The Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts its infamous Met Gala on the first Monday of every May in hopes of raising money for the Costume Institute. [1] When it was first proposed that fashion be included in the works displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, fashion was not unanimously considered a form of art. The Met Gala was born out of the necessity to raise money and allow the Met to take a chance and include a fashion exhibit in the museum. [2]
Many consider this themed black-tie extravaganza to be the biggest event of the year in fashion, with stars strutting down the red carpet in extravagant, over the top fashion in accordance with the year’s exhibit theme. Brands often purchase tables at this event to fill with celebrities, models and actresses that they feel best embody their brand’s aesthetic, and dress them in head to toe couture.
In 2011, the exhibit “Savage Beauty” , dedicated to the beautiful works of the late designer Alexander McQueen, broke museum attendance records and garnered immediate interest from both classical art and fashion enthusiasts alike. According to the museum, “Savage Beauty” was the highest trafficked show at the Met’s Costume Institute. This year’s theme is “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination”, and the event was hosted by Anna Wintour, Rihanna, Donatella Versace and Amal Clooney. [3]
Here are some of Lieutalica’s Top Met Gala Looks of 2018:
Rihanna wearing Maison Margiela by John Galliano.
Anna Wintour wearing Chanel.
Gigi Hadid wearing Versace.
Winnie Harlow wearing Tommy Hilfiger.
Virgil Abloh wearing Louis Vuitton.
Stella Maxwell wearing Moschino.
Frances McDormand and Anne Hathaway wearing Valentino Haute Couture.
Solange wearing Iris van Herpen.
This year, street photographer Daniel Arnold was invited to the Met Gala by Vogue and was tasked to capture candid photographs of the Gala’s guests. Best known for his close-proximity portraits of unsuspecting passerbys, Arnold failed to disappoint and produced images of stars in their most relaxed and truest forms. [4]
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ACADEMIC INSIGHTS:
[1] VOGUE “Met Gala 2018 Dresses”
[2] NEW YORK TIMES “What is the Met Gala, and Who Gets to Go?”
[3] FASHIONISTA “Alexander McQueen, Savage Beauty’ Beat Attendance Records in London, Too”
Lieutalica. by Tiffanie Sayaka 