The first Monday of May is can be referred to by many as “fashion’s biggest night out” or the “Oscars of fashion” but what is the Met Gala? It’s a fundraising benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Costume Institute which hosts celebrities, young creatives, and industry professionals. With only a few weeks left until Monday May 7th, I wanted to take some time to talk about previous years’ themes and this years’ theme.
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- Met Gala 2017 Interior (Image Courtesy of Vogue)
In previous years, we’ve seen themes which have related to specific designers such as “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” in 2011 of which was a tribute to the late designer and “Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations” in 2012 and themes pertaining to different cultures or cultural phenomena such as “China: Through the Looking Glass” in 2015 and “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” in 2016 (remember Kimye’s strong metallic garb?). The purpose of these themes not only sets the tone for the exhibit but allows designers to create pieces that they can showcase on their selected guests. Rihanna had a beautiful and intricate dress created by Chinese designer Guo Pei for “China: Through the Looking Glass” and more or less stole the show. It was said that it took nearly two years for the dress to be created. You can watch The First Monday in May which documents behind the scenes of the event on Netflix.
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- Rihanna in chinese designer Guo Pei dress at the Met Gala 2017 ‘China: Through the Looking Glass (Image Courtesy of Vogue)
The theme for 2018 is “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination”. The intention of this theme is to show the relationship between fashion and the works of religious art and Catholic imagery. As well, it will highlight the influence of religion in fashion showing-off collections from the likes of Donatella Versace, a sponsor of this year’s Gala, Dolce & Gabbana, John Galliano, and Chanel, all of whom have referenced Catholicism in their collections. Along with the roster of designers that will be loaning their pieces, the Vatican will also be loaning 40 rare items (a papal tiara featuring 18,000 diamonds and pieces worn by Pope Benedict 14th in the 1600s).
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- Processional cross (Image Courtesy of The Met)
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- Gianni Versace evening (Image Courtesy of The Met)
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- Tiara of Pius (Image Courtesy of The Met)
This is an event that many of us wish we could attend, as long as we can afford that $30,000.00 price tag. Though we may not be able to mingle with the likes of Rihanna, Gigi Hadid, and SJP, there is the possibility to visit New York, stop by the Met Fifth Avenue or the Met Cloisters between May 10th and October 8th, 2018; all exhibits can be accessed through general admission.
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- Metropolitan Museum (Image Courtesy of CNN)
