by Rennie Anderson
Famous worldwide, the MET Gala is one of the most anticipated fashion events of the year. Often referred to as “The Biggest Night in Fashion,” celebrities and designers alike spend weeks and weeks preparing for this epic night. What started off as a small charity event to raise money for the Costume Institute at the Met Museum has now become a night people look forward to each year from around the world.
This year, attendees were tasked with the theme of “Gilded Glamor.” This takes inspiration from the Golden Age of America, when rapid economic growth and major industrialization was present. In addition to the Gala itself, there was also a two-part exhibit at the museum. The first part, “In America: a Lexicon In Fashion,” which opened in September of 2021, was followed by “In America, an Anthology of Fashion,” which opened on May 7th, 2022.
The red carpet at the Met Gala is one of the most iconic red carpets in the world. Hundreds of people walk the carpet on the night of the event. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Phoebe Bridgers, and Blake Lively (who was also one of this year's co-chairs), took the red carpet by storm. Regina King, Ryan Reynolds, and Lin-Manuel Miranda were the other co-chairs for this year's Gala.
With the theme of “Gilded Glamor”, there were countless extravagant, beautiful looks. However, there were also many looks where the public felt the theme was not represented at all.
Blake Lively's outfit was one that everyone agreed was gorgeous and extremely on theme. She was wearing Versace, in the form of a beautiful copper dress which she unveiled dramatically, showing to have teal underneath. Her dress represented the Statue of Liberty, and had other references to major New York City landmarks such as the Grand Central Station and the Empire State Building. Lively deemed it her so-called “Love Letter to New York City.”
Unfortunately, some celebrities did not quite stay on theme. Kylie Jenner, for example, walked the red carpet in a wedding dress designed by Virgil Abloh, just before he passed away in November 2021. It was a touching memoir, but did not meet the standards for “Gilded Glamor” in any way. Another look that did not cut it was Sebastian Stan. He was wearing an all neon pink look. It was designed by Valentino, and consisted of a loose-fitting bomber jacket and pants with sneakers. Both of these looks were too modern for a “Gilded Glamor” theme and did not represent the idea of “In America: An Anthology Of Fashion.” In addition, celebrities such as Kris Jenner, Hailey Beiber, Anderson Paak and Kim Kardashian appeared in beautiful looks inspired by the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, which did not properly draw from the Golden Age but were amazing looks nonetheless.
With the MET Gala being the biggest night in fashion, everyone - celebrities, designers, and observers alike - cannot wait for the next one. While it hasn’t been announced yet, there have been some rumors that the 2023 MET Gala's theme will have something to do with space. However, there is no real confirmation on this yet. So until then, we can all just admire the past looks while we wait for the official theme.
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