The Met Gala:79 Years of Fashion
By: Adrienne White
Date: Spring 2025
It’s 1948, and you’ve just received a $50 ticket to a fundraiser for the Costume Institute in New York City. Little do you know that this fundraiser will actually become the very first Met Gala.
Typically, every year at the Met Gala, a theme is given based on current events, fashion moments or anything relative to the sponsors. This theme is given to every attendee, and they are requested to follow in the attire they wear at the event. The night is reserved to cherish high fashion, cultural impact, and the celebrities who annually bring the event to life.
1973 marked the transition from the Met being a dinner among socialites to a true “Gala,” as the first real themed dinner took place that year, post Cristóbal Balenciaga’s death to display his impact in the fashion world. According to the Time Magazine article The History of the Met, “a Russian-themed costume exhibit” and an “old Hollywood theme” were among the most notable of that era, with notable attendees being Cher wearing a sheer, fur covered Bob Mackie gown labeled as the “naked dress” as shown above.
Other significant themes of the past include the 1995 Haute Couture, 2003 Goddess and 2013 Punk: Chaos to Couture. The past ten years’ galas have welcomed a rise of new, modern themes such as Manus x Machina, which was created to explore just how important technology is to current fashion. Heavenly Bodies was one of the most notable new themes, featuring one of Ariana Grande’s most iconic outfits: her Sistine Chapel gown. In 2022, the Anthology of Fashion Gala was held, celebrating the most unique and memorable fashion statements in American fashion.
This gala also included one of Kim Kardashian's biggest looks with an even bigger story behind it: her debut in Marylin Monroe’s 1962 JFK’s birthday dress. According to Kim, she had to lose sixteen pounds to fit into the dress. And the article The Full Damage Of The Kim Kardashian and Marilyn Monroe Met Gala Scandal from Eternal Goddess UK states that “the gown has been stretched, new holes have been formed and many of the crystals are either hanging on by the skin of their teeth or have fallen off completely.”
Aside from this scandalous story, there are many other instances of drama at the gala. Kim Kardashian and more recently Rihanna have revealed pregnancies at the Met. Selena Gomez and the Weeknd debuted their relationship in 2017, in the presence of his ex, model Bella Hadid.
Even the bathrooms, a place most wouldn’t deem holding great excitement, hold the tradition of some of the most hilarious celebrity selfies, even though the Met banned selfies several years ago.
With the rise of AI, fake Met Gala looks have spread all over the internet, tricking many, including Katy Perry’s mother last year who called the AI gown “gorgeous” in a text to her daughter. Another treat during the gala evening happens to be a guest musical performance. While attendees are provided dinner in 2010 they decided to launch a new form of entertainment.
Kicking off with Lady Gaga’s piano rendition of her top hit Bad Romance, over the years the gala has seen several incredibly talented performances including Madonna, Frank Ocean, and at the most recent gala Usher. Though little footage typically resurfaces of these performances, they are said to be some of the most wild musical performances. Post musical performance, the business part of the gala is over. The final bit of excitement happens to be the many afterparties hosted by various guests, showcasing the more dark and less commercial side to high fashion.
So in summary, while the Met gala may appear as just another red carpet event, it is actually one of the most entertaining, drama packed nights of the year. From AI scandals to dress damaging conspiracies, there is never a dull moment at the Met.
My Sources:
•https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Met_Gala#
•https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/fashion/g27307723/30-met-galas-most-unforgettable-themes/
•https://www.thecut.com/article/met-gala-performers.html
•https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/g64682222/best-after-party-photos-met-gala-2025/