The First Monday in May: is it still relevant?

I, like many, have always been interested to see what the Met Gala brings each year; increasingly, I have noticed a lack of innovation and entertainment from those who go. As it stands, the event is a great way to promote new and upcoming fashion, with individuality at the heart of it all. But as the years progress, just how culturally relevant is the Met Gala?

In previous years, the Gala has stood as a showcasing of all that is to be envied in the fashion world, but it seems many celebrities have lost sight of this, giving us nothing to work with when it comes to walking the famous red carpet. With so many interesting themes, it is hard to see how some can go so very wrong. 2018’s Heavenly Bodies gave us an awe inspiring look at the celebrities of the time and their interpretation of the religious theme; a year later, ‘Camp’ was released, reminding us that it was all too much to ask for when it came to blowing us out of the park again. Those who reoccur at the major event, often take us on a rollercoaster of relevance, and the flaws of their iconic status, reading into the facade of their wealth and the eventual destruction of their image.

With all this said, it is clear that Vogue, and Anna Wintour herself, are working hard to redefine their relevance as the most authoritative voice in fashion, granting an even smaller and younger group of celebrities the spotlight at this year’s event. 

This years Gala, however, has come under fire for not only being boring compared to previous years but for its controversial theme in celebrating the life and work of Karl Lagerfeld, a pioneer in the fashion industry with some very outspoken views; although adored by many, he was unashamedly fatphobic, anti-immigrant, possibly homophobic and (despite his many famous muses), slightly misogynistic, highlighting his annoyment at the #MeToo movement, questioning many of the victims’ credibility. 

Alongside such a controversial theme came a $50,000 price for each ticket, suggesting that the Met Gala is slowly becoming a symbol of status and fame as opposed to a celebration of fashion. With this, the event’s cultural relevance is slowly depleting, taking its place as yet another air-headed, empty showcasing of those who are ‘superior’ to everyone else. 

As a result of all this, as each year progresses, I feel the relevance and the seriousness of the Met Gala will decrease, with more people using it as a form of entertainment in order to slate those who attend, reducing the significant image that they think they possess. With constantly increasing ticket prices and reduced guest lists, it is hard to see how the Met Gala will continue to thrive throughout future years, with its cultural relevance deflating constantly.