Out of all the awards shows and all the celebrity events that occur throughout the year, the Met Gala is by far my favorite. Let me preface this by saying I’m not usually caught up on the lore surrounding celebrities and I’m definitely not versed in what jewelry should be worn with what shoes or what seasonal palette matches which complexions best. However, I do love the Met, New York City, and most of all, judging extravagant fashion. Every year, I look forward to hearing what the new theme will be, and I am almost never disappointed.
The Met Gala is an annual fundraiser held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York City. It also serves as a celebration for the opening of the institute’s annual fashion exhibit. The event is invite only and is hosted and planned by fashion mogul Anna Wintour, who has served as the editor-in-chief of Vogue since 1988. Usually held on the first Monday of May, celebrities in attendance walk the red carpet, and all view the new exhibition before sitting down to eat dinner together.
This year’s theme is called ‘Garden of Time’, and the ball will be raising money for the Met’s new exhibition titled ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.’ The exhibition will display around 15 pieces that are too fragile to be worn again: “sleeping” beauties. The exhibit will span pieces over 400 years, sort of aligning with our theme of ‘Garden of Time.”
Based on a short story by J.G. Ballard with the same name, the theme is very interesting, but also a bit eerie, in my opinion.
Ballard’s story follows Count Axel and his wife, who live in a beautiful villa surrounded by a garden of crystal flowers. However, there is an “approaching rabble”, and to keep them at bay, Axel must pluck a flower and turn back time. Eventually though, there are no more crystal flowers and there is no more time, and Axel and his wife must prepare for the end.
This story could be read as romantic, but it’s also dystopian and apocalyptic.
I’m sure we’ll be seeing pieces by Christian Dior, Ella Schiaperelli, Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen, who all have pieces featured in the ‘Sleeping Beauties’ exhibition. Other household names like Prada, Versace, and Vivienne Westwood will also certainly be all over the Met Gala stairs. I also expect many celebrities to show up in colorful spring florals and crystals across their bodies.
Personally, my wish is to see more than just the surface-level interpretation of ‘The Garden of Time’. I’m hoping to see celebrities take on the scarier themes of decay and nature, the circle of life, destruction, etc. that are present in Ballard’s haunting tale.
We live in a world where we’re becoming desensitized to wars, and the phrase ‘climate change’ regularly looms over our head. We’re constantly being told that we’re running out of time and yet time seems to stand still as action is slow to be taken.
This theme could be a good chance for influential figures to wear outfits that bring light to current issues that we need to be talking about as celebrities often take to the red carpet and other events, to advertise issues they’re passionate about. Ballard’s story can also be seen as a commentary on the inability of money and beauty to prevent death and destruction. As celebrities donate millions of dollars and beautify themselves for the gala, it’d be interesting to see if any of them incorporate this thought into how they dress themselves. We all know how influential celebrities can be in what people follow or become interested in – the Met Gala is an interesting place to reflect on current issues we are facing.
After all, at its core, the Met Gala is supposed to be about raising money for an artistic institution – if the art presented at this ball can’t provoke a discussion, then what can it do?
Alefiya Presswala is a Sophomore Journalism major who is already planning her Met Gala look for when she gets invited to attend. She can be reached at [email protected]