What You Didn't Know About The Met Gala.

The Met Gala is often known as the biggest fashion night with its star-studded red carpets, but then again, there is more to this gala that will absorb your undivided attention. Here are some exciting facts about The Met Gala.

Historical Background.

The Met Gala was introduced in 1948 as a midnight dinner that cost $50 to attend  known as The Costume Institute Benefit. The first Met Gala was introduced by fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert, who played a key role in launching New York Fashion Week. She saw the event as a way to fundraise for the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Why Call it Met Gala?

The event is officially known as the Costume Institute Gala. It's called the Met Gala because it is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Met is the short form for Metropolitan . The gala serves as the opening celebration for the annual fashion exhibit at the Costume Institute.

Themes.

The Met Gala was not a themed gala until 1973 when the first themed Gala was organized, Cristóbal Balenciaga retrospective. Each year, the Met Gala has a theme that corresponds with the Costume Institute's annual fashion exhibit, and attendees are expected to choose their attire to match the theme of the year. Here are some of The Met Gala themes over the years, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, In America: An Anthology of Fashion, In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, Camp: Notes on Fashion, Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination, Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology, China: Through The Looking Glass, Charles James: Beyond Fashion, Garden of Time.

The Guest List.

The Met Gala is notorious for its exclusivity. Attendance is by invitation only, and guest lists are tightly controlled by Vogue's editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, who has chaired the Gala since 1995. The list often includes a carefully curated mix of celebrities, designers, and influential figures in the fashion industry.

It Is A Fundraising Event.

Beyond the spectacular display of fashion and celebrity, The Met Gala is still a fundraising event. The gala is the main source of annual funding for the Costume Institute's exhibitions, acquisitions, and capital improvements. Each year, the event raises eight-figure sums, which are crucial for the Institute’s operations and exhibitions.

The Met Gala not only celebrates fashion as an art form but also ensures the continual evolution and appreciation of the Costume Institute's remarkable collection.