The Met Gala, as it’s known, is one of the most exclusive and expensive red carpet events in the world. The annual, invite-only gala benefits the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. Since it first began in 1948, this highly glamorous event has been the catwalk dream of every fashion lover and star. Year after year, the Met Gala is defined by a specific theme, in keeping with the Costume Institute’s ongoing exhibition. The 2022 Met Gala occurred on the first Monday in May, showcasing the theme “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.”
They have changed and adapted over the decades, following cultural shifts and artistic movements. For instance, the 2010 gala spotlighted “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity,” featuring Oprah Winfrey as a prominent figure. This theme put a focus on the contributions made by American women in the world of fashion and identity over American history.
In 2018, the Met Gala adopted a more spiritual theme with “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” The focus of this exhibition was the impact both fashion and religion have on each other, creating a beautiful world where both could exist.
The following year, the theme shifted dramatically to “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” inspired by Susan Sontag’s essay on camp aesthetics. The focus on over-the-top glam and irony urged event-goers to go all-out with their boldest looks.
The most recent 2021 Met Gala introduced the world to the visionary creations of Stella McCartney and Liv Tyler. Both stars donned T-shirts with McCartney’s eye-popping design that shouted from the rooftops “Rock Royalty.” The red carpet styles this year opened new dialogues about self-expression and individuality.
Perhaps most famously in 2015, Rihanna brought the house down at the gala. Her golden yellow Guo Pei gown—which featured a stunning train lined with fur—was every bit as opulent. This bold choice aligned with that year’s theme, “China: Through the Looking Glass,” which examined Chinese influence on Western fashion.
Beyoncé’s showstopping performance pulled all attention to that stunning 2012 affair. To top things off, she stunned on the red carpet in a jaw-dropping, feathered Givenchy Haute Couture gown. Her look only added to the gala’s growing fame as a launch pad for outrageous style choices.
Ever since the 1970s, Anna Wintour has been instrumental in crafting the Met Gala. She assumed the newly created role of special consultant to the Costume Institute, and within a year the special exhibition completely reoriented the Costume Institute’s direction. To this day her influence continues to reverberate, as her spirit still leads the selection of each year’s themes and general direction.
The 2024 Met Gala will feature the theme “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” This creative theme sets the stage for a deep dive into fashion’s changemaking potential and its intersection with movements for justice and equity.
“This was a dress that was certainly worn to be noticed,” she mentioned concerning memorable looks that have graced the event.
