An aerospace engineer by education, I discovered fashion during what is to date one of the darkest periods of my life. The beauty, joy and pure creativity expressed through the art of fashion came as a much needed breath of fresh air, and I have since grown to be a part of this unique world through not only my personal twitter account but as a social media editor for High Fashion Talk on Facebook. I am incredibly excited to give back to high fashion twitter, a member of which I have part for just about a year. I hope that the High Fashion Twitter Met Gala will help bring light to this extraordinary online community; I cannot wait to see your creativity blossom come May. - Aria Olson [ aria.son00@gmail.com ]

Alejandra @wrkhs

I believe what we wear tells the story of who we are and who we want to be. People tend to believe that fashion is something superficial, that it lacks depth, but if there’s something I know for sure, it’s that fashion shapes the way we feel, think, and act. I highly value the work behind fashion pieces— the concepts behind it, the techniques, the efficiency, the precision, it’s something that never stops astonishing me.

As a designer and industrial engineer from the Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia, the skills I have acquired come from a wide range, from fashion, graphic and product design to the comprehension of each element that compose a business. This plural approach gives me a technical and creative vision about fashion and allows me to understand fashion as a whole.

The High Fashion twitter community, which i’ve been part of for the last three years, has given me so much knowledge, joy, and the chance to meet amazing people. Here lies the future of the fashion industry, we’re here learning everyday and we’re not afraid to raise our voices for a change in sustainability and ethics in the industry. I’m so excited to see our taste, creativity and love for fashion come together. - Alejandra Beltrán [alejandrabeltranpa@gmail.com]

Chloe Kennedy @LeoInLaurent

Growing up around the Museum District of Houston, Texas, I have always had great exposure to incredible works of art. From a really young age, I took an interest in art of all mediums. I always knew I wanted to have my hand in the art world, but never knew what niche was best fit for me. I found every type of art so fascinating, but felt stuck because each of its sub categorizations excluded another element of design I was interested in. However in 2017, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston hosted an Oscar De La Renta exhibit. One of the pieces on display was Allison Sarofim’s gown for the 2004 Met Gala themed "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century.” This piece in particular sparked my love and admiration for fashion. It was the first time I saw a couture gown in person. I was in awe of how such a detailed, intricate design was made wearable. I realised then that fashion was the perfect blend of all art forms.

I continued to dive deeper into the fashion world by doing everything I could: reading memoirs of designers, listening to podcasts, subscribing to magazines, and following bloggers on all social media platforms, but I never knew exactly how to contribute to the discussion. So I decided to create my own HF twitter account. From the start the community was very welcoming. It is very common on this platform to promote and join group chats geared towards learning more about fashion and growing closer to those who have the same passion as you.

In the present day, I am 19 and studying literature in my third year of college while spending everyday furthering my knowledge and interest in fashion through my independent studies and my high fashion twitter account, @LeoInLaurent. - Chloe. [chloeiriskennedy@gmail.com]

Ever since I was little I've loved art and other forms of self expression. Expressing myself through my clothes was one of the main things that has helped me showcase my creativity. It wasn't until about a year ago when I discovered the online community I am still a part of today: HF Twitter, a community that has helped me broaden my horizons in every way possible. Along with developing my sense of style, I have also discovered brand new passions for different art forms that I previously had no particular interest in, such as architecture and performance art.

Most importantly, it is a community filled with amazing people with incredible taste. I couldn't think of anyone more capable to participate in this event.

Currently, I am just your regular high school student with a Twitter account, but I hope someday I will be able to transform my passion into something more and get a job in the industry. My interests are still developing so I am not sure what exactly I want to do when I am older, but one thing is for sure - whatever I do, I want it to be something that I am passionate about.

Let's hope this first Monday of May is one for the books!-Jana Dragićević [dragicevicjana227@gmail.com]

Margaux Merz @thegirlinmiumiu

I vividly remember hosting “fashion shows” at my house when I was younger, talking my friends into wearing all the clothes from my closet to show off to my audience (which was, to my dismay, only ever my parents). As much as fashion has been a part of my life, and one of the only constants, I never considered it more than a hobby. I didn’t think it was plausible for me to get involved in the industry; I thought that was only for glamorous models and creative geniuses.

It wasn’t until I found the incredible community of High Fashion Twitter nearly 3 and a half years ago that I was truly immersed into the fashion world. I was introduced to all the moving parts of the industry, which stretched beyond anything I had ever thought about the fashion world, and even found a place I could see myself in the future- as a fashion journalist.

Now, at 19 years old, I’ve created my own fashion & lifestyle blog (visit https://thegirlinmiumiu.wordpress.com/), and I’m currently studying journalism with a marketing/visual communications minor (of course with a focus on fashion)! I’m so proud of this community for keeping the tradition of the Met Gala alive in our own special way in these uncertain times and I can’t wait to see what you all do with this event. The future of fashion is in our hands - let’s make this amazing! - Margaux Merz [margauxxmerz@gmail.com]

I have always loved art, fashion just happens to be my medium. My name is Perla Montan and I’m a 19 year old student. I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the International Fashion Academy (IFA) Paris where I study fashion design and technology. My love for fashion started at an early age, as it has always been a form of self expression to me. I fell even more in love with fashion when I started creating and designing pieces. Joining the HF twitter community back in December 2018 was a great new way to learn about my passion. Like many users of the HF twitter community, the Met Gala has always been one of my favorite fashion events of the year, as it perfectly presents fashion as an art form. And as a fashion history enthusiast I am even more thrilled by this theme! The HF Twit Met Gala team and I are so delighted to be able to give back to our little online community. I am extremely fortunate to be part of an amazing team that gets to bring a taste of the Met Gala straight to you! Can’t wait to see you on the first Monday of May! - Perla [perla00montan@gmail.com]

From the age of five years old I wanted to do things no one has done before. I took a deep interest in the art of fashion, mostly because of my mother, who has always shared my interest. After realizing this, she gave me my first sketchbook when I was eight years old, which I covered front to back with clothing sketches. However, at twelve years old — before I could even have the chance to even call myself a teenager — my teen years quickly became dark; so much so that art couldn’t serve as an escape for me. Inspiration and motivation to continue creating art was nowhere to be found, thus making me feel helpless, with an undecipherable and unreachable future.

That was, until I joined HF Twitter over a year ago, a place fresh with enthusiasm and vibrant individuals — people who come in all shapes and sizes, people who are so distinguishable from one another, yet share the same passion for fashion. And I was inspired! I fell in love with art again! HF Twitter helped me grow, not just as a fashion enthusiast, but as a person. It wasn’t until I entered this community that I had a vivid idea of what I wish to achieve in the future. Seeing all these individuals sharing their work has taught that there are no limits to creativity.

And all of this is why I am especially ecstatic to be part of the HF Twitter Met Gala staff. This event is something no one has ever done before. This event could inspire someone who could be in the same position I was years ago. And to create something for the young creatives — the future of fashion, the future of art — and see them express themselves audaciously is a joy to behold!

At present I’m an eighteen year old high school student from the Philippines, who’s recently gone back into designing clothing, and has taken interest in costume design. On my Twitter, @infurgadiso, I post various kinds of fashion content, each serving as a documentation on the information I have learned. - Raebele [contact.raebele@gmail.com]

Rebeca Spitz @richcitypretty

I am twenty years old and in my second year of studies at VCUArts. In the fall, I will be beginning a major in painting & printmaking, and hopefully pursuing a second major in fashion merchandising. My goal as a maker, and as a human, is to use my privilege and my platform to create work that empowers and gives voices to marginalized communities- most specifically in the cross-section between PoC, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ communities.

I can't remember a time in my life when art and fashion weren’t my biggest passions. In fact, some of my earliest memories are of the countless afternoons spent flipping through the pages of my grandmother’s many art books. The first time I remember truly feeling inspired by fashion I was nine years old, and I had just discovered Harajuku girls- I was hooked instantly by their innovative styles and confidence. Just viewing them made me feel so much more powerful. Since then, working in the fashion industry has always been my dream, but it never felt like something that could ever be accessible to me until I started attending college. When I accidentally stumbled upon HF twitter, eighteen months ago, I knew I had finally found my people. I was a scared freshman who was struggling to make friends, so finding hf twitter felt like fate- not only was I making friends, but they all loved fashion just as much as I did.

I am extremely honored and proud to be a part of the amazing team responsible for the first of many HF twitter Met Galas, and we are working around the clock to ensure that we construct the most fun and inclusive event we can, while respecting and encouraging safe social health practices. Our goal is to hopefully start a tradition for young creatives to express themselves and to encourage a new generation of fashion lovers to get involved in the industry, even if it’s just for fun. - Rebeca [rebecaspitz1@gmail.com]

Samantha @DECOUTURIZE

As a law student, I have a tendency to perceive any given phenomena as a system; a system that privileges certain ideas, and disenfranchises others. That has a purpose, but which purpose can become estranged through the venom of corruption.

Fashion is no different.

And whilst I despise the mischaracterisation of fashion as mere clothing, I believe the solution is not in over-romanticising the industry. Rather, I think it is in acknowledging fashion’s flaws; questioning & deconstructing fashion’s contribution to hyper-consumerism, oppression & other weapons of our modern capitalist system. And that is what I do on @DECOUTURIZE. Outside of twitter, I am currently in law school, studying a Diploma of Spanish & freelancing as a fashion writer and creative. I’ve had the honour of holding roles such as Social Media Manager for Brisbane Fashion Month, Editor for The Naked Review and The Fashion Law Chronicles, Creative and Blogger for Kortni Portia & Creative Director of QUT Fashion Society. I have also developed my own academic tutoring business, where I teach high school students in the areas of English, Spanish & Legal Studies. - Samantha Haran [samanthaharan@outlook.com]

I’m a 20 year old pre-med student majoring in English and Public Health Science. I discovered HF twitter and the world of fashion almost accidentally when I was 14 years old. After taking a school trip to an art museum, I came home wanting to learn more about art and found myself falling in love with the medium of fashion. As I’ve grown, I’ve learned that I highly value story-telling and self expression, especially through art, which is why I’m so excited to help organize the HF Twitter Met Gala! We’re creating an opportunity for creatives and fashion-lovers to participate in an event that we all look forward to every year. I am incredibly proud of this team and I am honored to be a part of it. While I figure out how to work activism and change-making into my passions and into my career, I am excited to know that even as I pursue STEM, I have a place in fashion and that it has a place for me. This is going to be a very special first Monday of May. I am looking forward to seeing everything come together! - Senam Attipoe [sgattipoe@gmail.com]

Sofía @SAINTLIAR

Change has been with me ever since I can remember. Born in Argentina and having moved countries twice at the early age of 3 taught me how to adapt to change, whilst teaching me to embrace the rare opportunity of a fresh start. I guess that’s why fashion and its ever changing nature always felt so appealing yet familiar to me. It was my early exposure to fashion and art — by my art curator mom who would go out of her way to buy Vogue issues for her 10 year old girl — that inspired my passion for the arts and the pursuit of a career in the realm of design.

Being a graphic designer, my main task is to be able to make a clear canvas communicate a certain idea or feeling through arranging colors, shapes and fonts inside that blank space. In my everyday life I, through clothing, turn myself into that same clear canvas; and through fabrics, silhouettes and colors I get the chance of that fresh start, and choose who I want to be — or how I want the world to perceive me. Fashion is to me, the biggest form of self-expression and escapism in my life; what I use to differentiate myself from others.

However, hf twitter is a place where us fanatics come together. On Twitter (@SAINTLIAR), I share my love for the arts, fashion and my opinions on collections and the industry. But I also share a lot of who I am, beliefs and struggles, and let my personality and humour shine through everything I post. At the end of the day, what’s an opinion worth if you don’t know the person behind it?

When I’m not oversharing on twitter, I’m studying for my graphic design degree at the University of Buenos Aires (FADU, UBA) and working as a freelance graphic designer. My ultimate goal is to be able to make a living out of combining my passion for graphics, art and fashion. - Sofía [sofia.abadi.roig@gmail.com]