Written by Vedika Pathania, a second-year student.

From outrageous fashion to luxury, fashion statements to political ones, the MET Gala is the yearly hub of all things fashion. Considered the pinnacle of fashion extravaganza, here’s all you need to know about the 2021 MET Gala.

 What is the MET Gala?

The Met Gala, which has been organised and overseen over by Anna Wintour since 1995, has grown into a much-loved annual fashion extravaganza. It is a fundraiser for the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and it is typically held to coincide with the opening of the museum’s annual fashion exhibition.

The event consistently raises eight-figure sums; the most recent edition raised a record $15 million. The Met Gala 2021 is a fundraising benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, and is often referred to as “fashion’s biggest night out.” Stars, young creatives, and industry trendsetters are all invited to the event.

It wouldn’t be an over-exaggeration to say that the event has become the Oscars and the Olympics of fashion

The 2021 MET Gala

The much-anticipated Met Gala finally took place in New York on September 13th, despite crowds of Black Lives Matter protesters outside and a vaccine mandate inside. The event, which is typically held on the first Monday in May, was postponed in 2020 because of the Covid-19 epidemic and has been rescheduled for the same reason this year.

The event in 2021 was co-chaired by musician Billie Eilish, tennis star Naomi Osaka, actor TimothéeChalamet, and poet Amanda Gorman, all of whom are Gen Z favourites.

The unique two-part show

The Costume Institute has scheduled a two-part Met Gala for 2021 and 2022, following last year’s postponement due to the Covid-19 epidemic. This year’s show, titled In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, took place on September 13th. The second installment, titled In America: An Anthology of Fashion, will be released on May 2, 2022. Both exhibitions are scheduled to continue until September 5, 2022.

Fashion at the 2021 MET Gala

From Billie Eilish’s glamourous Marilyn Monroe-inspired attire to Lil Nas X’s theatrical three-in-one Versace outfit, red carpet glamour has returned with a roar at the Met Gala 2021. While some celebrities went all out for the charity event, others, such as Hailey and Justin Bieber and co-host TimothéeChalamet, opted for a more casual look, wearing a tuxedo with sweatpants and Converse.

A look at the politics of fashion at the MET Gala 2021

The fashion spectacular featured numerous stylish highlights, but what stuck out were several participants’ political opinions. The gala’s theme was ‘American Independence,’ and creative interpretations varied from a skirt wrapped in the red and white of the American flag to a gown with the words ‘Equal Rights for Women’ written on its train.

 Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a white, off-the-shoulder, floor-sweeping dress created by Brother Vellies to the MET Gala. The words “Tax the Rich” were splashed over the back of the gown in large red letters.AOC has been a prominent supporter of more taxation to pay for the new green agreement, and she has been one of the most powerful progressive voices in the Democratic Party and the US House of Representatives. The all-white gown had its own political message: it was a reference to the American women’s suffrage struggle. Some have criticised her for wearing a luxury gown while advocating for the poor, while others have praised her for carrying her message to the rich and famous’s gala.

Cara Delevingne, a supermodel and actress, donned a white Dior tank top with the phrase “Peg the Patriarchy” on it. Congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney donned a gown with a cape-like train emblazoned with the words “Equal Rights for Women.”

Every time there is resistance and revolution, it is reflected in not only the art and literature but clearly in fashion too. While it is fun to focus on some of the meme-worthy outfits, this year’s MET Gala showcased some outspoken opinions conveyed through fashion. It might be satirical, or revolutionary. What matters is the influence of fashion on the world today.

Key points summary

• The Met Gala, which has been organised and overseen over by Anna Wintour since 1995, has grown into a much-loved annual fashion extravaganza
• The Met Gala 2021 is a fundraising benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City
• The much-anticipated Met Gala finally took place in New York on September 13th
• The event in 2021 was co-chaired by musician Billie Eilish, tennis star Naomi Osaka, actor TimothéeChalamet, and poet Amanda Gorman
• The Costume Institute has scheduled a two-part Met Gala for 2021 and 2022
• red carpet glamour has returned with a roar at the Met Gala 2021
• what stuck out were several participants’ political opinions.
• Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a whitedress, the words “Tax the Rich” were splashed over the back of the gown in large red letters
• Cara Delevingne, a supermodel and actress, donned a white Dior tank top with the phrase “Peg the Patriarchy” on it.
• Congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney donned a gown with a cape-like train emblazoned with the words “Equal Rights for Women.”

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The headline image is from the 2017 Met Gala. Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rihanna_Met_Gala_2017.jpg
Attributed to: Danilo Lauria, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons