What is the Met Gala? It's an an annual, invitation only-event to raise money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York and it is attended by roughly 550 guests. The cost of attending the Met Gala is US$35,000 per person (or US$200,000 to US$300,000 per table). According to the New York Times, at least some celebrities don't have to buy the ticket, with brands often paying for the table.
The Met Gala was established in 1948 by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert as a way to raise money for the newly-founded Costume Institute and mark the opening of its annual exhibit. The first gala was a dinner and tickets were fifty dollars per guest.
When Diana Vreeland became consultant to the Costume Institute in 1972, the Gala began to evolve into a more glamorous affair, although one that was still aimed at high society. The event started to become more celebrity-oriented with attendees like Andy Warhol, Diana Ross, and Cher intermixing with the city's elite. It was during her time that the Gala was first held at the Met and themes were introduced.
Currently, Anna Wintour (Vogue editor-in-chief) is chairwoman of the Gala since 1995 (excluding 1996 and 1998). She oversees both the benefit committee and the guest list, with Vogue staffers helping assemble the list of invitees.
The Met Gala 2019 theme: Camp: Notes on Fashion
This year's theme is inspired by Susan Sontag's 1964 essay 'Notes on 'Camp', which is widely credited to have introduced the notion of 'Camp' to the mainstream.
"The essence of Camp is its love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration," wrote Sontag. "And Camp is esoteric—something of a private code, a badge of identity even, among small urban cliques."
'Camp fashion' is an aesthetic style and sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its bad taste and ironic value.
Wondering what the men wore this year? Check it out here and learn how to dress campy and OTT here.
