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Kelly Zhan (G8)
Kelly Zhan (G8)
Published Issue 1 2021-2022
Entertainment
Introduction:
The Costume Institute Gala, more commonly known as the Met Gala/Ball, is an annual fundraising event for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art located in NYC. The fashion-centred exhibition features a theme reflecting American fashion. All invited guests follow this theme through their outfits. The event usually hosts around an exclusive 600 guests per year, all which are invited based on status and fame. This year’s Met Gala took place on September 13th, 2021.
This Year’s Theme, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion:
The theme for this year's Met Gala was ‘American Independence’. The theme is part of a two-part exhibition from 2021 to 2020, ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion’, and ‘In America: An Anthology of Fashion’. This year’s theme was focused on representing diversity and duality in the American people and cultures. However, it feels that this theme was completely thrown out the window. The usual, extremely popular designer brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Prada dominated the scene, which, by the way, are all European brands. Really, what could be more American than that?
Interesting Outfits, to Say the Least:
Straying even further from this year’s theme, we have the majority of these outfits, often costing tens of thousands of dollars… or more. From massive quilted blankets to black jumpsuits, no one really knows what’s going on.
Here’s Kim Kardashian West wearing black, head to toe, with a $10,000 ponytail sticking out the back of her head. Users on Twitter were quick with the outfit comparisons, and many suspect that it was partially connected to ex-husband, Kanye West’s new album, ‘Donda’. This is prior to the fact that Kanye West’s album represents black as a symbol. This Balenciaga outfit that Kardashian has covered herself in is the exact shade. If this is true, it looks like Kim Kardashian here has made a genius decision, and chose the annual Met Gala as the perfect advertising platform for her ex-husband’s music album.
The co-chairs of the Met Gala, the most important four out of 600 guests in the entire event, surely would dress according to the theme, right? Sadly, and to our great disappointment, Timothee Chalamet and Billie Ellish showed up looking like they were here for a 2010 private school prom and tried to look different. Just look at Timothy's outfit, baggy white sweatpants with poorly matched Converses? What is this, 8th grade? This year’s co-chairs could not have been more disappointing.
Conclusion:
Perhaps it was the effects of COVID-19, or the delay of the Met Gala, or the theme itself, but the 2021 Met Gala has truly been a shocker. Never in the history of the famed annual Met Galas hosted since 1984 has been so lacking and uncoordinated.
Take a look at the likes of Rihanna’s legendary appearance at the 2015 Met Gala (China: Through the Looking Glass). Iconic and unique whilst acknowledging the theme, or the dashing Versace suit that adorned Chadwick Boseman at the 2018 Met Gala (Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination), which acknowledged and incorporated the theme in a fashionable and assertive manner.
Overall, you really have a lot to learn, 2021 Met. Looking forward to a better display in 2022. Don’t disappoint the Twitter nation again, Met Gala.
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