I remember first hearing about the Met Gala when I was in 8th grade. It was 2019, and I just downloaded Instagram. All of my favorite actresses and influencers were posting their GRWM videos and photos, and I was ecstatic. A night where designers displayed their finest creations all inspired by a theme. It seemed so cool to me. The night and day after the Met Gala that year, I scoured the fashion sites for looks. What I saw absolutely mesmerized me. The theme in 2019 was “Camp: Notes on Fashion”, and the designs were voluminous, bedazzled, and extravagant. They weren’t all my cup of tea, but the 2019 gala was absolutely a defining moment in my fashion journey.
The Met Gala has always inspired and motivated me, but it still has its problems. The 1st Monday in May soiree is where the elite go to rub shoulders, and hide from the public eye. In 2019, individual tickets for the gala cost $35,000 USD, and have since increased to $100,000 USD for the 2026 gala. This is an insane amount of money for a what is, at the end of the day, a really nice party.
When I was younger, I could kind of turn a blind eye to this because I didn’t realize how belittling this can be to fashion as a whole. The money raised by the gala funds the Costume Institute, but how much of each individual ticket actually goes towards the institute? How much of each ticket goes towards paying for the gala? Each year, the Met Gala seems to become more and more opulent. The most popular artists perform, the meals are curated by top chefs, and the decorations are over the top. It shouldn’t cost this much to support fashion and art. There shouldn’t even have to be a gala to raise money in the first place.
What makes this year’s Met Gala even more troubling is the fact that Jeff Bezos and other tech executives helped fund the event. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos reportedly donated $10 million USD, and were honorary chairs this year.
We don’t need another space in this world invaded and controlled by wealth. When billionaires take over, spaces like the fashion and art world lose their ingenuity. It no longer is about individuality and innovation. Billionaires use their wealth to control spaces, gain power, and push their own agendas.
Some people believe it’s admirable when a billionaire donates to charities and causes. In spite of this, it’s important to question how that billionaire obtained their wealth. There is no such thing as an ethical billionaire. No one should be a billionaire. When billionaires like Jeff Bezos donate their money, it never seems genuine. It feels like they donate to relieve themselves of guilt or appeal to the masses. Their money can’t always be trusted.
I’m really disappointed in the direction the Met Gala is heading in. The past couple of years I have seen the event move further and further away from its beginnings. Though a bit elitist, the Met Gala used to be an event that celebrated fashion and design. Now, it feels like a party that celebrates wealth with a fashion being pushed to the side.
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