I think about the Met Gala far more often than I probably should.
The second that the celebrities disappear into the unknown happenings of the Met Gala, I begin to think about the red carpet for the next year. I watch the hours-long livestream of the red (or not red) carpet, rating outfits as I go.
The amount of thought that I exert into an event that I don’t even understand is wild.
I always think the timing of the Met Gala is odd because it comes months after big award shows. In my mind, it would be within the weekends when fans are used to seeing their favorite celebrities dress up to walk other carpets. However, the Met Gala isn’t like a typical award show; in fact, it’s not even an award show at all.
The Met Gala’s official name is the Costume Institute Gala or the Costume Institute Benefit. The purpose is to be a fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. This event generates millions of dollars for the Met. The cost of a seat at the Met Gala, which is an invite-only event, was $50,000 as of last year. Oftentimes, designers will opt to buy an entire table (for at least $300,000) to seat guests dressed in their labels.
Every person who graces the themed carpet is dressed in extremely expensive designer clothing that, hopefully, abides by the theme of the event. A common misconception is that the museum exhibit and the event have the same theme. The theme of the 2024 exhibit is “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” while the dress code is “The Garden of Time,” so people can be expected to wear lots of florals. In contrast with the dress code, the exhibition will feature rare designs from the past to the present, some of which are too fragile to wear again. Had it not been (supposedly) stretched by Kim Kardashian, maybe Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress would have been featured. Hopefully, no celebrities will follow Kardashian’s example this year, though I believe the confusion between the exhibition theme and the dress code may lead to some poor decisions.
With the importance of outfits and theme, it comes as no surprise that the event is organized by the fashion magazine of fashion magazines, Vogue. Anna Wintour, Vogue’s editor, oversees the guest list and serves as the event’s lead chairperson. Wintour approves all guests and chooses the event hosts.
This year, the hosts have been announced as Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny, and Chris Hemsworth. I am thrilled to see the outfits of the hosts, especially because Zendaya always nails the dress code, and her press tour looks for Dune: Part Two and The Challengers have been otherworldly.
And that concludes what the public knows about the event.
All attendees have to abide by the notorious no-phone rule, so the only pictures that the public sees are approved by Wintour and Vogue. These pictures frequently feature celebrities who are often never seen in the same room. The general public’s only other views into the Met Gala are glimpses of table settings, the menu, and decorations, but only if Vogue releases them. There is also generally a high-profile performer (historical examples include Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and The Weeknd). Otherwise, the public only knows that attendees view the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Exhibition and then sit down for dinner.
Though the Met Gala is an extremely mysterious event, the outfits will always have me tuning into the carpet live stream, as I will be on May 6.
