Held annually on the first Monday in May, the Met Gala serves as a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute while also celebrating the opening of its newest fashion exhibition. This year, the exhibit is titled “Costume Art,” and Vogue describes the exhibit as “dedicated to the overlapping ways in which fashion and art have engaged with the human body throughout the ages.” Along with the upcoming exhibit, the dress code for the event is “Fashion Is Art.”
This year, the Met Gala has faced backlash due to billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos’ serving as honorary chairs and lead sponsors of the event. An activist group called Everyone Hates Elon has conducted a massive messaging campaign throughout New York City, posting flyers and projecting visuals on Bezos’s penthouse, calling for people to reject the event. On May 4th, protesters gathered in Manhattan, where the actress Lisa Ann Walter (best known for her role as Mellisa Schemmenti in Abbott Elementary) criticized the gala’s billionaire influence, asking, “How did an event that is supposed to celebrate the creativity, artistry, and fabulousness in all genders end up revolving around this Temu Lex Luthor?”
Despite controversy outside the museum, once celebrities hit the carpet, the conversation quickly shifted back to what the Met Gala does best: creating unforgettable fashion moments.
( Image courtesy of David ‘Dee’ Delgado/Reuters )
Independent Designers Reach the Carpet
For years, the Met Gala has been dominated by luxury fashion designers. However, this year, several smaller labels found their way onto the carpet. Vogue Editorial Director Chloe Malle, for example, wore Colleen Allen, an emerging designer rather than a traditional couture giant. NBA star Jimmy Butler also introduced a surprising newcomer by wearing Alo, marking the athleisure brand’s first appearance dressing a guest for fashion’s biggest night.
( Image courtesy of Mike Coppola / Getty Images and Lexie Moreland/Getty Images )
Guests adherence to the Theme
The theme of this year’s Met Gala was “costume art.” Many attendees interpreted the prompt literally, using famous artworks as direct inspiration for their looks. Most notably, Rosé (member of the K-Pop group BlackPink) wore a dress very similar to À tire d’aile by Georges Braque.
Rose was not alone in drawing inspiration from fine art: Hunter Schafer, who stars in HBO Max’s Euphoria, appeared in a dress resembling Gustav Klimt’s Mäda Primavesi.
( Image courtesy of Georges Braque and Mike Coppola/Getty Images )
( Image courtesy of Gustav Klimt’s Mäda Primavesi and Entertainment/Getty Images)
Body Is The New Fashion
One of the night’s most noticeable trends was the emphasis on the nipple, with celebrities including Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Devyn Garcia, Kim Kardashian, and Chase Infiniti opting for gowns designed around visible bust detailing. According to Fashionista, “The nipple has never been more omnipresent than in the last decade or so.” In fact, during Saint Laurent’s Fall 2024 show, 36 out of the 48 models wore dresses that displayed their bare breasts. The prevalence of these revealing silhouettes reflects fashion’s ongoing embrace of self-expression and a newfound sense of freedom in appearance.
( Image courtesy of Chase Infiniti Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images and Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue )
Best Dressed
Emma Chamberlain stunned in a Mugler gown by Miguel Castro Freitas that took the“Fashion is art” theme literally. The dress mimics paintbrush strokes, and many have compared the look to Van Gogh’s famous Starry Night.
( Image courtesy of Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
Male fashion also did not disappoint, particularly Tyriq Withers, who wore a full Louis Vuitton by Pharrell Williams ensemble. His sheer, sparkling mesh suit challenged traditional expectations of masculinity on the red carpet.
( Image courtesy of Matt Winkelmeyer/MG26/Getty Images )
