New Delhi: The yearly Met Gala has returned. This year’s “Fashion’s Biggest Night” began on May 1 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time (about 4 a.m. Tuesday in India), which means that our social media feeds have been flooded with celebrities dressed in clothes ranging from gorgeous to strange, inspired to unexplainable.
What exactly is the Met Gala, apart from the couture and costumes? Why do the affluent and famous dress for a party based on a predetermined theme, and what do they do during the party?
idc what ppl say but alia bhatt literally slayed at the met gala #MetGala pic.twitter.com/4s8C0qPTqk
— MET GALA ERA (@softiealiaa) May 2, 2023
What is the Met Gala?
Officially known as the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute benefit, the Met Gala is an annual fundraising event conducted on the first Monday of May for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City.
In simple terms, the Costume Institute is the only section of the Met that must support itself, and it does it successfully through the one annual gala.
The celebration is strictly invitation-only, with each year a small number of superstars from various industries making the cut. Guests are urged to dress up in accordance with the year’s theme, which also serves as the basis for that year’s Costume Institute display.
surely it’s #aliabhatt ‘s era. ?? pic.twitter.com/Fd6SZoAXrx
— tanya? (@talentedtea) May 2, 2023
This time, roughly 400 guests are expected to be invited, and the subject is ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A line of Beauty,’ an homage to the legendary fashion designer Lagerfeld, who worked for Chanel and Fendi in addition to his own brand.
Because the Met Gala is raising funds for a costume institute, the costumes push the boundaries of fashion and creativity, providing the internet with plenty of material to admire and meme about.
dua lipa x #MetGala2023 (special & magical thread) ʚ♡ɞ pic.twitter.com/XZsGsKymJj
— genesis (@duasfacts) May 2, 2023
What is Costume Institute?
Based to the museum’s website, “the Costume Institute’s collection of more than thirty-three thousand exhibits reflects seven centuries of fashionable clothing and accessories for men, women, and children, from the beginning of the fifteenth century to the present.”
It originated in 1937 as the Museum of Costume Art, a separate organisation from the museum. “With the monetary backing of the fashion industry, the Museum of Costume Art amalgamated with The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1946 as The Costume Institute, and in 1959 became a curatorial department,” according to the website.
ALIA BHATTT IS SERVING? #MetGala #AliaBhatt pic.twitter.com/cpox8FwBTC
— Toheed (@toheedx_) May 1, 2023
How does the Met Gala raise money?
The money is raised by selling astronomically costly tickets and tables. According to the reports, the cost of a single ticket this year is $50,000, with tables starting at $300,000. The tables are typically purchased by major businesses and fashion firms. According to the reports, last year’s event raised $17.4 million.