This year’s fashion world’s “biggest night out” was postponed to the second Monday of September instead of the traditional first Monday of May. The MET Gala gathers many celebrities in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for a showcase of the most renowned designers’ looks crafted around a theme. Compared to last year’s cancellation of the event due to COVID-19, this year’s “delay” was met with much excitement by the fashion community. Still, the event still required guests to wear masks inside when not eating or drinking and required proof of vaccination for admission.
This year’s theme was “American Fashion,” more specifically “In America: a Lexicon of Fashion,” which encompasses all changes American fashion has been experiencing and how it has been affected by recent events and political initiatives. The dress code also touches on the theme of “American Revolution” and seeks to analyze American identity in fashion. For this year’s edition, the chosen co-chairs were singer Billie Eilish, actor Timothée Chalamet, tennis champion Naomi Osaka and poet Amanda Gorman. Serving as the honorary chairs, fashion designer Tom Ford, Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri and Vogue’s editor in chief, Anna Wintour.
The 2021 Met Gala, as reflected by its co-chairs, invited athletes, some of which were Olympic champions in the recent Tokyo 2020 edition. The seven-time Olympian medalist Simone Biles attended the event wearing an 88-pound Area dress along with the 2020 all-around Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, dressed in a gold Sukeina dress. The track star Sha’Carri Richardson also made an appearance wearing the Black designer Teophilio.
Along with these athletes, other well-known celebrities attended the MET for the first time, including co-chairs Billie Eilish and Timotheé Chalamet. Singer Olivia Rodrigo, who also made her debut in the music industry this year with her album “Sour,” attended the event in Saint Laurent. Other singers, such as Chloe X Halle, Megan Thee Stallion, Saweetie and Rosalia also made an appearance for the first time ever at the event. The Brazilian pop singer Anitta also attended the event for the first time, becoming the first Brazilian singer to ever be present at the MET Gala. Finally, the rapper and Grammy Winner Lil Nas X also showed up wearing a gold Versace armor.
Speaking of MET Gala first timers, some guests that divided opinions on social media were influencers. TikToker and singer Dixie D’Amelio, TikToker and actress Addison Rae and influencer Emma Chamberlain walked down the beige carpet for the first time ever this September. Some people on the Internet were discussing if influencers who essentially rose to fame by “creating content” should really be invited to an A-list celebrity event.
Many fans were upset that other celebrities, known for always making a statement at the MET Gala, did not attend this year’s edition. The actress Zendaya apologized to her fans for not being able to attend the party this year. Kylie Jenner also decided not to attend the event last minute and other well-known celebrities that attended past events, such as Harry Styles and Blake Lively, did not make an appearance on the carpet this year.
Despite all of the criticism this year’s MET Gala faced not only by internet users but also fashion experts, it showcased iconic looks and more importantly, represented a milestone regarding events coming back after the pandemic. For many people around the world, the MET Gala is one of the most expected events of the year, and the fact that it has been slowly returning to the pre-COVID normal has many enthusiasts excited for the editions to come.
