Remember celebrities and their fanbases pre-Covid? I’ll be completely honest, 13-year old
me was obsessed with my celebrity crushes. Actually obsessed may be an understatement,
but that was six years ago so we can just move on from that. But it’s a good thing for me to
remember while writing this, because it’s brought back memories of when my friends and I
would spend our entire lunch break looking at the outfits worn by our favourites at the Met
Gala. If you saw the way we critiqued some of those fits, you might as well have called us
the fashion police. As if we really knew anything about fashion then.
The key takeaway: I used to be obsessed with the Met Gala. Operative words: “used to”
. I’m
no longer obsessed with the Met. In fact, I only know it’s happened once the fashion blogs fill
my timeline with their opinions on who dressed for the theme best and the occasional “wait,
where’s Zendaya?” It’s a drastic turn for someone who used to spend hours pouring over
photos and dream of ever wearing such beautiful outfits, but it’s not my love for fashion that’s
left. To put it simply, I have little interest in a spectacle like the Met Gala where the profligate
displays of wealth begin to irk me the older I get.
After all, it’s just rich people walking around in rich clothes isn’t it?
“A fundraiser for art, but they’re wearing clown-like costumes.
”
“It’s just watching celebrities fawn over each other and compete for attention.
”
“The Met Gala is more Hunger Games than ever.
”
That’s the running commentary you’ll find on nearly every social media post the second it
hits the first Monday of May every year. The ‘Party of the Year’ has lost its appeal for many
in recent years, with some calling the Met a dress-up party for the rich and “tone deaf” given
current events around the world. There’s a growing sentiment of detachment for an event
that is hailed to be fashion’s most important spectacle, and those feelings will only grow
stronger in coming years.
If you were to scroll through Tiktok or Instagram posts about this year’s Met, you’ll probably
see the phrase “watching from district 12” in the caption or comments of nearly every post
you come across. Now, if you were an avid Hunger Games fan when you were younger,
you’re likely aware of why events like the Met Gala have become more tasteless for
spectators. If not, let me summarise. The economic state of the world is undoubtedly
becoming more depressing as each day passes with the average person (representative of
district 12) struggling to make ends meet, whilst we watch celebrities grace the red carpet
with outfits that cost 10 times our yearly salary. (Actually, 10 times more is probably a
low-ball estimate – it’s definitely in the hundreds.) Jaden Smith may have been memeified for
wanting to talk about the political and economic state of the world, but today his quote is an
accurate representation of society.The internet has become a domain of conflicting opinions and, let’s be real, egocentric
debates. The Met Gala is no exception. Many social media users will post videos about how
these celebrity events are out of touch or controversial, whilst others say that the Hunger
Games comparison is far-fetched and out of touch itself.
It’s easy to see both sides of the argument. Take the latter, most of us are watching the Met
Gala and other celebrity spectacles from the comfort of our home and (my personal
favourite) “scrolling on your iPhone 17 babe”
. Both things are out-of-reach luxuries for many
around the world, and yet here we are calling ourselves “district 12”
. At the same time, I also
understand the comparison as strained as it may be. Given that the average individual is
drowning in the current economy, it’s unsurprising that many see the Met as a preposterous
spectacle for the rich. I mean, did you see Beyonce’s dress? $50 million of jewels, are you
kidding? It’s wealth that most of the world will only experience through a screen.
It’s not to say that the Met Gala itself is ridden only with stains of privilege, after all it is a
fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, in a world facing significant issues
and rife with anti-elite sentiments, it’s easy for such events to be viewed as dystopian. Let’s
not forget that this year’s Met was sponsored by Jeff Bezos, who has been heavily criticised
for alleged labour exploitation within his business, and has only increased branding of the
Gala as a “celebration of wealth inequality”
.
The reality is, we will always be reeled in by the spectacles we claim to be indifferent to,
whether it’s out of fascination or disdain. After all, who can resist such displays of grotesque wealth? We’re just spectators to an elitist production?