The annual Met Gala, one of the most anticipated nights on the global fashion calendar, unfolded on Monday night in New York City. This year's dress code, 'Fashion is Art', aligns with the Costume Institute's latest exhibition, 'Costume Art', at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The showcase blends haute couture with fine art, pairing designer pieces with celebrated works, from Yves Saint Laurent creations displayed alongside Vincent van Gogh's Irises, to John Galliano designs for Maison Margiela exhibited next to classical sculpture.
Controversy and Record Fundraising
Despite the glamour, this year's gala has sparked controversy following the announcement that Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos will serve as lead sponsors and honorary co-chairs. Some activists have criticised the billionaire couple's involvement, casting a shadow over the otherwise celebratory event. Still, the Met Gala remains a critical fundraiser for the museum's Costume Institute. According to Met CEO Max Hollein, this year's event has already raised a record USD 42 million, surpassing last year's USD 31 million total.
Star-Studded Attendees
Among the headline attendees, Beyonce is set to make her first appearance in a decade, joining fellow co-chairs Venus Williams and Nicole Kidman. The host committee, led by Anthony Vaccarello and Zoe Kravitz, includes a high-profile mix of talent such as Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Misty Copeland and A'ja Wilson. From beyond the museum walls, works of art will move and take shape as the glitterati ascend the Metropolitan Museum of Art's steps, exhibiting their creative interpretations of the dress code.
Notable Absences and Debuts
One person visibly absent this year is actress Priyanka Chopra, who is busy with a global press tour for the upcoming season of 'Citadel', which releases on May 6, followed by her travel to Los Angeles for the Gold House Gala. Filmmaker Karan Johar is rumoured to make his Met Gala debut this year. Local philanthropist and business leader Sudha Reddy is reportedly heading back to the red carpet, aiming to showcase Indian craftsmanship through collaborations with designers like Sabyasachi Mukherjee or Manish Malhotra.
How to Watch
The red carpet spectacle is available for all to watch online with the Vogue livestream. Ashley Graham, La La Anthony and Cara Delevingne will host the livestream starting at 3.30 am IST, with Emma Chamberlain interviewing guests throughout the night.
Fashion as Art: A Historical Perspective
Archival fashion looks have become a red carpet phenomenon. Designer Elsa Schiaparelli famously collaborated with Spanish artist Salvador Dalí in 1937 to design a white silk dress with a lobster printed on the front. Years later, Yves Saint Laurent designed shift dresses filled with Piet Mondrian's blocks of color in 1965, and Marc Jacobs collaborated with artist Takashi Murakami in 2002. The late designer Alexander McQueen was heavily regarded as an artist, closing his Spring 1999 show with a piece of performance art where machines sprayed Shalom Harlow's white dress with black and yellow spray paint.
Past Gala dress codes have honoured designers and pulled from literature. Last year, the art of tailoring was centre stage with the dress code 'Tailored for you'. The high-profile event raises money for the museum's Costume Institute, and each year the dress code takes cues from the Costume Institute's spring exhibition. On display this Spring, the 'Costume Art' exhibit will 'examine the centrality of the dressed body'.
