Last month, the 2024 Met Gala theme — “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” — was announced.
The exhibit will showcase pieces of fashion history spanning over 400 years.
Since some pieces are far too fragile to be worn, they will be displayed through various kinds of video projection.
From the chic suits, stylish makeup and elegant gowns, the Met Gala is the most-watched fashion event of the year. And certainly the most exclusive.
Tickets to the extravagant event range have reached $50,000 per person. And even if you can afford that hefty price tag, Anna Wintour still has to approve your attendance.
On top of the price for admission, guests also spend a small fortune on their designer attire for the event.
This ensures that the guest list only includes the best of the best, or perhaps the richest of the rich.
Watching the event is like watching a dystopian film — the elite wine and dine in lavish gowns while the world around them burns.
The truth is the Met Gala is a classist event with no regard for the working class.
To put some things into perspective, the previously mentioned price of tickets for this singular event exceeds the $47,318 annual living wage a single person in Kentucky should make to get by.
The general public is trying to stay afloat while celebrities are throwing money at this glorified popularity contest.
The star-studded event supposedly is also one of the most wasteful events of the year.
Last year, Insider spoke with a former caterer of the Met Gala to get an inside look at the event.
When asked about the dinner of the evening, Mark Hartman commented, “They all were just talking, networking, and enjoying each other’s company. I don’t think anyone really comes for the meal — but the food was delicious!”
It may be commendable for celebrities to want to spend “quality time,” but where I grew up, you do not waste the food given to you, especially not when that meal was carefully curated and prepared by a team of chefs making only a fraction of what your dress cost.
It is especially distasteful when celebrities skip out on this meal, instead ordering fast food of their choosing.
At this year’s Met Gala, actress Teyana Taylor opted out of the already-prepared cuisine and brought a Chick-fil-A meal for her dinner.
While this may look like a relatable moment, I see it as a slap in the face to the millions of people who would gladly take the meal provided for them if given the chance.
Some attendees in the past have tried to use their positions on the red carpet to spark discussion of pertinent political issues.
While politicians who attend the event have political backgrounds to support their statements, like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her “Tax the Rich” dress, celebrities seem to use politics as merely a way to turn heads.
In 2021, model Cara Delevingne strolled through the Met Gala in an all-white ensemble with the words “Peg the Patriarchy” written in red across her torso.
While Delevinge claimed the look to be a form of “women empowerment,” it came across as another empty gesture by celebrities looking to create some buzz online.
Using fashion as a platform to genuinely boost political change is an admirable action, but it is hard to see the message or change being brought about when the general public can’t afford to breathe the same air as some of these celebrities.
In the end, no matter how you dress it up, the Met Gala has turned into another event that allows the rich to look down their nose at everyone else and ignore the world’s real issues.
