You might think that sneakers have no place at as esteemed an event as the Met Gala. Yet, year after year, celebs have boldly—and successfully—made athletic footwear choices work for this luxury fashion promenade. In fact, the prestigious event, otherwise referred to as the ‘fashion Oscars’ has played host to many spotlight-stealing moments, where sartorial elegance has embraced the comfort of sneakers. We’ve seen everything from Virgil Abloh’s Off-White x Jordan collaborations to high-end Valentino designs take over the annual fundraising extravaganza. They’ve no doubt proven to us that, with the right vision, your favourite kicks can hold their own against any pair of sparkly heels or dapper loafers. So, with excitement high for the 2025 Costume Institute Benefit, we thought we’d reminisce and celebrate some of the best Met Gala sneakers worn throughout the years.
Victor Cruz: Public School x The Generic Man
Rolling back the clock to the grand Met Gala of 2014, where the theme was “White Tie and Decorations,” former American football star Victor Cruz made headlines wearing a refined pair of Public School x The Generic Man sneakers. In an unexpected move, the legendary NFL star opted to pair his classy tuxedo with glossy black patent leather sneakers featuring striking white soles. His risky design choice paid off, as he landed an honourable spot on several best-dressed lists that year, proving that sneakers can, in fact, offer an intriguing twist to the formality of an event like the Met Gala.
Virgil Abloh: Jordan
We’ve seen the visionary designer Virgil Abloh repeatedly make daring footwear choices at the Met Gala. However, his choice to wear his own Off-White x “UNC” AJ1 collab in 2018 certainly stands out. The striking blue and white sneakers, paired with a white Louis Vuitton atelier suit and various items covered in religious embroidery, were just the right pick for the “Sunday Best” dress theme of the event.
Serena Williams: Nike
Tennis icon and fashionista Serena Williams dominated the 2019 Met Gala red carpet with her highlighter green Nike x Off-White Air Force 1 Low sneakers. We will always be thankful to fashion icon Anna Wintour for advising Serena to wear kicks with her gown the year she co-chaired the camp theme as the luminous sneakers flawlessly matched her glitzy, off-the-shoulder Atelier Versace outfit.
Alessia Cara: Nike
The 2019 Met Gala “Camp” theme gave guests an open invitation to be daring with their fashion choices, and singer-songwriter Alessia Cara certainly answered the call with her shoe selection. Teaming her monochrome tulle dress from the esteemed Giambattista Valli with mismatched black and white Comme Des Garcons x Nike Cortez Platforms brought both a sense of fun and intrigue to the young artist’s outfit. While she added other subtleties of elegance to the look, including a Tyler Ellis clutch and Harry Kotlar earrings, her adventurous sneaker choice undoubtedly made the ensemble absolutely unforgettable.
Timothee Chalamet: Converse
The 2021 Met Gala provided a runway for some iconic sneaker looks. Naturally, the “American Independence” theme for that year inspired celebrities to reach for footwear from classic American footwear brands, and, of course, Converse made the cut. The always stylish Timothee Chalamet paired a classic white Converse Chuck Taylor high-tops with a sleek white blazer from Haider Ackermann and Rick Owens sweatpants. Needless to say, his clever take on this timeless classic sparked quite a stir online that year.
Kid Cudi: Louis Vuitton
Kid Cudi stole the show at ‘Fashion’s Biggest Night Out’ in 2021. His Dennis Rodman-inspired look—which included brightly coloured hair, dark eye makeup, a vivid blue sweater, a floor-length glossy vinyl skirt, and a $1 million USD Ben Baller x KAWS necklace—was anything but subtle. And the Louis Vuitton tie-dye leather sneakers on his feet were the perfect punctuation mark to the extravagant ensemble.
Ella Emhoff: Adidas
Model Ella Emhoff turned heads at the 2021 Met Gala in her unexpected yet incredibly stylish baggy trousers and sneakers combo. Emhoff opted to wear head-to-toe Adidas by Stella McCartney for her Met Gala debut, and it definitely paid off. Just picture a bright red diamond mesh bodysuit, matching baggy pants, and a pair of adidas by Stella McCartney Earthlight sneakers with even more red diamonds and netted fabric. Perfection.
Justin Bieber: Nike
Trust none other than the Biebs to deliver an unconventional footwear choice at the pinnacle of all fashion events. In 2021, the famed pop artist wore a pair of Nike Air Force 1s that had been hand-customised with playful doodles including teddy bears, hearts and even a Drew sticker on the heel. He styled the kicks with a tuxedo-style jacket, parachute pants, and what looked like a laptop bag decorated with his label’s distinctive smiley face.
Sebastian Stan: Valentino
No one could have missed Sebastian Stan at the 2022 Met Gala. The Romanian-born actor effortlessly drew attention in his bold, neon pink suit and matching kicks. Though his outfit did not completely follow the ‘gilded glamour’ theme of the night, he had all the ladies swooning with his perfectly matched Valentino ensemble, from the hot pink long-sleeved shirt to the coordinating pants and bright jacket. Yet, for us, the true spectacle of the night were his eye-catching pink Valentino sneakers.
Jaden Smith: New Balance
Jaden Smith put his best foot forward at the 2024 Met Gala, wearing his black and white New Balance x MSFTSrep collaboration. Smith matched his sneakers with a Thom Browne custom suit, which included a clean white coat, black trousers and a coordinating skirt. The ensemble earned him a spot among the evening’s most stylish gents, and it wasn’t just his unconventional sartorial choices that stole the spotlight! See the full list of Met Gala sneakers that rocked the red carpet.
