The first Monday of May is fast approaching. If you follow fashion, you know there's a certain high-profile event at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art that always falls on that day (there's even a documentary about it): it's the Costume Institute's annual gala, a.k.a. the Met Ball. This year's iteration celebrates its latest exhibit, Manus x Machina , which focuses on how machine techniques have changed the art of garment making. The event is sponsored by Apple , so it is being heavily promoted with that tech-y twist — down to the dress code, which, for Monday's Met Gala, is "tech white tie" . Invitees always get inventive with the theme for one of biggest annual red carpet bashes. And there's a wealth of design talents that have used innovative technology in a brilliant way.Creatives have long been incorporating technologically sophisticated elements into their collections, from Alexander McQueen (at both Givenchy and his eponymous label) to Zac Posen to Iris van Herpen. We looked back at 12 moments when designers were more than simply fashion-forward but also truly forward-thinking regarding what a garment can do (not merely how gorgeous a piece can look). Whether a designer dabbles in 3-D printing or tinkers with next-level materials, or, say, incorporating animations into a catwalk performance, the following labels have proven to be a step ahead of the game.Most celebrities have probably already triple-secured their get-ups for the gala, but here are some sage predictions as to the labels we'll spot on the red carpet, and the A-listers we expect (and hope!) to see donning them.