The event was first held in 1948, founded by publicist Eleanor Lambert, who aimed to raise funds for the newly established Costume Institute and increase awareness of its collection. In its early years, the event was more of a high-society dinner attended by members of New York’s elite.

The Met Gala began to evolve in the 1970s when Diana Vreeland, former editor-in-chief of VOGUE, became a special consultant to the Costume Institute. Under her influence, the event started to attract more media attention and became a glamorous, celebrity-driven affair.

Since 1995, Anna Wintour, longtime editor-in-chief of VOGUE, has overseen the gala, elevating it into a global, star-studded event that garners extensive media coverage. Wintour’s leadership, along with her uncompromising attention to detail, has helped secure the gala’s status as a major cultural and fashion highlight.

Each year, the Met Gala has a specific theme related to the Costume Institute’s exhibition. Invited attendees, including celebrities, designers and (so-called) influencers, are expected to dress according to the theme, leading to an array of creative and often extravagant fashion statements. Nothing is too extreme. Themes have ranged from “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” to “Camp: Notes on Fashion” … offering a blend of historical and contemporary inspiration.

The Met Gala draws massive media coverage and captivates audiences worldwide, making it somewhat of a pop culture phenomenon. The event’s red carpet, or more accurately, the “met steps” has become a stage for iconic fashion moments that are widely shared and discussed on social media. The Gala serves as a platform for fashion designers to showcase their work and for celebrities to make bold fashion statements.

The event also raises millions of dollars each year for the Costume Institute. In 2023 alone, it raised US$17.4 million. This financial support helps fund exhibitions, acquisitions and other initiatives.

The annual guest list is limited to approximately 650 or 700 people, and an invitation to attend is not the end of the story. You need to pay to play – and the ticket price to do so at US$75,000 per person is not for the faint hearted.

The 2015 Gala and its theme of "China: Through the Looking Glass" became the subject of a documentary – The First Monday in May, directed by Andrew Rossi. Watch the trailer HERE. Over 200 approved photographers, reporters and social media participants documented the event for the documentary. All other attendees were forbidden from using social media at the event.

This "No Selfie Rule" was extended to the following editions of the Met Gala. Despite that mandate certain attendees have established as a tradition – the taking of taking an annual selfie in The Met bathroom. These pictures showcase an eclectic grouping of notable figures who are rarely ever seen in the same room. Given their spontaneity, they are arguably the most interesting Met Gala images of all.
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References

wikipedia.org/wiki/Met_Gala
nytimes.com/2021/09/15/style/aoc-met-gala-dress

Images

1. Rihanna wearing Guo Pei aka "the omelette dress" in 2015
2. The Costume Institute Benefit at the Waldorf Astoria, 1948
3. The Met
4. Anna Wintour at the 2024 Met Ball
5. Cher’s sheer Bob Mackie dress at the first ever Met Gala in 1974
6. Kim Kardashian in head to toe Balenciaga in 2021
7. Sarah-Jessica Parker attends the Anglomania Met Gala in 2006 with Lee Alexander McQueen
8. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez controversially wears "Tax the Rich" gown in 2021. Photo credit: Jamie McCarthy for Getty Images
9. Kim Kardashian wears a Marilyn Monroe dress (unzipped at the back) in 2022
10. Jared Leto dressed as Karl Lagerfield's cat at the 2023 Met Gala. Photo credit: Theo Wargo for Getty Images
11. Kylie Jenner and friends at the Met Gala in 2017. Instagram: @kyliejenner
12. Video: The First Monday in May Official Trailer, 2017