The First Monday in May: Met Gala Moments
It was recently announced that this year’s Met Gala will be taking place in September. But, the “First Monday in May” association still rings true, and that time of year is quickly approaching. This annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute blends art, fashion, charity, and celebrity in the flashiest, and most exclusive, of ways. In honor of the ultimate event when it comes to creatives and artists of every sort, let’s take a look back at the artistic inspiration for past themes, and how the biggest names in fashion, film, music, and culture interpreted them.
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2019: Camp: Notes on Fashion
The last Met Gala occurred in 2019, and was based on Susan Sontag’s “Notes on Camp.” This theme invited all things colorful, over-the-top, and unique. The exhibit at the Met showcased sparkly, attention-grabbing, and intricate pieces from all different designers. At the event, celebrities arrived in funky colors, textures, and silhouettes designed by houses like Dior, Moschino, Off-White, and Mugler. Think feathers, sparkles, plunging necklines, and unconventional accessories (headdresses galore!). This theme is a personal favorite.
2018: Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination
This theme was another one for the books. This theme included many ornate garments, artifacts, and religious paraphernalia donned by the most A-list of celebrities. The color palette for this event was very rich, with lots of gold, black, red, and cream. But, others interpreted the theme in more angelic ways with cherubs, halos, and actual priest-inspired garments. This theme was definitely an interesting one, and the exhibit was studded with artifacts sent over from the Vatican, which made for an aesthetically beautiful, but also very interesting and enriching theme.
2016: Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology
The 2016 theme combined art and technology in the most beautiful way. The exhibit feature garments with patterns, symmetry, and unconventional materials, highlighting the difference between fashion made by machines versus humans. The celebs stepped out donned in futuristic, industrial, creative, and sleek looks from designers like Calvin Klein, who made a garment out of recycled plastic bottles.
