Hundreds of celebrities, models, fashion insiders, and industry paragons will converge at tonight’s Met Gala, which is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The Met Gala {formerly known as the Costume Institute Gala}, started in 1946 as a charity ball for the Costume Institute. Affectionately known as “fashion’s biggest night out”, this star-studded affair is one of the city’s biggest fundraisers, and is hosted by Anna Wintour, EIC of Vogue.
“Commanding between $30,000 to $50,000 per ticket (tables can range between $275,000 to $500,000, according to sources), the ball raised more than $12 million last year.” {Source: Wikipedia}
The Met Gala serves as an opening celebration for the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit. This year’s exhibition is “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” and Ms. Wintour will be co-hosting along with Rihanna, Donatella Versace and Amal Clooney.
Themes of past Met Gala exhibitions:
{Source: Wikipedia}
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 Chi’ng 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
Stylish Couples:
Stylish men rocking the Met Gala’s Red Carpet:
Dramatic Trains:
Showing a Little Skin:
Strike a Pose:
Sensational Capes:
More Met Gala Favorites:
Karolina Kurkova models a stunning Marchesa ball gown.
Hailey Baldwin modeled a tiered Carolina Herrerra gown.
I’m looking forward to seeing the parade of the women {in their beautiful, fashion-forward, and avant-garde gowns} and the handsome men {showcasing their personal style in their tailored suits} going down the Red Carpet and then up the stairs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I’m hoping to see some dramatic trains, puffy ball gowns, and even a few quirky outfits.
Who else, besides myself, looks forward to seeing the fashion of the annual Met Gala? Let me hear from my other fashion lovers by leaving a comment below on your favorite fashion moment from a past Met Gala.
Yours Truly,
Vanessa
{All photos were borrowed from Pinterest: WhoWhatWear; Fabsugar; Covet Edition; Stylosophy; Harper’s Bazaar, US & UK; Vogue, US & UK; WWD; People and People StyleWatch; Cosmopolitan; Glamour; NY Times; USA Today; E! Online; The Guardian; Racked; Just Jared; Stitch and Tie; Esquire; My Domaine, Australia; NY Magazine; GQ; The Fashionisto; Instyle; The Zoe Report; BuzzFeed; Elle; Business Insider; SheFinds; PopSugar; Daily Mail UK; Hello Giggle; Refinery 29; Brit; and Mashable}
