It is one of the most popular steps on the planet: the world of celebrities and fashion find Monday evening the gala of the Metropolitan Museum in New York, an extravagant parade of stars for a philanthropic evening, following two editions disrupted by the pandemic.
The Met Gala will once more give rise to a surge of images of stars dressed by major brands, in chic, glamorous, implausible outfits or carriers of political messages, on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Dress code 2022 of this party among the most selective on the planet? “Gilded glamour”, words that refer to the “Gilded Age”, the American golden age of the end of the 19th century.
– « TAX THE RICH » –
For the 2021 edition, moved to September due to the pandemic – following a total cancellation in 2020 – the show was performed by American singer Billie Eilish, transformed into Marylin Monroe with platinum blonde hair and a peach-colored train dress Oscar de la Renta.
The muse of the American left Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also caused a sensation with her ivory dress, designed by Brooklyn designer Aurora James, crossed out with red letters to form the words “TAX THE RICH”.
In the pure American philanthropic tradition, the evening, which takes place on the first Monday of May, is intended to finance the fashion department of the Metropolitan Museum (The Costume Institute) and coincides with its major annual exhibition, presented in the morning to the press in front of the wife of the President of the United States, Jill Biden. This year, make way for an American “Anthology of Fashion”, a retrospective that begins in the 19th century.
– 35.000 dollars –
But to have a chance to toast with stars such as artists Beyoncé, Justin Bieber or Lil Nas X, poet Amanda Gorman, youtuber Emma Chamberlain, the Williams sisters, Sharon Stone and even Elon Musk, you have to see your invitation validated by the high priestess of the event, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
A formality for Rihanna, whose fans are hoping for an appearance with her rounded belly as a future mother.
Even invited, the ticket is expensive: 35,000 dollars for a place at dinner, 200,000 to 300,000 dollars the table paid by a patron, according to unofficial figures for 2021. That is a total of more than 16 million dollars, according to estimates.
The event comes as journalists and editors from Vogue and other Condé Nast titles (GQ, Vanity Fair, Glamor etc) launched a movement to create a union, which they recalled on social networks with a Vogue cover pastiche: “Met Gala 2022 the longest working night”.
– Extravagance –
On the steps, all eccentricities are possible. In 2019, singer and actor Billy Porter appeared as the god of the sun, spreading golden wings and carried by men with muscular torsos.
But who will match Lady Gaga and her striptease started in a large fuchsia dress and finished in black lingerie, lying on the steps?
Created in 1948, the gala was for a long time reserved for the very high society of New York, but Anna Wintour, who took it over in 1995, transformed it into a “people” event adapted to the era of social networks. . This year, the title of honorary co-president was also offered to the boss of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, alongside Anna Wintour and stylist Tom Ford.
The evening itself is co-hosted by a quartet of stars: actor couple Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, Oscar-winning actress Regina King and comedian and musician Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of Broadway hit Hamilton , and author of several musics at Disney.