins on Vogue.com at 7 p.m. ET, and E! News will host a program at 7:30 p.m. ET.
