The Met Gala, originally known as the Costume Institute Benefit, is an annual fundraiser for the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The gala was originally launched in 1948 with help from fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, and it wasn’t until the 70s that it became the Met Gala. Diana Vreeland was the French-American fashion editor-in-chief at Vogue from 1963 to 1971, and it was because of her that it attracted such popularity. She established the concept of joining the gala to an Institute exhibit through a specific theme, the first being “The World of Balenciaga” in 1973. The 90s were also meaningful for the gala, as Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief for Vogue since 1988, became a chair in 1995, and has been the organizer for over 25 years.
The Met Gala is thought to be the “ultimate theme party” (vanityfair.com), but as it leaves so much room for interpretation, many people tend to diverge. This year’s exhibit’s theme was “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” and is described as “What was once a vital part of a person’s life is now a motionless ‘artwork’ that can no longer be worn or heard, touched, or smelled. This exhibition reanimates these objects, helping us experience them as they were originally intended—with vibrancy, dynamism, and life” (metmuseum.org). This year’s dress code was “Garden of Time,” influenced by the 1962 short story by J.G. Ballard. “The Garden of Time” tells the story of Count Axel and his wife, the countess, living in their villa with a balcony that faces down to a garden of “crystalline flowers with translucent leaves, gleaming glass-like stems, and crystals at the heart of every bloom” (vogue.com).
Zendaya was one of the hosts for the gala this year, and she did not disappoint. She was first seen in a beautiful, custom Maison Margiela, and later changed into an all-black Givenchy gown with a long train, and paired it with a floral Alexander McQueen hat. Lana Del Rey wore hawthorn branches in custom Alexander McQueen, Elle Fanning was frosted in Balmain, and Mindy Kaling looked like a flower in her custom Gaurav Gupta. Baywatch star Pamela Anderson made her gala debut in a linen-colored, Oscar de la Renta gown, and added feathers to her hair. Perhaps one of the most talked about looks was Anok Yai’s custom Swarovski couture that was supposed to embody water. 98,000 aquamarine crystals were set onto the catsuit, and the ornamentation is meant to appear as jewels shimmering on her skin.
The Met Gala serves as a bit of a Who’s Who in the world of movies, music, models, and fashion. The Curator in Charge of the The Costume Institute, Andrew Bolton, says, “Fashion is one of the most emotional artistic forms because of its connection to the body. It is imbued with memory and emotions, and we relate to it very much via our senses. One thing I hope this show will activate is that sensorial appreciation of fashion.” It seems to have done that for the Gala attendees this year.
