“The First Monday in May” is one of the most important days of the fashion year — it marks the night of the Met Gala. This themed and exclusive event welcomes creatives from different walks of life into the Metropolitan Museum of Art to celebrate fashion. Whether that celebration be in honor of the career of Alexander McQueen or the history of dandyism, the Met Gala’s mission is to enlist the aid of fashion-forward socialite sponsors to fund the Costume Institute — simultaneously satisfying the public’s desire to access fashion, with both couture and historical pieces made available to view for each year’s exhibit.
Most adoring fashion fans, like myself, watch the event from behind a screen. Even from my small town, I prepare my critical eye as if I were Miranda Priestly in “The Devil Wears Prada,” absorbing everything unfolding from the Vogue livestream. As each look stuns on the carpet, we anxiously wait to see which star will grace our eyes next. I like to call it the “Super Bowl of Fashion” because no one dares to change the channel while the Met Gala is on. Anna Wintour and Condé Nast have done a marvelous job over the years, continuing to excite us with a fashion media event fit for the masses. According to Vogue, this past year’s livestream captured 74 million views, generating $1.4 billion in online coverage and social media advertisement value alone.
But what happens when the camera cuts and the last star disappears? I’m not talking about when the last look is posted on Instagram. After each star glides up the stairs —or in the case of Tyla, is carried in a custom sand Balmain gown — they will enter the museum to begin the most mysterious portion of the night, which takes place out of the eyes of the public: The actual gala. Usually, the evening the public gets a view of consists of content creation, a group dinner and a major performance, but the private tour that guides each guest through the Met’s Costume Institute is the more important event of the night, and one that we don’t get invited to.
I’m mesmerized when archival pieces are brought back to life on the red carpet or when my favorite celebrities model custom haute couture garments, but we cannot let the true purpose of the event be lost among the noise of the media. Viewers at home often forget that the Met Gala’s main purpose is to unveil the Met Costume Institute’s annual exhibit, which has undergone a year of curation and research by the Met’s historians and the entire Vogue staff. Our favorite Met Gala attendees may walk the carpet and earn the title of best-dressed, but a select few can also act as co-chairs to help fund the Costume Institute. Past stars that have held this co-chair title include Zendaya, Bad Bunny and Rihanna.
Last summer, I had the privilege to be in New York City during the 2024 Met Costume Institute’s exhibit, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” This was my first time visiting the Costume Institute, and from the moment I entered the crowd of viewers, I was in awe. The line to enter bubbled with excitement and the crowd inside was full of gasps, wandering eyes and camera clicks. Just as a home is carefully organized with meaningful objects, every section of the exhibit is thoughtfully designed to showcase and preserve each garment while telling a story. This particular exhibit was remarkable because it engaged all the senses to showcase fashion that represented different aspects of the natural world. From the walls that mimicked the texture of a floral Dior gown to the tubes that allowed you to smell decades-old garments or the background audios of fluttering fabric, it wasn’t until I walked through the exhibit that I could finally understand the true experience of the Met Costume Institute. This immersive space invites visitors to step into a new world and explore everything from history to art and culture through the lens of fashion.
Ultimately, the mission of the Met Gala is complete when its innovative and unique fashion can be shared with the world. We have the hard work of historians, curators, patrons and philanthropists to be grateful for. The Met Gala is more than just a night of glamour; it is advocating for the preservation of fashion history, art and craftsmanship. By making these resources accessible to the public, the Met Gala fulfills its mission year after year by serving as a gateway for the next generation of fashion leaders, inspiring them to shape the industry’s future.
SHEI Print Fashion Editor Elena Shaheen can be reached at eshaheen@umich.edu.
