On the first Monday of May every year, news headlines become dominated by photos of the most prestigious celebrities on the red carpet dressed in the most exotic attire. New York City’s Fifth Avenue becomes a hotspot for actor and athlete sightings, along with other members of high society.
This event is known as the Met Gala, and has been taking place annually since 1948 – but have you ever wondered what the Met Gala actually is?
Formally known as the Costume Institute Gala, the event was founded by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert as a fundraising benefit for the Costume Institute in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. From inception until 1971, the Met Gala bounced from venue to venue, including historic locations such as the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and Central Park, and was focused mostly on New York City’s elite.
In 1971, when Fashion Columnist and Editor Diana Vreeland became a consultant to the Gala, it began to take on a new form, taking the traits of being a glamorous affair, to more of a global event.
Throughout the 70s, the world’s most famous and most dazzling regularly attended the annual event, with names such as Elton John, Cher, and Ronald Reagan taking on attention and facing the flashing bulbs in the latest designer clothes as they entered and exited the event, joining New York Cities wealthiest.
1971 was also the inaugural year the Met Gala took on annual themes. From 1974’s “Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design”, to 1980’s “Costumes of China”, to 1990’s “Rock Style”, the event created a space for some of the most notorious outfits in fashion history.
By the mid 1990s, the Met Gala had become invite-only with a waiting list – though it wasn’t as if just anybody could show up before, as tickets have always been priced…well…high.
Anna Wintour, Vogue’s Editor-In-Chief and Chairperson of the Met Gala since 1995 has overseen the benefit committee and guest list, as well as the ticket pricing. With a cap at roughly 650-700 guests, tickets have gone from $30,000 in 2014, to $50,000 in 2023, to now $75,000 in 2024.
With extravagant cuisine always being a highlight, this year guests dined on salad, filet of beef, and an almond crémeux shaped into an apple and covered in a red glaze, on top of a walnut flavored “leaf” – certainly not one for those with nut allergies.
No matter your thoughts on the Met Gala, you’ve got to admit, it is pretty cool thinking about all that fame sitting in one room, right?