Usually hosted on the first Monday in May, this year’s Met Gala was postponed due to COVID-19 and took place during fashion month, making it even more important to dress well.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City was the site of fashion’s greatest night last night, September 13th, celebrating “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” the Costume Institute’s latest show, which opens on September 18th at Anna Wintour Costume Centre.
Indeed, the Met Gala in New York this year wasn’t all about fashion; it also featured live music and dance performances. Katy Perry’s chandelier costume and Billy Porter’s black throne were just a few of the extravagant outfits worn by the stars on the pink carpet.
Dramaturgy dominated the theme of Camp this year, titled “Notes on Fashion”. Susan Sontag’s 1964 article “Notes on Camp” is the inspiration for this year’s subject. During a news conference before the gala, Costume Institute’s head curator Andrew Bolton noted, ‘Camp is by nature subversive (…) confronting and undermining status quo.
There were plenty of big names in attendance, including Beyonce, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and George Clooney. Alessandro Michele and Anna Wintour had hosted the event last year, along with Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, Serena Williams.
They embraced American style on the red carpet, from star-studded ensembles to more subtle allusions to Americana motifs in their outfits. And this year was no exception. The Met Gala’s red carpet is known for producing iconic looks, such as Rihanna’s high-fashion Margiela pope costume from 2018.
Met Gala’s 2021 Theme?
The theme of this year’s Met Gala is “Couture made in the US”. This year, I’ve been very struck by American designers’ responses to the social and political atmosphere, particularly about concerns of body inclusion and gender fluidity, and I’ve found their work to be self-reflective,” Wendy Yu Curator Andrew Bolton told Vogue. A renaissance, in my opinion, is taking place in American fashion now. Even more so than their European colleagues – perhaps save for English designers – I believe young designers to be at the forefront of talks about diversity and inclusion as well as sustainability and transparency.
To ascend the Met steps, you must bring some drama. On the red carpet, there were more celebrities than at the previous night’s VMAs, including actors and models as well as sportspeople, young creatives, politicians, and music industry legends.
Fashion’s greatest night out was rescheduled from the first Monday of May to the second Monday of September because of Covid-19. Everyone showed out with their A-game and vaccination certificates. Nickelback went viral after she tweeted that the Met Gala’s vaccination requirements were keeping her away.
In 2021, who served as co-chairs of the Met Gala in New York City?
There are four co-chairs, including Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish, and Naomi Osaka (according to Vogue). Among the honorary chairs are Tom Ford, Instagram’s Adam Mosseri, and Anna Wintour.
Chalamet is the much-loved actor who made a name for himself in Call Me by Your Name. He’s 25 years old. Eilish is a 19-year-old musical prodigy who has released two successful albums and has won seven Grammy Awards for her work. She is a four-time Grand Slam singles champion and one of the world’s finest tennis players. She’s also a mental health advocate and a member of the Black Lives Matter movement. When Gorman read her poetry “The Hill We Climb” at Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021, she became an overnight sensation as well as National Youth Poet Laureate for the primary time in history.
The MET Gala returned to New York City on Monday night after being absent in 2020. The fashion spectacular had its share of memorable outfits, but what struck out were the political views of many guests.
As the gala’s subject was ‘American Independence’, there were a variety of intriguing interpretations, from a red-and-white American flag skirt to a gown with ‘Equal Rights for Women’s emblazoned on the train.
2021’s fundraising event was centred around the topic of American independence. Here’s looking at a few celebrities who nailed their gala outfits.
AOC’s Tax the Rich
House Minority Whip Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attended her first Met Gala on Monday night wearing an off-the-shoulder dress by designer Brothers Vellies. In big red letters, the words “Tax the Rich” were emblazoned over the back of the gown.
There are few voices as progressive as AOCs, and she has been a loud proponent of higher taxes to pay for the new green agreement, which she has pushed for in the Democratic Party and the US Congress. As a political statement, the all-white gown was meant to invoke the women’s suffrage struggle in the United States.
Queer pride showcased
2019’s MET Gala was a celebration of all things queer, with the theme of “Camp”. Also, during this edition, the LGBTQIA+ community made their opinions heard by displaying their sexuality.
A design by JW Anderson and Loewe was inspired by the work of LGBTQIA+ activist David Wojnarovicz and worn by Schitt’s Creek actor Dan Levy, who made his MET Gala debut this year.
Megan Rapinoe, a soccer star, wore a Sergio Hudson red silk pantsuit with a bright blue shirt with white stars. “In Gay We, Trust” was emblazoned on her handbag as well.
Kardashian’s all-black ensemble
According to reports, Balenciaga’s “incognito” Kim Kardashian donned an all-black attire with a black veil that covered her from ‘head to toe’. An unmasked man identified as Demna Gvasalia, Balenciaga’s creative director, was with her. Many in the fashion world, including Kareena Kapoor Khan, have questioned the look’s foundation.
Message on women’s rights
‘Peg the Patriarchy’ was emblazoned on Cara Delevingne’s Dior tank top, which she wore on the red carpet. This is about women’s empowerment and equality – it’s a bit like saying, “stick it to the man,” remarked Delevingne.
On the train of her gown, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney had the words “Equal Rights for Women” written on it. Women and men would be guaranteed “legal gender equality” under the Equal Rights Amendment, which has been advocated since 1979. On her person, Maloney carried a clutch inscribed with the words “ERA-YES” (again, citing the Equal Rights Amendment).
