KEEPING UP WITH TRENDS: THE MET GALA

Every year, on the 1st Week of May, we see celebrities dressed in extravagant themed clothing in the red carpet stairs of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This event is referred to as The Met Gala and it is often called as “fashion’s biggest night-out”

The first Met Gala was held in December 1948 by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert as a pay-to-attend midnight dinner in order to fundraise for the Costume Institute’s expenses and to celebrate its costume exhibit. The event started to be branded as a themed “Party of the Year” in the 1970s when renowned Vogue editor Vreeland became special consultant, and more so after Anna Wintour took charge and started inviting Hollywood stars in 1995.

 The 2024 Met Gala will take place on Monday, May 6th and will celebrate the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” celebrating vintage textiles and fashion designs from years ago. This year’s theme wishes to emphasize on sustainability and preservation.

Along with the fashion event the annual costume exhibit will feature 250 items, including 15 periodic pieces usually kept in high maintenance due to their historical significance. It is said that the costumes will be displayed in new and innovative ways using AI, computer-generated imagery, animation, light projections and more.

Overall, the Met Gala has become an important event in pop culture, in which people look forward to seeing their favourite celebrities on the steps of the MET every year. Thus, why the Met Gala has benefited the Costume Institute and the fashion industry by bringing in business from the exposure they generate and will continue to do so.

References:

Nast, C. (n.d.). Met Gala 2024: celebrities, red carpet, theme & more. Vogue. https://time.com/6972918/met-gala-history/

Waxman, O. B. (2024, May 1). The history behind the Met Gala. TIME. https://time.com/6972918/met-gala-history/

Minton, M. (2024, May 3). The Met Gala 2024 theme, explained: “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” Page Six. https://pagesix.com/2024/05/03/style/met-gala-2024-theme-explained/