What is the Met Gala and what was the 2018 theme?
The Met Gala is that time of year when the creme de la creme of the celebrity and fashion world descend on the Met red carpet to make their finest fashion statements.
Prepare for outfits from the super-glamorous to the wackiest designs youve ever laid eyes on as stars do battle to win the most shocking style accolade.
What the guests wear depends on the theme and their interpretation of it.
But what actually is the Met Gala and what was the theme this year?
The Met Gala is formally known as the Costume Institute Gala or Met Ball.
It takes place on the first Monday in May each year and is a fundraising gala for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum Of Arts Costume Institute, where the gala is also held.
AdvertisementAdvertisement
As well as raising money for the cause, it marks the opening of the Costume Institutes annual fashion exhibit and whatever the theme is for the exhibit is the theme guests are encourage to dress to.
From 1948 to 1971 it was held off-site at the Waldorf Astoria or Rainbow Room, where New Yorks elite enjoyed fine dining and elegant costumes.
When Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue, Anna Wintour, took the helm in 1995, celebs were added to the guest list. She featured preparing for the event in 2016 documentary The First Monday In May.
Starting in 1946, the bash is an annual fundraising bash is held to mark the start of the Institutes yearly fashion exhibition which runs for a few months after.
Tickets can cost upwards of $25,000 – over £19,000 – individually just to attend.
Keen beans can buy a whole table for their friends which can cost from $75,000 to $250,000.
But anyone wanting to attend must be personally approved by American Vogue editor Anna Wintour who chairs the event.
And only 650 – 700 people can attend in total.
From the 1989/1990 Napoleon themed ball to the 1999/2000 Rock theme, every possible theme has seemingly been a go-er at the bash.
More recently, theres been a turn towards designers.
Met Gala themes
1971–1972: Fashion Plate (October 1971 – January 1972)
1972–1973: Untailored Garments (January–July 1972)
1973–1974: The World of Balenciaga (March–September 1973)
1974–1975: Romantic and Glamorous Hollywood Design (November 1974 – August 1975)
1975–1976: American Women of Style (December 1975 – August 1976)
1976–1977: The Glory of Russian Costume (December 1976 – August 1977)
1977–1978: Vanity Fair: A Treasure Trove (December 1977– September 1978)
1978–1979: Diaghilev: Costumes and Designs of the Ballets Russes (November 1978 – June 1979)
1979–1980: Fashions of the Habsburg Era: Austria-Hungary (December 1979 – August 1980)
1980–1981: The Manchu Dragon: Costumes of China, the Ching Dynasty (December 1980 – August 1981)
1981–1982: The Eighteenth-Century Woman (December 1981 – September 1982)
1982–1983: Le Belle Époque (December 1982 – September 1983)
1983–1984: Yves Saint Laurent: 25 Years of Design (December 1983 – September 1984)
1984–1985: Man and the Horse (December 1984 – September 1985)
1985–1986: Costumes of Royal India (December 1985 – August 1986)
1986–1987: Dance (December 1986 – September 1987)
1987–1988: In Style: Celebrating Fifty Years of the Costume Institute (November 1987 – April 1988)
1988–1989: From Queen to Empress: Victorian Dress 1837–1877 (December 1988 – April 1989)
1989–1990: The Age of Napoleon: Costume from Revolution to Empire, 1789–1815 (December 1989 – April 1990)
1990–1991: Théâtre de la Mode – Fashion Dolls: The Survival of Haute Couture (December 1990 – April 1991)
1991–1992: Gala held, but no concurrent costume exhibition
1992–1993: Fashion and History: A Dialogue (December 1992 – March 1993)
1993–1994: Diana Vreeland: Immoderate Style (December 1993 – March 1994)
1994–1995: Orientalism: Visions of the East in western dress (December 1994 – March 1995)
1995–1996: Haute Couture (December 1995 – March 1996)
1996–1997: Christian Dior (December 1996 – March 1997)
1997–1998: Gianni Versace (December 1997 – March 1998)
1998–1999: Cubism and Fashion (December 10, 1998 – March 14, 1999)
1999–2000: Rock Style (December 9, 1999 – March 19, 2000)
2000–2001: No costume exhibition gala presented
2001: Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years (May 1 –July 29, 2001)
2001–2002: No costume exhibition gala presented
2003: Goddess: The Classical Mode (May 1 – August 3, 2003)
2004: Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century (April 2?, –August 8, 2004)
2005: The House of Chanel (May 5 –August 7, 2005)
2006: AngloMania: Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion (May 3 –September 6, 2006)
2007: Poiret: King of Fashion (May 9 –August 5, 2007)
2008: Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy (May 7 –September 1, 2008)
2009: The Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion (May 6 –August 9, 2009)
2010: American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity (May 5 –August 10, 2010)
2011: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty (May 4 –August 7, 2011)
2012: Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations (May 10 –August 19, 2012)
2013: Punk: Chaos to Couture (May 9 –August 14, 2013)
2014: Charles James: Beyond Fashion (May 8 –August 10, 2014)
2015: China: Through the Looking Glass (May 7 – September 7, 2015)
2016: Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology
2017: Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between
2018: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination (May 10–October 8, 2018)
In 2011, there was famously an Alexander McQueen theme for the start of the Savage Beauty retrospective exhibition.
AdvertisementAdvertisement
This years theme is Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons in honour of 74-year-old Japanese fashion designer Rei Kwakubo.
This years theme was Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.
While it is notably controversial for many of faith, the Catholic church have reportedly given it the thumbs up, according to the Daily Mail, and are even donating 40 items from the Vatican.
MORE: Selena Gomez forgot to stop with the bronzer at the Met Gala
AdvertisementAdvertisement
