Though it may seem as just a red carpet galore and runway for the most influential people round the world, the annual event also referred to as the Met Ball is most importantly a fundraiser and an homage to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
WITH this year’s costume theme "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion," the recent Met Gala in New York City rolled out its red carpet yet again this year to be the biggest and most luxurious event in the fashion world for the starriest celebrities.
But what exactly is the Met Gala all about?
Though it may seem as just a red carpet galore and runway for the most influential people round the world, the annual event also referred to as the Met Ball is most importantly a fundraiser and an homage to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
Traditionally held at the first Monday of May, the Met Gala is a fundraiser dedicated to New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute - formally named The Anna Wintour Costume Center, in homage to the American Vogue's editor-in-chief, who has been a chair member of the museum's gala since 1995.
The benefit founded in 1948 by publicist Eleanor Lambert was to encourage donations from New York's high society.
The event has gone from an annual fundraiser attended by the fashion industry and New York society to a cultural phenomenon attracting global attention.
The Met Gala also marks the opening night of the Costume Institute's annual fashion exhibit.
The theme of the exhibition sets the tone for the event and invitees have to dress accordingly.
For this year, the theme is "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” It aims to center and elevate contemporary designers through the generations who have greatly impacted the American subset of the industry.
Co-chairs this year include Billie Eilish, Timothée Chalamet, Naomi Osaka, and Amanda Gorman. Other notable attendees this year are power couple Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, Serena Williams, Kim Kardashin, Lil Nas X, Whoopi Goldberg, Normani, Vera Wang, and Indya Moore.
Though in the past, the Philippines was only represented through the works of Filipino designers such as Michael Cinco and CJ Cruz, this year, singer Saweetie proudly showed off her Filipino heritage in the 2021 Met Gala.
Saweetie hit the red carpet for her first year at the Gala wearing a shimmering red Christian Cowan gownt.
The skirt featured two equally shimmery iridescent panels in two distinct color schemes: one in red, white, blue, and yellow, and one in red and black. One panel represented the colors of the Philippine flag, while the other represented the Black American flag. Building on the Met Gala 2021 theme, she told an interviewer that the two flags are what make her an "American girl."
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