By: Molly Roop

The Met Gala, formally known as the Costume Institute Gala is an annual fundraiser event hosted by the fashion magazine Vogue.  The event takes place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The first Met dates all the way back to 1948 where publicist Eleanor Lambert came up with the idea to raise money for the newly opened Costume Institute exhibit. The Met Gala is also known as “fashion’s biggest night”. 

To attend the Met Gala, you must be invited by a designer brand to represent them on the red carpet. Around six hundred people attend every year, and over 140 brands are represented. The event welcomes stars, young creatives, and industry paragons each year. Until the night before the event, Anna Wintor, the editor-in- chief of Vogue magazine, keeps the guest list a secret. Anna is the one person who approves of the guest list  and decides who attends. 

Every year, the Met Gala has a different theme. This year’s theme was “In Honor of Karl” because of Karl Lagerfield’s recent passing. Karl Lagerfiled is a German fashion designer and photographer best known as the creative power behind the modern revival of Chanel. The theme is meant to set the tone for the whole night and encourage guests to match their attire with the theme. 

The 2023 Met Gala was hosted by Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel, Roger Federer, Dua Lipa, and Vogue’s Anna Wintour. The biggest celebrities attend from Beyonce to Rhianna and Madonna to Lady Gaga. Brands such as Versace, Gucci, Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Dior, and many more are present every year. Versace was the most talked-about brand at this year’s Met Gala, having generated over 53 million US dollars in Media Impact Value. 

Overall, The Met Gala is an event that brings brands and people together to represent fashion in new and exciting ways. The main purpose of this event is to share with the public new fashion trends, create new expectations for fashion, and honor designers from all over the world.