The Met Gala has officially returned, and Covid-19 was not in attendance! The Met Gala has traditionally been on the first Monday of May every year. However, since covid restrictions caused a shift in schedule, this year’s event was held in September.
This year’s theme took a jab at America’s fashion industry with, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” This year’s event also invited many new faces, including various TikTok stars and other Gen Z influencers.
The Met Gala is like the Oscars but for fashion designers, and this year’s event definitely had some intriguing outfits.
Some celebrities take this moment as a chance to make a public statement. Let’s take Megan Rapinoe for example, a professional American soccer player. Rapinoe showed up in a red, white, and blue star-spangled suit with a purse that states ‘In Gay We Trust,” a play on the words “In God We Trust.”
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez both showed up with a statement of their own. Maloney entered with a purple, white, and gold (colors of the suffrage movements) gown. Her outfit also included a purse with the words “Era Yes” and a sash that said “Equal rights for women.” Her outfit choice is particularly bold considering the abortion ban recently passed in Texas.
Representative AOC, however, showed up in a white gown with the words ‘Tax the rich” written in bold red. As stated by the dress designer, the future of fashion is changing to be more empowering and inclusive, and that is what AOC’s dress portrays. Her dress caused a lot of talk on social media, but that’s exactly what she was going for. AOC is clear that the top 1% should pay their taxes, but her words seemed to fall on deaf ears, so this was her way of getting more people to listen.
Indigenous model Quannah ChasingHorse also made headlines. ChasingHorse took this opportunity to appreciate true American fashion at its roots. Her look consisted of a Navajo necklace and her traditional tattoos. Her look aimed to reclaim her culture and make sure indigenous people get the representation they deserved in their land.
A-list celebrities also made their debut this year. As always, they showed up with designer outfits that were out of the box and unique. The celebrity that earned the most attention was easily Kim Kardashian. At first glance, she looks like a dementor that escaped from Harry Potter. However, it raises questions and breaks the norms, which is exactly what the fashion industry is about. Perhaps the dress was not very appealing to the eye but it’s different from what we’re used to seeing, and that hits the nail on American fashion.
Tell us what you thought about some of the looks at the Met Gala by tagging us on Instagram, @HerCampusSJSU!