Celebrities are beginning to arrive at the iconic Met Gala. As anticipation builds around this year’s theme and its star-studded co-chairs, we’re taking a moment to revisit some of the event’s most fascinating history, unexpected connections, and cultural footnotes, because the Met Gala has always been about more than just fashion.
Long before he entered politics, Donald Trump was a familiar face on the Met Gala red carpet. Rising to prominence in the 1980s as one of America’s most high-profile businessmen and tabloid fixtures, Trump attended the event regularly, often accompanied by notable dates. Over the years, his companions included his first wife, Ivana Trump, photographer Andrea Murray, and later, his third wife, Melania Knauss.
© Getty ImagesWhile nowadays, Trump is banned from the Met Gala by Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour, the party used to be a setting he greatly enjoyed and the stage he used to propose to Melania, a marriage that has lasted to this day.
Trump's proposal took place on the 2004 Met Gala, whose theme was "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century." He and Melania wore matching black outfits, with him wearing a tuxedo with a black bow tie and a white button-up.
Melania wore a black and dramatic dress with a corset top fit and a drapey skirt, which she accessorizedwith large earrings and jewelry.
© Getty ImagesTrump proposed at the party, with Melania wearing the 15-carat diamond that's valued at $1.5 million for the rest of the night. “It was a great surprise. We are very happy together,” said Melania to the New York Post at the time.
In an interview with "Live and Regis and Kelly," which took place days after the Met Gala, Trump discussed his engagement and shared his excitement.
“Well, we’ve had a great relationship, we’ve been together for five years and it was really time,” he said. “And you know, Melania is a great woman, a great person and I’m really happy about it.”
Why Trump was banned from the Met Gala
© Getty ImagesDespite Trump, Melania, and Ivanka Trump becoming regular fixtures of the Met Gala parties, their attendance at the events came to an end shortly after he took office. In an appearance on James Corden's show, Wintour played a game called "Spilled Your Guts," where she had to answer a question or take a bite out of a plate packed with pickled pig feet. She opted for the truth.
"Donald Trump," she said with a laugh, prompting cheers from the audience.
© WireImage
