THE MET GALA: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Every year, those of us who enjoy swooning over red carpet attire look forward to the Met Gala. The Met Gala, which is usually held on the first Monday in May, was moved to September last year owing to a coronavirus outbreak. Now, however, it’s back to business as usual, with the event set to take place on Monday, May 2, 2022. Here’s everything you need to know about the most important red carpet in fashion.
Eleanor Lambert, a fashion publicist, organized the Met Gala in 1948 as a fundraiser for the newly founded Costume Institute to commemorate the inauguration of its yearly show. The first gala was a banquet with tickets costing $50 apiece. The Gala was one of many yearly benefits hosted for New York charity institutions over the first few decades of its existence. As a result, the early galas were virtually solely attended by members of New York high society or the fashion business. The event was held in the Waldorf Astoria, Central Park, and the Rainbow Room between 1948 and 1971. The Gala began to evolve into a more global and glamorous affair when Diana Vreeland, an American editor and fashion expert, became a consultant to the Costume Institute in 1972, albeit it was still focused at the society set. As the event grew in popularity, celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Andy Warhol, Bianca Jagger, Diana Ross, Elton John, Liza Minnelli, Madonna, and Cher began to mix with the city’s elite. The Gala was originally staged at the Met during the Vreeland years when Gala themes were established. Since 1948, the Met Gala has been held consecutively each year, except in 2000 and 2002. The 2020 Met Gala was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Gala resumed in 2021 but was held in September rather than in May that year. In 2022, the Gala returned to holding its traditional May ceremony.
Each year, the exhibit is given a new theme, which guests are encouraged to follow but are not required to do so. A cocktail hour and a formal supper are included. Guests arrive during cocktail hour to walk the red carpet, visit the year’s unique themed exhibition, and be seated before the dinner party, which features entertainment by the day’s most prominent entertainers. The subject not only sets the tone for the annual display, but also for the attendees who try to dress in accordance with the topic of the year, prompting fashion runs at some of the world’s most prestigious retailers. Here are some of the most iconic Met gala themes:
2006: Anglomania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion,
2014: Charles James: Beyond Fashion,
2015: China: Through the Looking Glass,
2016: Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology,
2018: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.
The Met Gala generally draws roughly 600 people, however, the 2021 edition had a smaller crowd. Every year, the event invites celebrities, young creatives, and industry leaders. However, if you want to go, you can purchase individual tickets to the Met Gala, which are said to cost over $30,000, a significant increase since Anna Wintour took over the event in 1995 when tickets were only $1,000. After purchasing individual tickets, you can purchase a table, which starts at around $275,000.
So, are you interested in attending the Met Gala?
References:
ABC News. (2022, May 4). What happens inside the Met Gala? Much of the exclusive event is kept secret, but here’s what we know. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-04/met-gala-what-happens-after-the-red-carpet-walk/101037182
Berlinger, M. (2020, March 5). How the Met Gala theme is decided each year. Vocue.Fr. https://www.vogue.fr/fashion/fashion-inspiration/story/how-the-met-gala-theme-is-decided-each-year/2063
McDermott, K. (2022, May 2). Met Gala 2022: The Theme, Date, Hosts, Attendees & Everything You Need To Know. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/everything-to-know-met-gala-guide#:%7E:text=Who%20attends%20the%20Met%20Gala,and%20industry%20paragons%20each%20year.
Peacock, C., & Shkurtaj, T. (2022, April 30). Meta Gala 2022 tickets: How much are they and how do you get invited?. . . The US Sun. https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/3658259/met-gala-tickets-cost-invitation/
Rowley, S. (2022, May 1). Every Met Gala Theme Ever — Met Gala 2022 Theme History American Fashion. L’Officiel USA. https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/every-met-gala-theme-ever
Teather, C. (2022, April 29). The Met Gala: What Is It And Why Do People Care So Much? Glamour UK. https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/what-is-the-met-gala