The Met Gala: How Fashion’s Biggest Event Influences Art

It is a time for stars to walk the red carpet and for you to spend the night with the biggest people –fashion’s greatest event, the Met Gala. Every year, many people look forward to seeing their favorite celebrities dress extravagantly and follow the year’s theme. But the most memorable thing about the Met Gala is the annual themes that celebrities and hosts partake in. Though the themes are well thought out, and though most celebs hit the mark, the way certain people attest to them can be highly controversial and can influence on past and modern art.

This year, the theme of the Met Gala was Gilded Glamor. This theme was put in place to acknowledge the late nineteenth century, a revolutionary time. Many celebrities hit the mark of this theme, such as Blake Lively with her dress that paid tribute to New York Architecture, like the Statue of Liberty, Alicia Keys with her dress that represented the Empire State Building, and many more influencers. However, other prominent celebrities faced reactions of criticism rather than praise regarding their choice of outfit for this year’s Met Gala, most notably Kim Kardashian.

Many were not pleased with internet star Kim Kardashian’s Met Gala dress. The dress, worn by Marilyn Monroe in 1962 while singing Happy Birthday to former President John F. Kennedy, was repurposed for Kim to wear at the Met Gala. Kim explained in her interview the lengths she went through to fit into that dress, including losing 16 pounds just to fit into it. Many claimed that she took the value away from the dress and that she was not a suitable candidate for the dress.

Many other celebrities were also quick to call Kim out on her outfit choice. Bob Mackie, the 82-year-old designer, commented that the outfit choice wasn’t appropriate and that “he thought it was a big mistake.” He went on to say that the dress was designed specifically for Marilyn and that she was a goddess no one else could compare to.

It’s safe to say that the choices of some Met Gala participants aren’t ones many are fond of. Kim losing 16 pounds, extensively working out, and cutting out sugar and carbs just to fit in this dress and misrepresent its value takes the concept of the Met Gala too far. Modern art and fashion should symbolize and capture the themes accurately and appropriately, and Kim’s outfit did the opposite.

The Met Gala should be a night for people to come together and express themselves through fashion, but instead, it is one overshadowed by controversy. As the Met Gala is fashion’s biggest event, it influences pop culture and how our society chooses to represent and honor many different themes and topics.