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May 25, 2023
Beyond being an annual fundraiser, the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala, deservingly holds the title of being fashion’s biggest night
This prestigious social gathering brings together the world’s brightest stars across fashion, film, television, music, theater, business, sports, politics, and even social media to mark the opening of its annual fashion exhibit.
Let's roll out the red carpet with this list and walk through the best Met Gala themes that will forever own a piece of our voguish hearts.
Before it began its reign as the most elite night in fashion, the Met Gala was simply a fundraiser for the newly founded Costume Institute to mark the opening of its annual exhibit.Fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert was behind its 1947 inception.
By 1972, the gala had begun capturing global attention. Diana Vreeland had been named a consultant to the Costume Institute. She instituted the yearly themes as the gala found its new home at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Today, this exclusive social affair is organized by Vogue magazine. Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour, has been overseeing the event as its lead chairperson since 1995. Back then tickets to the event cost $1,000—they were priced at $50,000 in 2023.
Defined as a “dialogue between fashion and medieval art from The Met collection to examine fashion's ongoing engagement with the devotional practices and traditions of Catholicism,” the exhibit featured papal robes and accessories from the Sistine Chapel sacristy—many of which had never even been seen before beyond the Vatican.
Religious artworks filled the venue, and a papal crown centerpiece of 80,000 roses was dreamed to life. Hollywood’s biggest stars transformed into ethereal beings, with Zendaya channelling Joan of Arc in an armour-inspired gown and Blake Lively rocking a velvet burgundy and gold Versace masterpiece that took 600 hours to make.
The 2018 Met Gala moved heaven and earth to bless the world of fashion.
Image source: Instagram
The fine line between hand-made haute couture and machine-made, ready-to-wear fashion inspired one of the best MET Gala themes of the last few years: Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.
Attendees were greeted by a 65-foot double helix built from 80,000 red roses, 200,000 red silk roses, and laser-cut lace. Taylor Swift embodied the future of fashion in a short, metallic, cut-out dress by Louis Vuitton and knee-high strappy heels, Meanwhile, Beyonce was stunning in a latex Givenchy dress that demanded to be seen (and heard).
The 2016 Met Gala gave us a glimpse into the future of fashion while remaining appreciative of its past and present.
Image source: Instagram
When chaos meets couture, it proves to be an unstoppable force.
2013’s PUNK: Chaos to Couture examined punk's impact on high fashion, starting from the movement's birth in the 1970s all the way to its continuing influence today.
To celebrate the idea of tough-meets-chic, the museum’s entrance hall was decorated with a 40-foot-tall chandelier made from thousands of aluminum plates that took the shape of razor blades—edgy, indeed. The tidal wave of mohawks, leather, fish nets, see-through fabrics, and spikes at the gala proved people understand the assignment.
Miley Cyrus donned a sparkling fishnet Marc Jacobs dress and a wild, spiky short 'do, while Sienna Miller wore an off-white evening dress paired with a fully spiked leather jacket, both by Burberry.
As part of its 2008 theme, the Met Gala explored the symbolistic and metaphorical associations between fashion and superheroes.
Movie costumes, avant-garde haute couture, and high-performance sportswear were all featured in the exhibit. The focus was squarely on showing how superheroes often serve as metaphors for fashion and human empowerment.
Victoria Beckham channeled a chic supervillain in a white, lace, high-collared coat by Giorgio Armani that truly saved the day.
The venue didn't disappoint either: intimidatingly large and monochrome statues of Batman and Superman stood tall in the halls, while lengthy dinner tables fit for heroes discussing world peace solutions were all aligned for the stars in attendance.
Image source: Instagram
More than just elevating fashion to the status of an art form in the 20th century, Paul Poiret was an icon who freed women from stereotypical fashion and invented the groundbreaking "harem" pantaloons and "lampshade" tunics. He pioneered a radical approach to dressmaking that leveraged skilled draping instead of tailoring and pattern-making.
The halls of the Met flew an extra mile that year to give a next-level experience and featured a gilded birdcage with live peacocks. From the giant lanterns to the seats and plates, all of these elements were adorned with vibrant patterns inspired by Paul Poiret.
Bringing a bold pop of colour to honour the year's theme, Cameron Diaz arrived in a Fuschia Dior dress paired with turquoise jewels that drew approval from fashion royalty.
Paul Poiret's title as "King of Fashion" couldn't possibly have been more well-deserved and paved the way for one of the best Met Gala themes the world has ever seen.
Image source: Instagram
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Recognized as one of North America's leading event and experiential marketing agencies trusted by the world's biggest brands, there's no reason to look further than The Concierge Club to design sophisticated and groundbreaking events.
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