The 2025 Met Gala happened on Monday May 5th. The theme for the event was “Tailored to You”. Many celebrities were in attendance, some of the most notable being Sabrina Carpenter, A$AP Rocky, Rihana, and Chapple Roan. But what is the Met Gala and how did it start?
The Met Gala started in 1948 as a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum, specifically the Costume Institute. The first Gala was a dinner planned by Eleanor Lambert and Dorothy Shaver. One was a fashion publicist and the other one was a fashion retailer. Originally the ticket cost was $50 per person, and guests were primarily people in the fashion industry. The outfits weren’t avant-guard, they were regular suits and dresses that one could find at any gala. Themes for outfits did not start until 1973. This year Diana Vreeland, a consulate for the costume institute, suggested the first theme “The World of Balenciaga” and there has been a theme ever since.
The Met gala continues on as a very successful fundraiser for the Met. However, it is more than that now. It is not a part of culture and it allows for a documentation of fashion for all eras. This year’s gala raised a total of $31 million. It also succeeded in drawing attention. Many spectators believed that the outfits did not match the theme and were sub-par.
A ticket for the Met Gala current day is $75,000 per person or for a table of ten $350,000. This event is also by invitation only. What makes the Met Gala so interesting is that nobody knows what happens while it is going on. Phones and Social media are not allowed during the event, so the only thing the public sees are the extravagant entrances of their favorite celebrities.
