Nobody seems to like the Met Gala anymore. With a possible recession, tariffs, the Gaza genocide and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, it comes across as just another excuse for out-of-touch celebrities to flaunt their wealth. This is not untrue, but it is not the whole story of the Met Gala.
The Met Gala, formally known as the Costume Institute Benefit, is a fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. The money raised allows the institute to house outfits from across seven centuries. It also acts as the opening night of its annual exhibits.
Sounds like a good thing, right? It is, but the Met Gala is not without deserved critique.
‘It’s giving the Capitol’ has become a common criticism of the Met Gala in recent years. As a reference to the opulent, oppressive society that rules over the poor, exploited districts in Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” trilogy, it is easy to understand why. Tickets to the Met Gala are $75,000 per person, and the costumes guests wear can seem outlandish and ridiculous to the average viewer.
At the 2022 Gala, Kim Kardashian lost 16 pounds in order to wear Marilyn Monroe’s dress for a few minutes. Doja Cat dressed as an actual cat at 2023’s Gala, and at 2021’s, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a gown that read “Tax the Rich.” At best, strange and at worst, offensive, the costumes of the Met Gala may seem more insult than art. The Gala itself has become of an event than an actual fundraiser.
“It’s gone beyond what a fundraising event usually is,” said Rachel Feinberg, a consultant for galas in New York City. “It’s not necessarily the cause that everyone’s coming for; it’s to be a part of the event.”
That is the main problem with the Met Gala, not the Gala itself, though it is not without its own problems. It costs an outrageous amount of money to attend, and originally, guests in attendance were New York’s elite.
The Gala is inherently exclusive. The Costume Institute’s admission is also rather pricey, with standard admission at $30 per person.
The exclusivity is a problem. With this year’s Gala raising $31 million, the museum can certainly afford to let patrons in for free.
The Met has also faced criticism for remaining silent about the Gaza genocide, despite workers’ calls for the museum to speak up, and for centering colonial perspectives in their displays, thoughthis was addressed in a 2019 exhibit by Kent Monkman, a Cree artist. The Met Gala may represent the worst of humanity, the perversion of art, but the Costume Institute itself does a lot to preserve art.
It may not seem like it, but costumes and fashion are forms of artwork. Think of all the fashion designers and artists who spend countless hours perfecting their masterpieces for the runway, and how many people express themselves through their sense of fashion. You can learn a lot about a culture from what its people wear,
Fashion is also political. Men and women are expected to dress differently, as highlighted in the Costume Institute’s 2010 exhibit “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity.” Punk fashion started as a response to the culture and society of the 1970s. This year’s exhibition and Met Gala theme is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” It explores Black Dandyism, a tradition of Black men using fashion to express their identities.
“It’s incredibly significant, because this is the first time in the Met’s history that they are centering Black identity and Black designers. So that acknowledgement from that institution is huge,” said Aria Hughes, Complex editor-in-chief. “And I think as we face a lot of Black history being erased, this is just kind of combatting that.”
With the Trump Administration cutting museum funding and censoring education, one of the most well-known museums in the world must be choosing to highlight this aspect of art history. Art is revolutionary, and its power must be celebrated.
Does that make the Met Museum a great ally of the people? No. As discussed, the museum as an institution has many problems.
In this era of increased emphasis on entertainment juxtaposed against increased suffering, it is not only understandable, but okay to hate the Met Gala. Protest it or turn your attention away. However, it does not make someone a bad person for caring about it, either.
Life, like fashion, does not come in just two colors. Things can be critiqued while simultaneously being enjoyed.
There is more to life than suffering. Finding joy and importance in trivial things can be just as revolutionary as disregarding them.