The Met Gala takes place every year on the first Monday in May, which means this year, the Gala was earlier this week. Though most people think of the Met Gala as an exclusive party for celebrities and the ultra wealthy, with invitees hand picked by Vogue’s legendary Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour, the event is actually a fundraiser that supports the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute. The Costume Institute preserves historical garments, curates public exhibitions, and educates people on how clothing reflects and shapes culture.
Less well known, is that the Met Gala has been held annually since 1947. Up until 1971, only New York high society and the fashion industry attended the event. And it didn’t morph into the pop culture phenomenon it is today until last 15 years—there was an Alexander McQueen exhibition in 2011 that experts credit as the turning point.
Social media and the cultural fascination with celebrity has brought more attention to the Met Gala with every passing year, including live coverage of guests arriving on the red carpet. After every Met Gala, there are write-ups, analysis, and critiques of the event. There are posts showcasing and commenting on what people wore, essays on why this year’s theme was better or worse than other themes, and speculations about who didn’t come this year and was it because they weren’t invited by Ms. Wintour, or because they attend as a form of protest. There are typically also a few posts pushing back on the event as out of touch, and too indulgent.
This year, the response to the Met Gala was different. It included much more negative feedback, and much heavier criticism. There were calls to ignore it and boycott it. Influential people, like NYC’s Mayor Mamdani, publically announced they would not be attending. Posts with positive outlooks on the event had comment sections that quickly filled with people expressing anger and derision—toward the event, and toward anyone who seemed to celebrate or enjoy it.
What was different this year? Why all the blowback? A few reasons:
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