The Met Gala is back! The star-studded event will be held on September 13 to support the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. Traditionally, the charity event is held on the first Monday of May but due to the pandemic, 2020’s gala was postponed.
Every year, the Met Gala has a strict dress code that coincides with the museum’s latest fashion exhibit. This year’s theme is “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” and will open the museum’s exhibit on September 18 where it will be shown through September 2022. The exhibit will be apart of a two part series with the second part, “In America: An Anthology of Fashion,” opening on May 5. “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” is reported to showcase contemporary designers to celebrate 300 years of American fashion.
Andrew Bolton, head curator for the Costume Institute, told the New York Times, “We very consciously wanted this to be a celebration of the American fashion community, which suffered so much during the pandemic.”
American fashion has often been linked with athleisure wear and functionality values which have caused the industry to overlook. Mr. Bolton shared, “I think American fashion is undergoing a renaissance, with young American designers at the vanguard of discussions around diversity, inclusion, sustainability and conscious creativity. I find it incredibly exciting.” The fashion exhibit will be transformed into a home with each room representing a different emotion.
Attendees for the biggest fashion event have caused recent controversy. The exclusive guest list is unconfirmed but speculation is social media stars Emma Chamberlain, Addison Rae and Charli D’Amelio are set to appeal. Met Gala regulars such as Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez are also believed to attend. The stars confirmed to be there are Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, Naomi Osaka and Amanda Gorman as they will be hosting the big event.
All attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination and wear masks in ordinance with the new requirements for New York City, which requires vaccination proof to access certain indoor spaces. So expect to see a masked ball but with a twist.