Photo courtesy of Billboard

For most, a form of self-expression, and for others, a sense of comfortability, fashion is a universal visual language. On one of fashion’s biggest nights, the world comes together for The Metropolitan Museum of Arts Gala, also known as the Met Gala. Being the Oscars equivalent to the world of fashion, the purpose of this themed evening is to raise money for the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute. By showing displays of artistry and creativity, A-List celebrities and influencers are invited by the editor-in-chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour. Then, those invited get sponsored by world-class fashion designers, in which they share their vision of what they would like to wear, based upon the year’s theme. One of the most famous red carpets of the year is live streamed and broadcasted for all to watch, but no cameras are allowed within the actual gala, making many wonder what goes on inside.

Inside the gala itself usually remains a mystery, but with the world of technology, videos and pictures have taken over, making secrecy scarce. What we do know is that after the red carpet, those invited make their way into the museum and watch live performances, often by artists attending that gala. Over the years, artists like Frank Ocean, Rihanna, Madonna and countless others have performed.

Each year, a theme is chosen to represent the gala. But how is the theme chosen for the annual event? Andrew Bolton, the mastermind behind the unique and alluring themes, explains in a Vogue interview. Bolton is the head curator for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and therefore the one who puts in the time and effort to formulate a meaningful theme for celebrities and designers to get inspired by. When trying to find a theme, Bolton explains that he and his 32-person team “[try] to work on a topic that seems timely, and that defines a cultural shift that’s happening or is about to happen.” Once a theme is chosen, which takes about a year, it has to be approved by a group of high-profile individuals. First, it goes through the Met’s director and president, positions which are held by Max Hollien and Daniel H. Weiss, respectively. After they have approved that theme, the final and most important person must approve: the face of Vogue, Anna Wintour. 

Themes throughout the years have been meaningful, creative and complex. Previous themes include “Camp,” “Fashion in the Age of Technology” and “Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” 

The Met Gala has been held every year on the first Monday of May since 1948, but COVID-19 resulted in the postponement of the annual gala. As a result, Vogue decided to make up for the last Met Gala by having two, one on Sept. 13 2021, and another that will be held on its usual day, the first Monday of May in 2022. The themes that have been chosen for these two galas are connected. The first theme is “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” whereas the second theme will be “In America: an Anthology of Fashion.” 

Want to go to the Met Gala? Okay, it will just cost you a whopping $30,000 per ticket to attend and $275,000 for a table.