The history of the Met Gala

Image Credit: Pinterest, Art by The Style Historian.

What first started as an invitation-only midnight supper for only $50 a ticket, the Met Gala has developed into a global phenomenon over the course of its 76-year history.

Known as fashion’s biggest night, this week we’re diving into the story behind the Met Gala, happening this year on May 6, 2024.

What IS the Met Gala?

Before we jump into the origins, let’s first understand what the Met Gala actually is.

Underneath the star-studded affair, the gala marks the opening of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit – which is then open to the public until the fall.  

The event celebrates that year’s exhibition and theme, which helps sets the tone for attire. While guests are expected to follow the dress code, it is not mandated.

There is often *much confusion* with misinformation spread online – here’s what the annual theme really means:

·      The Met Gala theme: The vibe of the entire evening AND is the name of the related costume exhibition.

·      The dress code: Serves as a way for guests to interpret the overarching theme. The Met drops the dress code in its news release (which we love).

Image Credit: The Met’s news release from 2024, announcing the dress code, theme and chairs.

When people reference the theme, they are not always talking about the dress code. And some years, the theme + dress code are very different and challenging to accommodate.

For example, this year’s theme is Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion, a nod to the Met’s 250-garment exhibition that reportedly explores rebirth and renewal, and uses nature as a metaphor for the impermanence of fashion.

The 2024 dress code is Garden of Time – at its most basic, we can expect guests to be wearing florals or playing on the notion of time.

With tickets at $75K USD each today, the gala is also a fundraiser for the Costume Institute. Designers usually buy a table, and then dress their invited celebrity guests – but each guest has to be individually approved by the gala chair.

The evolution

Founded in 1946 and led by PR icon Eleanor Lambert (who we previously covered as the founder of Fashion Week), the benefit was meant to support the Met’s newly-created Costume Institute. The first major event was held two years later in 1948 - then called the Costume Institute Benefit.

Image Credit: Portrait of Eleanor Lambert, date unknown, Observer.com.

With tickets at $50 USD per person ($650 today), it was a midnight dinner filled with New York’s high society and fashion industry insiders, and was no different than the many philanthropic events held across New York City at the time.

The Diane Vreeland Era

But it wasn't until former Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland joined as a consultant for the Costume Institute in 1972, that the event started to morph.

Image Credit: Portrait of Diana Vreeland sitting in her office, date unknown, Pinterest.

Vreeland infused glam into the gala, introducing themes for the first time and changed the venue to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The first theme came in 1973, with The World of Balenciaga, honouring the legacy of Cristóbal Balenciaga, who passed away the previous year.

Vreeland also is credited with the introduction of a celebrity guest list, including names like Elizabeth Taylor, Elton John, Diana Ross, Cher, Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Bianca Jagger.

Image Credit: Forever obsessed with Cher at the 1974 Met Gala, wearing the iconic ‘naked dress’ by Bob Mackie. The theme was Romantic & Glamorous Hollywood Design.

By 1978, the Met Gala was on its way to cementing its status as the event of the year – although tickets were still less than $1,000 USD (approx. $4,790 USD today). 

Anna Wintour Enters the Chat

Vogue editor Anna Wintour became chairwoman of the Met Gala in 1995, and changed the date from being held annually in December to the first Monday in May.

Image Credit: Anna Wintour in 1999, event unknown, Pinterest.

As part of her role, Anna chairs the benefit, overseeing the benefit committee, seating chart and guest list – she approves every single guest. Typically, around 650-700 people attend each year.

It is also believed that Wintour brought celeb musical performances to the gala, including performances from Madonna, Cher, Rhianna and Lady Gaga.

By 2004, the extravagant costume looks we see today started to arrive - and tickets rose to $3,500 USD ($6,176 today).

Notably, model Amber Valletta wore a Marie Antoinette look that turned heads for that year’s Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century theme.

Image Credit: Amber Valletta in a nude corset by Maggie Norris Couture and skirt by John Galliano, complete with an 18th-century hairstyle, Met Gala 2004, Pinterest.

It’s reported that since 2023, the gala has raised more than $192 million for the Costume Institute, bringing in a record $17.4 million at last year’s event.

And tickets in 2024 are $75,000, up from $50,000 in 2023.

What the Met Gala means today

As the most exclusive event in the world, the Met Gala is synonymous with celebrity, influence and extravagance. Though there are many conversations online sharing Met Gala fatigue, and a general sense of being over it and that the looks are no longer as interesting.

(But honestly, I highly recommend looking at the Met Gala from pre 2000 - the outfits are divine. I put together a video on my IG of Met looks in the 90s so you don’t have to do any work!).

In 2020, influencers started receiving invitations – and this year, the CEO of TikTok Chew Shou Li, is honorary co-chair of the event alongside Loewe Creative Director Jonathan Anderson.

Interestingly, US President Joe Biden juuust signed into law a potential ban on TikTok that could become realized as early as 2025 - I’m so curious to see how that one goes.

But the gala is no stranger to controversy – in 2014 a streaker tried to interrupt but didn’t make it up the iconic stairs. And that same year, Solange had that infamous fight in an elevator with Queen B’s husband.

And that’s only mentioning two on a very long list.

Where you can watch

This year, I’ll be tuning in to see the looks (though I’m often disappointed, I’ll admit), and you can view online via Vogue’s livestream or across social.

While photos and selfies are banned at the event itself, I love that the Met’s origins began over a closed, midnight supper, held in different venues across New York City. 

And with privacy becoming a premium, I do wonder if we’ll see ever start to see a turn back to a toned-down gala, with a lot of less.

Less camp. Less extravagance. Less online.

…Probably not, though.

Until next time,

-       TSH

Sources: Observer, Women’s Wear Daily – Themes, Vogue, Wikipedia – Met Gala, Women’s Wear Daily – Met Gala, Cosmopolitan, Net-A-Porter, Variety