#16: Here's why this year's MET Gala theme is problematic
The annual fashion benefit is renowned for its iconic themes, but is this year's theme a little too problematic?
This week, Vogue announced this year’s dress code for the MET Gala, which they’d revealed to be ‘In Honor of Karl’, following the Costume Institute’s reveal of an exhibition dedicated to the eccentric and highly controversial designer who died in 2019 at the age of 85. It was revealed that Lagerfeld’s career – which spanned seven decades – will be curated into 150 stunning looks for the Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty exhibition.
The MET Gala itself was borne in 1948 out of a desire to raise money for the Costume Institute and started as a lavish midnight dinner for a ticket price of just $50, according to the MET Museum website. While it was reserved exclusively for New York high society and major players in the city’s fashion industry, the benefit has had a spectacular metamorphosis – it’s now the major fashion event of the year, inviting scores of celebrities from actors, musicians, industry leaders, sports stars, fashion icons, social media stars, and more. Moreover, tickets are now upwards of $30,000.
Themes of past years have included: The House of Chanel in 2005, Rock Style in 1999, and 2018’s Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. Each year, the costume designs become even more Avant-Garde and outrageous; a sea of carefully thought-out Swarovski crystals, immaculately designed hairstyles, and perfectly executed patterns. Within minutes of celebrities hitting the famed steps of the gala, slews of netizens across the globe eagerly hit refresh when the first images begin making their way to social media platforms.
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